Nimbin Valley Dairy | Our Story | Sustainability 1

Sustainability

We take the sustainability of our farm very seriously and uphold our commitment to walk lightly on our Earth.

We acknowledge that greenhouse gases produced by goats and cows contribute to global warming. To offset these emissions, we began a tree planting program ten years ago. To date, we have planted enough trees to offset the annual greenhouse gas emissions from our goats. Our goal is to completely offset the emissions of our cow herd and cheesemaking.

All of our sustainable cheese and milk packaging is made of 100% recyclable plastic. We have an ongoing commitment to monitor and reduce our business waste and are always looking for new ways of reducing our environmental footprint. We use 100% ‘Green Power’ – energy produced from renewable sources.

We have reduced the use of chemical fertilisers by over 80% since we started using composted animal manure as our main source of soil nutrients. This ongoing annual program has the added benefit of helping build up soil carbon, humus and organic matter which, in turn, retain soil moisture and fortify the soil against erosion.

Our History

Nimbin Valley Dairy lies on a winding country road between Nimbin village and Tuntable Falls in Northern NSW. It’s the home of Kerry and Paul together with 80 cows and 150 of the happiest free-ranging goats this side of Capricorn. The people of Nimbin have celebrated locally produced food for generations. From our grandmothers who used their own eggs, milk and butter to make award-winning sponges at the local show, to recent arrivals who harvest macadamias, roast coffee and make their own tofu. Our artisan cheese stands testament to this tradition.

Both Kerry and Paul come from a long line of dairy farmers and share a passion for simple wholesome produce. Paul grew up on a dairy at Woodlawn near Lismore. He studied at the National Centre for Dairy Education, winning the Dairy Australia Cheesemaking Scholarship in 2007. As the family cheesemaker, his talent is the product of his upbringing and a passion for creating great tasting cheeses.

Kerry was raised on a dairy farm in Kyogle where his mother can still be found making sponges and pavlovas which are renowned throughout the region. After studying business and accounting at university, Kerry worked in the city for a few years, before returning to the country to provide his sons with a childhood similar to his own. As the family number-cruncher, Kerry is often the unsung hero who keeps it all ticking over behind the scenes.

Together, their produce represents five generations of Australian dairying and cheesemaking heritage. Kerry and Paul now dedicate their time to managing the farm and helping their goats and cows produce some of the best tasting produce in the region.

Our Philosophy

Our farming philosophy is very simple: from our paddocks to your plate, we aim to provide you with the most wholesome and delicious food possible.

We are committed to walking lightly on the land and use farming methods that closely mimic nature. Our pastures are nourished by legumes and composted manure, and pests are managed with biological control methods instead of harmful pesticides.

Our commitment to produce food which is free of chemicals, hormones and antibiotics demands a different approach. This often takes a little extra time and effort on our part, but we believe that happy and healthy animals provide the best possible milk for us to turn into naturally tasty cheeses.

We invite you to taste the difference of wholesome, natural produce that works with our environment, not against it.

Thankyou

Our journey has been long and it hasn’t finished yet. Along the way we have had the assistance of some enormously talented people who have been extraordinarily generous with their ideas and time.

Neil Willman and Gina del Santo, in conjunction with a Dairy Australia Cheesemaking Scholarship, helped us get started in 2007.

In an era when many successful business people retire to sip cocktails on Hayman Island, Alison Lansley decided to donate her time and considerable energy to the Australian Specialist Cheesemakers’ Association to ensure the Australian industry kicks some goals. To that end Alison coaxed the world’s leading artisan cheesemaking trainer, Ivan Lacher, down under with the goal of raising the standard of Australian artisan cheese. The Nimbin Valley range and quality is a testament to the dedication of these two people.