Shine Awards: Kay Tommerup on her farm’s success
Kay Tommerup was told her farm was ‘too small to survive’. See how she proved everyone wrong.
When deregulation of the dairy industry 20 years ago halved her family’s income overnight, Queensland farmer Kay Tommerup knew they had some tough decisions ahead.
Unless she and husband, Dave, made drastic changes on their small farm in the Kerry Valley, in Queensland’s Scenic Rim region, dairy didn’t offer a future.
“Everybody told us we should just get out because we were too small to survive,” said the mother of two. “That made us even more determined to keep going. We thought you shouldn’t have to be a certain size or fit a certain box to do what you love.”
Kay and Dave sat down in about 2008 and made a brave plan.
They cut herd numbers by half, focused on production quality over quantity and opened their farm gates to visitors.
Today, their Tommerup Dairy agritourism and artisan produce operation is thriving.
Last year they finally stopped supplying milk to processor Norco, with their diverse business model holding its own.
Settled in 1874 by Dave’s family, the 80ha property is home to a small herd of 20 cows, two farm stay houses, a larder where they sell their products and a creamery. Milk is processed on farm to make cream, butter, crème fraiche – and soon bottled milk. By-product goes to the Tommerups’ pigs, for milk-fed pork, and they also raise vealer calves.
School groups visit often, with Kay running tours to show them a real working farm. Another mainstay of the business is hosting events, such as a Farm Gate Trail day last month, which attracted more than 1000 visitors.
As a board member of local tourism organisation Destination Scenic Rim, Kay is determined to share information about how they have transformed their business, while also creating a vibrant agritourism culture in the region.
“When we were able to continue on when so many farmers went out of business, we thought this is a great way to diversify your income and keep a family farm going,” she said.
Kay Tommerup is a nominee in The Weekly Times Shine Awards, supported by Harvey Norman.
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