Duped by the Duopoly????

• Do you choose the doctor your family uses?
• Do you use your own judgement when you choose a restaurant?
• Can you make decisions without corporate interference?
• Is the greater good important to you?

People  today can think for themselves. Then why do the two most powerful players in the struggle for your food dollar think the Australian consumer needs to be hoodwinked into using their stores,  by artificially reducing the price on one item we all need (ie milk)?  Their intent  is that we  buy other more expensive products or are enticed to buy products we just don't need.

This is the case with the $2.00 milk you are enjoying today! If this UNSUSTAINABLE price is maintained, who do you think will pay the estimated $30,000,000 shortfall in the bottom line of these two companies? Coles says it will...I suggest we will pay more at the checkout and the farmer who produced this milk and the farmer who produced the other brands (just to give us product choice) will be forced into more hardship.

Some people in our community are struggling to meet food costs and the cheaper products will be a Godsend....Not one farmer would begrudge these people assistance. For the rest of us, why not stand up and be counted. If you enjoy a latte or cappuccino during your day or you have made a life choice to give your family the best you can afford , then consider whether those SUPERMARKETS are the best place for you to spend your food dollar?

Did you go into the SUPERMARKET and choose to buy the $2.00 milk? Were you coerced into that shop by an aggressive marketing campaign that will see the working end of that product adversely affected.... DID YOU BUY ANYTHING ELSE? Were you duped into advancing the company's cause?

Small milk processing businesses like Country Valley cannot compete with these prices. Our scales of economy prevent us from slashing 33% from our product price. Our product has proven to be a premium product. Country Valley demands our small scale producers maintain a very high standard of milk production. We are going to enormous lengths to gear our plant towards a low carbon footprint and we are always very aware that we need to embrace the ethos of sustainability.

These ideals come at a cost, and we want to be able to carry these costs into the future....we cannot if YOU choose to take the short term easy option.

Don't be used in a marketing war between two giant corporations. Think of the consequence of your decision and stand up for what you believe in.... a better Australia!

Careful what you wish for...

  The  major meltdown  with our labels lead many of our staff to beg for a new system... IT'S ON THE WAY!!!

   Some people have been concerned with the clarity of our "Use By " date.... The new  printer is in the mail.

    Lots of  people have, over many years,  told me they  thought our leader was  on another planet... WELL,  now we have SOLAR POWER.

  Sadly , to all those who told him to "Go to ...." We do not have under floor heating... YET.

The Story behind the "Bobby Calf"

  As a company, Country Valley Milk whole heartedly supports local dairy farmers. Speaking  for myself,  I would like to respond to recent press reports of cruelty in the treatment of Bobby Calves....
  Dairy farmers to a person live and breathe animals. They get up EVERY morning , feed , milk and care for their animals... No flexi-time , no overtime and no penalty rates.
  It is a fact that cows must calve before they can lactate. In the greater farming community,genetic interference is frowned apon , therefore some of the offspring will be male  and some female. In the DAIRY industry males do not produce milk so they are a commodity with limited value, but they are part of the farmers herd.
  The pregnant cow calves in a custom designed paddock were she is comfortable. The farmer will bring mother and calf back to the dairy almost always between milkings (ie  after 9.00am -- before 3.00pm). If the calf is born overnight it will be with its mother at least until 3.00pm the next day. The calf has complete access to Mum over this period, the calf  suckles and is soothed  in this very important period in both their lives.
  At the next milking , the cow is placed in the herd , her rich colostrum milk  is collected for the first 3--5 days, this is fed to any calves that have been born recently. The new calf settles when Mum is away, because its natural instincts tell it to lie down and remain still and quiet.  It has a full stomach and needs only to survive  if it were in the wild.
  Next milking Mum is returned to the dairy with the herd... because her milk is still not suitable for human consumption, the farmer  puts the cow  with her calf and the baby wastes no time  enjoying  Mum's morning or afternoon offering.
  This cycle continues until sale day... in most cases in rural areas, sale day is  once a week and the calves are mostly picked up from the dairy as early as possible on that morning... well before the farmer has had time to collect his new born calves. Therefore, most of the  calves that the dairy farmer sends to the sale have been fed regularly and they have also grown accustomed  to separation from Mum.
  Every farmer would love to be in a position to rear every one of his calves, but the economics of this in an industry prone to flood , fire, drought and now public opinion, force him/her to make some hard decisions... one of these is they must sell young male calves to enable them to rear replacement stock for their future livelihood.
  These calves are part of the farming family and every farmer worth his salt, will insist that every animal be treated with care and compassion.

Valley High.

  We are now 3 weeks into 2011 and production figures and sales continue there upward trend.  Over the last 2 weeks we have regularly bottled over 23,000 litres... a figure that seemed impossible only months ago.
  Congratulations to the South Coast Milk company , over this  holiday period, their sales reached record highs , up and down the coast.
   As usual, with ups there comes some downs...  this week the labeller went into panic mode, then had an irreversible melt down.  This saw the very able staff putting labels on bottles...  BY  HAND.  Does anyone know how many bottles there are in 23,000 litres of milk ?  (A BLOODY LOT.) .  So ,if you buy a bottle and the label is not perfect, please forgive us. We did get over it by the end of the 9th hour and certainly by the end of the 11th.
  A  big shout out to all our staff (and some extras ) who did the hard yards when we asked them to... THANK YOU ALL.
   The end of this week sees the  GRAND  opening of the 2nd  Choku Bi Jo  store in Curtin, ACT.  We wish  Ben and his team all the very best. See him and taste their wares at Curtin shops(8.00--1.00) Saturday.
    Our other entry point into  the ACT area is at the huge Saturday  and Sunday  Farmers Markets... Get up early  take your  recyclable shopping bags and buy the freshest product you can get.`Its not a chore its an experience.
   In Sydney, the story goes on.  Delicious Dairies, Pure Choice and our Farmers Market experts , Fresh Foods are selling up a storm, check out their websites and/or PHONE?  them.  They all carry the freshest "Good"  food money can buy
     Once again, our local area support is endless . At the recent Camdan Farmers Markets, we have people just getting home from holidays, some getting ready to return to work and others planning late season breaks , but they all stocked up on Country Valley products.  Wollondilly Farmgate  is spreading the "GOOD " food word,  taking loads of locally produced  fresh food to your door... check him out by following the links from Country Valley.
  We as primary Producers and fresh food advocates, send our heart felt support to all those who are still being devastated by the recent flooding..farming is hard work but without natures help it can be heartbreaking.

2011 in "The Valley"

Country Valley Milk will be back in production as from tomorrow(TUES 4TH). We have everything in order for another big year in the Valley. Management and staff wish all our current customers  AND  all the new businesses and consumers who have shown an interest over the Xmas /New Year period, a very Happy 2011.
  Our Farmer's market team of Tom Fairley and the Choku Bai Jo team in Canberra are gearing up to provide fresh food and DAIRY products  to the Politically Corrected people of our nation's capital. You can find them at the Saturday market , the Sunday farmers market and check out the Nth Lynhem, Choku Bai Jo shop.
  In Sydney you should contact either Delicious Dairies , Pure Choice  or our Sydney produce market representative,David at Fresh Foods. These guys work extremely hard to get our products to the wider community... they know us and they know our products, just ask them.
  We have not forgot our roots,  if you would like your local store in Macarthur, Wollondilly or on the Highlands, to stock Country Valley Milk, just ask your manager... we will deliver to your store... or you can contact Wollondilly Farmgate  and Quinton will deliver all the Country Valley products as well as a huge range of quality LOCAL products to your door... check out his website .
  Finally to the very  loyal customers at the Camden Farmers Market... you can come and say Gday to me or to the team from Farmgate  at any of the markets in the New Year... bring your  shopping trolley buy the best  "Good Food" in the area and enjoy the experience of buying from the people who make the best food you can find in our LOCAL  area.

B.B.Q. in "The Valley"

Unfortunately we have to process milk Xmas Eve, but the upside is that after work ,we will put our feet up in the beautiful , quiet surroundings of  Country Valley and  throw a few snags on the barbie.
  Led by our Mentor and boss, we will wash ourselves in  Xmas Spirit with  renditions of some of our favourite Xmas Carols . And watch the sun go down over the Valley of the milk bottle...Merry Xmas.

From the floor

Welcome to the first installment of the saga that is Country Valley Milk.
With all eyes on Xmas 2010, we are busy tying off the production routines for the holiday period. Unlike most businesses we are unable to plug the cows, so they Must BE MILKED 365 DAYS A YEAR...This means that we have to process that beautiful FRESH milk as soon as possible after it is collected.... therefore we are here Fri/ 24th  and again Mon 27th . Business as usual !!
  2011 is shaping as a very interesting year in the Valley.  The  possibility of a couple of new products and the expansion of a couple of our favourites is creating a BUZZ both within Country Valley and also with our clients who have been continually pushing for MORE and  more and more... Check this page or our Facebook page for update in the New Year.
  Apart from the products, Country Valley will continue our push towards reducing our Carbon Footprint even further and to commit to a continual  ethos of green production  systems, recycling and improving our GOOD FOOD credentials.
  From all here in "The Valley"...  have a Happy and SAFE holiday period.