BRANDED food products are in demand as consumers clamour to know where their food is grown, how it is raised and who is responsible for doing so. Joe and Sue Weir discovered the value of these consumers, riding on the success of their Riverina Rissoles, which they sold for five years at farmers’ markets in north eastern Victoria and the southern Riverina.
“Every market we took them to, we sold out,” said Sue Weir. “Customers would wait in line for them and this product of ours was a perfect lead into all our other products.
“Originally we sold sides of our beef, packaged into products and customers took advantage of a bulk buy. Once we sold at farmers markets, however, we realised people prefer to buy every couple of weeks and in smaller lots.”
The Weirs bought an existing butcher shop in north Deniliquin in August 2016, as they had had to withdraw from farmers markets. Making this purchase was “a huge step and leap of faith for us” said Mrs Weir.
“We know how to grow delicious cattle and sheep but running this type of enterprise was unknown.”
Finding their head butcher, David Bridge, has made this transition highly successful as his experience in abattoirs and other high-end butcheries has been transferred into Bimbella Beef Butchery. “It is great to be with the Weirs as they are excited about what we can do together,” Mr Bridge said.
“Bimbella” is the 475-hectare irrigation property 26kms east of Deniliquin where the Weirs raise and finish British breed cattle and sheep. Demand for their meat has risen so Joe Weir buys in all cattle now, usually from Auctions Plus or breeders who know the style of cattle he wants.
Starting young cattle onto hard feed is an art Mr Weir has now perfected, so rumen bacteria have ample time to adapt to the new nutrients in their diet.
“Over the past few years, I’ve tried many recipes of feed to get consistency and health of the cattle and, last year, finally nailed it,” he said. “Specially made pellets and wheaten straw from neighbours is the perfect combination to keep the cattle calm, happy and maintain excellent growth rates, up to 3kg per day.”
Mr Weir regularly rotates the mobs through 33 paddocks so soils are kept fresh. The organic matter from each paddock is collected and spread over the pastures, creating a closed-loop nutrient system. “Our meat is consistently tender and flavoursome, and customers keep coming back, so we’re not going to change anything,” Mr Weir said.
Pennie Scott
I am an independent scholar with interests and expertise in regenerative agriculture, equity and justice for farmers, functioning healthy landscapes and the culture in agri-culture. My aim is to inform holistically and honestly to ensure readers have access to what they need, now.
I am an independent scholar with interests and expertise in regenerative agriculture, equity and justice for farmers, functioning healthy landscapes and the culture in agri-culture. My aim is to inform holistically and honestly to ensure readers have access to what they need, now.
