46 | nzdairy Customers loving real milk in Timaru Richard Loader “The milk is unpasteurised, non-homogenised ‘real milk’, straight from the cow with everything good left in it. Customers love it. The vending machines paid for themselves in the rst year, and that was $70,000 worth of plant.” While dairy farmers well know the delicious, creamy and natural taste of milk straight from the cow, for many Kiwis used to picking up their milk from the supermarket shelf, it is a mystery. Thanks to farmers like Stuart and Andrea Weir who have set up raw milk vending machines on their farms, more and more people are getting to understand what they have been missing out on. Surrounded by lifestyle blocks, Andrea and Stuart farm 100 hectares in the Fairview district, just on the southern boundary of Timaru city. For the last 80 years, the farm has supplied town milk and Stuart is the 3rd generation to care for the land and his girls, the cows. Being just a hop, skip and jump from the city, and being close to lifestylers, increasing numbers of people were wanting milk direct from the farm and that was the driver for Stuart and Andrea to look at vending machines to sell raw milk at farm gate. Stuart was aware of the Village Milk franchise based in Takaka and in 2014 he and Andrea made the trek up the Island to talk to franchise owner Mark Houston. Convinced that was the way to go, they became Village Milk franchisee, the vending machines were imported and part of their old shed was modi ed into a shop. “We saw the franchise as an opportunity to add value to the business, and give people what they want,” says Stuart. “The milk is unpasteurised, nonhomogenised ‘real milk’, straight from the cow with everything good left in it. Customers love it. The vending machines paid for themselves in the rst year, and that was $70,000 worth of plant.” Real Milk Timaru’s Andrea and Stu. Out on the farm with the main Fonterra herd. DAIRY PEOPLE » Glenwillow Farm: Stuart & Andrea Weir When the Government introduced regulation to the supply of raw milk, the franchise model could no longer operate and suppliers had to rebrand – Real Milk Timaru was born. “Village Milk had developed a very stringent testing procedure for milk quality and that provided a standard for the milk and guaranteed safety for the consumers.” Stuart says on-farm shop sales have remained static, with 80 – 100 litres sold each day from a regular and loyal customer base. But the purchase of a refrigerated truck four years ago has enabled home deliveries, which suits the lifestyle of people today. “They leave their bottles out just like the old days, the bottles are picked up, sterilised and recycled. We’re probably delivering 100 litres from the truck on delivery days. We do Timaru city on a Monday and Tuesday evening. “We also do Waimate on Tuesdays. Wednesday, we do Fairlie to Tekapo, which is a big run. Thursday is the busiest day, covering Temuka, Geraldine and Pleasant Point. We’re picking up a couple of customers each week, with a lot of that through word of mouth or seeing the truck pulling up at their neighbours.” Providing the milk are fteen handpicked Fresian cows, all fed a delicious diet of pasture, silage and brewer’s grain, milked once-a-day and kept separate from the main herd. “They’re milked ahead of the main herd in the afternoon so they are in a spotlessly clean shed, hand-washed, iodine teat sprayed and then hand dried before the cups go on. We can just keep adding cows into the Real Milk herd as demand grows.” In charge of milking operations is Andrea, ably supported by a team of rostered ladies – it’s an all-girls’ show. Main Road, St. Andrews PO Box 137, Timaru Cell: 027 4329 555 Phone: 03 612 6605 Fax: 03 612 6614 Email: www.standrewstransport .co.nz satrans@xtra.co.nz Proud to be associated with Andrea & Stuart Weir of Glenwillow Farm Pleased to be providing Andrea & Stu with their fert services and helping them to be well within their 190k N limit Paul 0274-337-858 Shaun 027-601-5175 PG Talbot Contracting www.aorangivet.co.nz 03 6879378 265 Otipua Road Timaru high eld@aorangivet.co.nz Proud to support Andrea & Stuart Weir AORANGI VETERINARY SERVICES LTD Your Animals - Our Expertise
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDc2Mzg=