This episode we set the alarm clock for an early start with Heath Cook, a dairy farmer from Dorrigo in the Northern Tablelands of NSW.

It’s a long way from the mines where he spent the first two decades of his working life. But when the fly-in-fly-out mining lifestyle began to keep him away from home for long stretches, it was time to ignore the advice of a financial planner and invest their life savings in a dairy farm.

Despite having no experience working on or running a dairy farm.

Fortunately for the Cook family, Heath didn’t believe that failure was an option.

So after years of hard work and learning from the helpful locals, Heath is now no longer a miner who became a dairy farmer; he’s a dairy farmer who once worked in the mining industry.

Propagate is proudly brought to you by the good folks at the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries Young Farmer Business Program.

The Young Farmer Business Program is creating opportunities for young farmers and fishers to enter into or expand their existing businesses by helping them improve their business skills.

The Young Farmer Business Program has been funded by the NSW Government through the Department of Primary Industries to deliver a multifaceted approach to help young farmers and fishers. Our program is providing access to new business ideas, tools, products and services relevant to young farmers and fishers.

For more information on the Young Farmer Business Program please visit https://www.youngfarmer.nsw.gov.au/