Australia Day 2019

What an absolute privilege! Today I was asked to be the Australia Day speaker at Mitiamo as the gentleman who was supposed to speak couldn't make it Ive had many people ask for a copy of what I said - so here it is! Enjoy and Advance Australia Fair

I would like to talk to you today about connections – no not the Goulburn Murray Water project but connections.

My name is Dianne Bowles and together with my husband Gary, we are dairy farmers in Mead which is about 40 minutes drive from here. I wear, and have worn various “hats” and today I’m here to talk to you on Australia Day and hopefully I will inspire you to connect

The Dictionary defines connection as a relationship in which a person or thing is linked or associated with something else.

We are all here today because we are connected in some way to Mitiamo

Some are here because I suspect you were born and raised here, some go to school close to here and some are just passing through and saw something happening. 

We get to be connected to something by various ways and means. 

I became connected to the Australian Dairy industry near 13 years ago because I married Gary.  At that time I knew little or nothing about dairy farming – and I’ve been learning ever since.  

I can now milk cows, rear calves, fill out lots of forms and do farm accounts but Im still not that successful in driving a tractor.

Im really a product of being not necessarily in the right place at the right time but being available at a time when something was needed.

I married Gary in 2006 which was probably the worst year of the millennium drought.  Water allocations were low as was milk price and farming was hard – but I was new and fresh and didn’t know anything different.  So when Gary began talking about building a new dairy I thought that was very exciting and encouraged him and supported him to be able to do that. I wouldn’t recommend doing this in your first year of marriage! It was hard going and often very stressful but years later we can look back and say it was a great decision.  

Because I didn’t have a lot of knowledge I embarked on learning all that I could and made some great connections with people in both the dairy industry and in agriculture in general. Many of these people have become life long friends and I still value their knowledge and wisdom.  

I learnt to listen to and get advice from all ages of people – from those currently dairy farming and from those who have retired. Never underestimate the knowledge you can receive from those older (and younger) than yourself.  Take time to listen it will never be wasted time.

Fast forward to 2010/11 which was when of course the drought broke – thanks to a flood!

We own one property that backs onto the pyramid creek – and it was underwater for several months.

It was again a stressful time, but also a time of connection.  Neighbours helping each other – in fact actually stopping and talking to neighbours on the road.  If someone was going into town they would often stop in and ask if we needed anything.  Catch phrases like “look out for your mate” and “look over the farm gate” were begun to be heard.  

People from all over Australia heard of the plight of many and care packages were sent from near and far, all of which people received graciously but also humbly. It was also a great time for “city dwellers” to understand what our communities were going through.

Adversity is often great in building connections.  

Fast forward again to April 27^th2016

this was the day that Murray Goulburn (who we supplied at the time) informed suppliers that the income wasn’t matching the expenses and that we had been overpaid for our milk. This money had to be recovered somehow and that somehow was from suppliers.

At the time I felt like the bottom had fallen out of our world.  We had just bought the neighbouring farm, had started to grow our herd numbers and had taken on a huge amount of debt.  Everything that the dairy industry was telling us to do.  We had also employed staff to help us.

The day after the price drops – which Fonterra also did with their clawback I was looking through my facebook feed and seeing and reading all the anger, shock and dismay. Id also had friends and family ringing and messaging me asking what they could do to help me.

My answer was – “Just buy dairy and if you can afford it and its available to you buy Devondale”

After saying this a few times I realised that I still loved being a dairy farmer and involved in the dairy industry. 

I realised times were going to be tough (AGAIN!) but we would get through it – but how?

I must confess at this point that I had drunk most of a bottle of wine

I also remembered a quote from Henry Ford – “Don’t find a fault, find a remedy” and that is what I did.

I was texting a friend and we were discussing what to do and I said maybe I should start a facebook group and show people the really good things about dairy farming – the positive things and encourage them to buy dairy

And so show some #dairylove was born

I started off by adding a few friends, who added a few friends and over night we had 500 plus members

Today Im very proud to say there are almost 19000 members of the group – its not a group it’s a community. A connected community.

The membership is worldwide – all ages, genders and walks of life with both dairy farmers, retired dairy farmers, people that buy dairy and even vegans and animal activists.

To me it is the BEST thing to come out of the dairy crisis and something Im incredibly proud of.

Its saved lives – through peer support around mental health and there are several people I personally know of who wouldn’t be around if not for #dairylove

It’s a safe place which has no rules as its self policing.  Many many people have told me its there favorite place on facebook – no negativity no nastiness People feel connected as its a place to come and look at great farm and cow pictures and a place where you can get advice and support. I have the help of 4 other admins to help monitor the group as it’s a lot of work 

Facebook tells me that in the last 28 days there have been 75,700 posts, comments and reactions. That’s 75,700 connections!.

This group was started due to a tough time. I thought it would only be something that would last a couple of weeks but near two years later it continues to grow daily. 

I think this is because of the way people feel connected to the group. If someone is having trouble with a dairy issue then can ask and others will comment and help out.  They know if they aren’t having a good day they can post in the group and others will reach out to them.  

Sadly a lot of the opportunites we used to have to connect with others are now gone – gone of the days of going down the road to sell calves and spent 5 minutes selling the calves and an hour or two chatting to the neighbours.  Gone to are the small schools and churches in the area.

But you know what – the people are still here.  Yes there might be a few less and they might be more spread out but they are still here. Still wanting to be a part of this community and wanting to feel connected.

As Ive said tough times are great times to connect and often its forced upon us – but why not connect at other times as well.

Invite a friend over for a cuppa. 

Call in with some cake at a mates place

If someone new moves into the area – go and visit them and make them feel welcome

Isnt this the Australian way? 

We are a nation that people want to live in

We are a nation that is proud of our heritage – and this is what we are celebrating today

We are the nation that lends a hand to a mate who is in need

And we are a nation that likes to connect

I don’t think its by chance that the name Mitiamo is thought to have come from the Aboriginal word meaning “a man behind me” 

Lets be that person standing behind someone else and connecting with them in a new and positive way