Goat farmer Sarah Mostyn breathes new life into Cohuna
Eight years ago, accountant Sarah Mostyn moved from the Gold Coast to the small rural Victorian town of Cohuna to reinvent herself as a goat farmer. Here’s why.
A SNAP decision to move to Cohuna eight years ago has led Sarah Mostyn to reinvent herself as a goat farmer and become the driving force behind a successful farmers’ and makers’ market that is revitalising the small Murray River town.
An accountant by trade, Sarah and her husband, Shayne, uprooted their lives on the Gold Coast to move cross-country in search of a tight-knit community and slower pace. They bought 5.2 hectares, where Sarah established Windella Farm, a boutique goat dairy.
“Cohuna is dairy country and home to traditional farmers using traditional methods,” Sarah says, kindly. “When we came here and looked at things with an outsider’s perspective and fresh eyes, we could see the potential for so many other things people could be doing with their properties.
“Everyone laughed at us. They said, ‘you are crazy; that is not what we do here’.”
Despite initial scepticism, locals soon started taking a supportive interest in her milking herd and breeding operation. “Once we started breeding the goats, word spread quickly,” says Sarah, remembering the day her dance teacher asked if she had considered making goat-milk soap.
Sarah promised to look into it and several months later was “addicted” to the hobby, with stockpiles of handmade soap overrunning her home. She started giving it away to friends, who raved, and selling at markets soon followed. Demand was simply huge.
“Pretty quickly we realised that there is a real gap in the market for natural soaps and skincare products,” says the 37-year-old. “It is really difficult to find those sort of products in rural areas.”
Things were going swimmingly until drought hit in 2017. Sarah downsized the herd from 80 goats to just 24 Saanen milkers, to focus on her skincare range. Her business acumen and positivity in tough times has been uplifting for many people in Cohuna.
More inspirational, however, has been her effort to help other local producers by establishing the Cohuna Farmers and Makers Market in 2018. Under her management, the market runs 14 times a year with 30 stallholders, attracting visitors from far and wide. While trading is on pause due to COVID-19, Sarah has organised on online portal so producers can continue to sell.
Friend and Kyabram farmer Deid Schlitz says Sarah has breathed new life into the region.
“Her involvement in the market has not only helped fulfil her dreams, but inspired others in the community to realise that anything is possible if you follow your dream,” Deid says. “Sarah is definitely a huge inspiration to our community.”
Sarah is a nominee in The Weekly Times Shine Awards, presented in partnership with Harvey Norman.
The Shine Awards celebrates rural women who make a real difference to their communities, businesses and industries. Winners in six categories will receive a $2500 Harvey Norman voucher, and an overall winner will receive a further $5000, announced on November 18.
Courage after outback tragedy shines light for others
Eulo’s Carmel Beresford was consumed by grief after losing her son in an on-farm accident. She found new purpose by writing his life story, and has been named the 2020 Shine Awards Courage winner for her bravery. Read her story, and meet the 2020 Courage finalists, Joy Heenan and Courtney Baker.
Dialysis nurse is the lifeblood of her island
Bwgcolman woman and kidney disease specialist Lauwana Blackley is the deserving 2020 Shine Awards Dedication winner. Read her extraordinary story, and meet 2020 Dedication finalists Sarah Mostyn and Nadine Tipping.