Welcome...
This is our first ever newsletter and we are so pleased to welcome you into this seasonal update from Australia’s only, Single Source Milk proudly produced by the Chesworth family -The Little Big Dairy Co. We hope you enjoy reading about the current happenings at the farm and factory, pick up a great recipe and playlist and look forward to our next edition in Winter. Until then, we hope you keep well.
Autumn here at Rawsonville, just west of Dubbo NSW is as close to perfection seasonally as we have had for a long time. Recent generous rainfalls have blessed the farm and relieved the family from the heavy weight of drought.
A burden that was almost unrecognised of its magnitude until it was lifted.
The relief from drought is yet to be realised fully for the dairy until the summer harvest is completed and input fodder prices reflect the improved season. We rely heavily on purchased feed aside from the pasture and silage made on farm; protein supplements like canola meal and grain are fed to the cows under supervision from our animal nutritionist Neil and vet, Don ensuring their requirements are met daily for their health and efficient production.
Happy milkers are now grazing their first rotation on oats, rye and baby clover pasture. While heifers and bulls are grazing dryland oats! Wow! After so many years of failed dryland plantings we almost can’t believe it!
This time of year usually sees our family head off farm to the Sydney Show after a carefully planned gap in cows calving while we are away. While we are not at the show, with it being cancelled for the third time ever in history we are enjoying a little lull with sowing continuing and the Covid crisis strains.
Over at the factory coronavirus has had a larger impact, with admin teams working from home and manufacturing staff splitting shifts. Almost 40% of our milk sales are to café customers and so we are working hard to support those customers who are struggling while becoming more immersed in our community, now offering doorstep delivery!
Our Doorstep Delivery offering launched late March with almost 300 deliveries already made. We would love if you shared this news with your friends and encourage them to stay home and let us bring a box of milk to their door.
Order NowWe almost haven’t had time to stop to celebrate the two grand champion medals awarded to our cream products earlier this year, an amazing follow up to Starbaby’s broad ribbon win at Sydney Show last year.
Thank you for being here for the journey.
Meet Steve
Steve is the youngest child of Ken and Judi and has been dairy farming since he was 15!
A big part of Steve’s heart for what he does is breeding. He loves following the progress of the cow families, his own and high profile cow families across the world. Steve also values the working relationships he has with his three children and the friendships he has within the dairy industry. Another big buzz for Steve is growing high quality pastures and crops for the herds.
A long held dream of relocating the family from the Upper Hunter to Central West has been a highlight of Steve’s career. Proving to be an excellent move for all but especially for the cows whom benefit greatly from the low humidity and access to high quality local fodder sources.
The grandchildren call Steve Poppo; and are learning the value of doing the little things properly, the privilege of working with beautiful animals and farming, creating wonderful memories and dairy farmers to be, for sure!
Maiale al Latte (Milk Braised Pork)
This is a simple and delicious way to cook a shoulder of pork.
Snuggly place 2kg boneless pork shoulder into casserole dish. Cover with milk (we like non-homogenised), a generous amount of salt and cracked pepper, handful of bay leaves and sage leaves.
Bring gently to the boil and then transfer to a slow oven for about an hour.
The milk will curdle and reduce in volume by about half.
Remove leaves, slice meat and serve with the milk sauce and salads or vegetables.
Delicious.
One 250ml glass of milk = the same amount of calcium as five cups of cooked broccoli.
Find out more fun facts on the Dairy Australia website.
- Baby bro Cam is home from Melbourne due to Covid-19.
- Sydney Royal Easter show 2020 cancelled- reminiscing on Starbaby's win from 2019.
- Coffs Harbour depot now up and running.
- Our team member Georgie had a baby girl!
- We are looking forward to planting some trees this season.
- Winter crop sowing almost complete.
- Doorstep Deliveries are available www.littlebigdairy.co
- Lactose Free Milk range trials in progress.
- Cool room extension slab is done.
- Rainfall so far for 2020 = 410mm.
