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Wednesday, July 30, 2025

News Classifieds Digital Editions

Dairy
Dairy

Iced coffee definitely still coming

I WISH I had never opened my big mouth and said the iced coffee was close. I am an idiot – albeit in a loveable, innocent farm boy kind of way. But nevertheless, a complete nincompoop. What I should have said, probably what I meant to say but...

22 Jul 2025
Dairy

Theres cold, and then theres wet and cold

JUNE should be reserved for hibernating – it’s cold, it’s hard to get motivated. And while wet is wonderful for all farmers, right now it’s wet and cold. Did you know in Iceland on Christmas Eve they have a tradition where everyone reads books...

21 Jun 2025
Dairy

Dont be your beast of burden

IN very unusual circumstances, we find ourselves as one of luckiest areas of the state as far as rainfall and seasonal conditions go. I am thinking of my friends and other farmers in the Western District (where lack of stock drinking water is...

17 May 2025
North West Farmer

Processing purchase will prove a gamechanger

OK, OK, OK, so since last time, I have had a lovely jaunt to Lakes Entrance and back to pull apart some processing equipment Gippsland Jersey has stopped using – its old to them, pre-loved to me, and 10 times faster than we are currently...

26 Apr 2025
Dairy

The funny thing about secrets

Can you keep a secret?Because I can’t. And we have some really important news to tell – although I probably shouldn’t just yet. It’s simply too early. But it’s always better out than in. I have been working on making an ice coffee drink...

25 Apr 2025
Dairy

Were too busy to be burnt out yet

I FEEL as though I’ve spent the past month putting out fires – literally and figuratively. Shout out and thanks to all the volunteer firefighters who came to our farm a week ago, it’s pretty incredible how fast they came and how well organised...

22 Feb 2025
Most popular
Dairy

Proudly a 1973 more-on model

I WAS at a dairy farm discussion group in Cohuna a few weeks ago evaluating the merits of different feeding systems and facilities when I had an epiphany. The facilitator was describing two different farm development models. And...

21 Jan 2025
Dairy

Life is, or might be, coming up chocolates or tea towels

HOW is the new Coles supermarket deal going? It’s too early to tell, but what I do know is we probably, in fact definitely, were not ready to mix it with the big boys. So we will fake it ’til we make it (but please just keep that under your hat...

21 Dec 2024
Dairy

Proudly sponsored story about our bottled passion

Typically, I use this platform to write gentle self-deprecating humour, and I try to be reasonably honest with our joys and challenges. Today I am going for shameless self-promotion. Sorry, but we are on a journey to build a legacy business of which...

18 Nov 2024
North West Farmer

It’s always the front yard which is a mess

THERE is a saying that the difference between a good farmer and a bad farmer is about one week. I cannot be in the good farmer category as, very embarrassingly, we still have a couple of paddocks to sow – ouch. In my defence, I am somewhat new to...

17 Aug 2024
Dairy

A legend in my own lunch box

EVERY winter when it gets cold, wet and miserable I think “Why am I doing this?” and I consider my options for a career change. How do you think I would go as a movie star? We went to Melbourne for an overnighter for school holidays and everyone went...

20 Jul 2024
Dairy

Always embrace the art of learning

I often shock people when they hear me talking and singing to myself. But hey, I’m like “of course I talk to myself, where else can I get such expert advice for free?”I also had another birthday a few weeks ago, and obviously I’m fitter...

24 Jun 2024
Opinion

Processing sector feels the squeeze

I have been quietly waiting for about two years for something to go pop in the Australian dairy industry. Milk prices have been high – above market prices due to processors fighting for milk supply among a steadily reducing number of farmers. My...

17 May 2024
Dairy

Milking all we can from holiday

EVERY time I go to France I am shocked they don’t really do fresh milk – this is why they are so quirky. They do dairy, lots of dairy, having a wonderful obsession with cheese and yoghurt. But they hardly drink milk, and on...

20 Feb 2024
Dairy

Friends in the right places

MY better half Sally, the half who is supposed to love and cherish, says to me my “lack of adaptation to technology is hurting our business”.Ouch!It’s like a dagger through my hard-working Luddite heart. But the truth is...

15 Dec 2023
Opinion

Milk making sit down, belt up and hang on

DAIRY with PAUL BETHUNETHIS milk production business is an emotional rollercoaster. One week you win an award, the next week you have to recall off milk. One week you’re dancing a jig because you get a trial in Coles supermarkets, but then...

24 Nov 2023
Dairy

Back on track after milk woes

The best present I got for my 50th birthday came from a friend who bought me two really large bags of Minties. The reason this was so appropriate is for as long as I can remember, I have had a penchant for betting Minties, and the truth is in 6028...

25 Jul 2023