The Young Dairy Network (YDN) of the Mid North Coast held its annual Christmas break-up in conjunction with its Dorrigo Dairy Discussion Group last week at Dorrigo.
Organiser Heath Cook, who runs a dairy farm at Megan near Dorrigo with wife Joanne and is the YDN regional co-ordinator for the Dorrigo/Bellingen/Coffs Harbour area, said this year the group tried a different theme and reached out to their YND counterparts from Taree, Manning and Gloucester.
“A tribe of them turned up and we had a farm walk at Donna and Adam Darley’s dairy farm on the Tuesday afternoon, followed by the Christmas break-up that evening,” Mr Cook said.
The next morning a recovery breakfast and another farm walk was held at the Cook’s dairy farm.
“We opened our Christmas cheer to other dairy farmers in our area and invited all the dairy support staff in the region, as they are often the unsung heroes, and without them there can be no us,” he said.
Local state MP, Melinda Pavey, and the local Bellingen shire councillor Desmae Harrison also attended.
“It was an absolute ripper of a night and transpired into the wee hours of the following morning. Many new friendships and contacts were forged and cemented over the evening,” Mr Cook said.
All up, 98 people attended the evening, with people from the YDN, Dorrigo Discussion Group, local dairy farmers, dairy farmers from Taree, Gloucester, Dungog and Manning, Dairy Australia, industry representatives and dairy support personnel.
Mr Cook said the evening was made possible with the help of fellow organisers Joanne Cook, Donna Darley, Renea Connell, Tekoa Atkins, Tammy Young and Katie Woolston, as well as sponsors, Subtropical Dairy Young Dairy Network, Stan Cork Machinery, Norco, Norco Rural Bellingen, Beaumont’s Produce, Northern Agri Services, Heritage Seeds, PGG Wrightson’s, Ray White Rural Dorrigo, Cuthell’s Earthmoving, Dorrigo Vet Clinic, Ridley Stock Feeds, Semex, and Rabobank.
“It’s been a very difficult year for dairying on a whole and the Mid North Coast YDN hopes and prays that rain falls on your farm where ever you are,” Mr Cook said.
