Animal nutrition is a priority for Penelope Drysdale at Te Miro Farm. Photo / Michaela Gower
Animal nutrition is a priority for Penelope Drysdale at Te Miro Farm. Photo / Michaela Gower
The first pick-up of fully certified organic milk has left Te Miro Farm in what Penelope and Blair Drysdale described as a surreal moment.
The couple has worked for the past five years to sell their cow’s milk as organic certified and the farm has recently qualified for Certified Canada, which is the highest organic certification, and have been New Zealand and EU certified for seven months.
The farm near Norsewood has been converted from a conventional operation into an organic one in their five years of ownership.
Penelope Drysdale said in the first two years they had to learn the property and climate but still used organic and regenerative farming methods before they took the leap in the second year of ownership to go fully organic.
She said that it had challenged their farming ideologies as they had to take their farming practices back to the basics.
It was a difficult three years with some of the wettest and driest weather conditions, but they are now able to say, “We did it”.
To be certified organic the animals and the land must be fully organic.
The qualification takes three years to achieve, which means there is no use of synthetic fertilisers, sprays, or chemicals on the land and no antibiotics or conventional drenches used on the cattle.
The Dysdales previously worked for others and through their experience in the dairy industry were able to implement their knowledge and values into the production of organic milk on their own property.
“Even if we didn’t have that certification I don’t think we would do anything differently,” Penelope Drysdale said.
The transition had not slowed their milk production from their herd of 340 cows and she said that they don’t produce less milk under an organics system despite lower stocking rates compared to conventional farming.
Te Miro Farm is now fully certified organic. Photo / Michaela Gower
Drysdale said the milk they produce is of the highest quality, “It just tastes so good it’s creamy, it’s beautiful.”
She said it starts with the soil and they must ensure the ground and pastures contain the right nutrients for the cow to produce the healthiest milk.
The animals are able to have access to a varied diet and free choice of minerals, so they can naturally take what they want when they need it.
“Mother nature is incredible and she sorts herself out quite happily” said Drysdale who believes aligning their farming practices with this way of thinking creates a better environment for the animals and staff.
Farming organically has not just meant they are more financially resilient but also more resilient in the whole farming system.
“We still end up at the same place eventually but if you work with Mother Nature a bit more I feel like we can weather things a little bit better.”
They are now able to supply their milk to Fonterra under the fully certified organic status.
Michaela Gower joined Hawke’s Bay Today in 2023 and is based out of the Hastings newsroom. Michaela covers Dannevirke and Hawke’s Bay news, and has a love for sharing stories about farming and rural communities.
