After years of frustration, Mahlah and Kel Grey of The Pines Kiama are finally able to open their dairy farm to the public thanks to changes to state rules promoting agritourism.
“We’ve always wanted to be able to have people visit our farm to connect with their food, but it wasn’t possible,” says Mahlah.
“Having visitors on farm and farmgate sales is now legal without a DA, and we are starting with a pop-up to see how it goes.”
She and Kel are the sixth generation of Greys to farm on Saddleback Mountain, and it is taking all their tenacity and resilience to continue to do so.
The first major decision they made, after taking over the reins of the 100-acre farm in 2008, was to become an independent micro-dairy processing their own milk. The idea was to cut out the middleman and sell direct to the public to make their small herd, 20 this year, economically viable.
This led to making value-added products – yoghurt, gelato and cheese – on-farm, to sell at the Kiama Farmers’ Market, Carriageworks Market in Sydney and their own shop, The Pines Pantry in Kiama.
“Ideally we would have had a farm shop all this time,” says Mahlah.
“Elsewhere they have been a popular way of connecting people with food producers for a long time.”
While brimming with ideas for future interactions with the public, the Greys are initially opening their farmgate every second Sunday morning for people to enjoy a coffee, a fresh gelato and a wander around paths to see the cows (sometimes in the distance), newly arrived pigs and chickens, a thriving permaculture garden and the amazing view.
With limited parking, Mahlah is hoping people consider riding or walking up the foothills to get to the farm to make the most of the morning.
“It’s all self-guided, and low key at the moment as we are a working farm,” says Mahlah.
“We will be introducing proper farm tours in the coming months, where we will be able to explain what we do and why we do it.
“These will include both tours for families and in-depth tours focusing on our approach to regenerative farming.”
The Pines’ new season, non-homogenised milk – which you decant yourself into a reusable bottle you bring or buy – is also available to take home, along with yoghurt and beautiful organic produce grown on site by Kerryn McInnis’ Passion Project.
It is a great opportunity to check out the tranquil deck where Inner Seeds’ yoga classes are offered during the week.
November will also see The Pines host the first masterclass to be held on site, conducted by Australia’s leading expert on biodynamics, Hamish Mackay.
“It’s for people interested in the interconnections between human health and soil health,” says Mahlah.
“We had to go out west to do his course a few years ago, so it is great to bring him across to the South Coast.”
With 20 per cent of the output of the Australian dairy industry already coming from fully-housed cows, fed on cheap grain, the farm visits are an opportunity to reflect on where you want your milk to come from.
“The health benefits of products from animals in a healthy pasture-based system are all well documented,” says Mahlah, noting that the percentage of fully-housed cows is expected to jump to 50 per cent by 2040.
“We know milk from cows in pasture has higher nutritional content, yet the system is all geared towards the big producers and brings crippling costs for small producers.”
The next pop-up farm shop will be on Sunday, 17 November (and fortnightly after that), from 8-11am. Look for the entrance sign at 152 Saddleback Mountain Road, or find out more about the farm at thepineskiama.com.au or on Instagram.
