Eungai Creek Buffalo Farm:
One bite of fresh mozzarella on a trip to Italy was all it took for Ian and Kim Massingham to become hooked on the stringy cheese.
After discovering the dearth of buffalo farms in NSW, Kim convinced Ian to buy a pregnant buffalo with the idea of bringing delicious home-grown mozzarella to the Australian market.
The ambitious couple moved their buffalo herd in the Hawkesbury to a biodynamic farm in Eungai Creek in 2012 with plans to expand.
Eungai Creek Buffalo Farm now produces a range of dairy products, including soft and mature cheeses, gelato, milk and yoghurt in addition to meat.
The farm’s sustainable roots have allowed Ian and Kim to stay true to their values – continuing to ethically and sustainably produce their bio-dynamic dairy products.
The couple are passionate about the humane treatment of the animals in their care and have a deep connection to the buffalo on the farm.
“Buffalo are beautiful animals,” Ian says. “Working with them is the best part of the job. We’ve got 100 animals with 100 different personalities – it’s wonderful.”
Eungai Creek Buffalo farm now boasts a popular on-site café that looks onto lush green pastures of grazing buffalo. Patrons can enjoy a host of different cheeses and gelatos as well as meat dishes made from farm produce.
Ian and Kim now employ a small team of family members and casual workers to help them sell products at local markets and manage the busy café.
The couple are surprised by the swift growth of their business – their products are stocked in several local and a select few metropolitan restaurants, and the demand is growing.
They are also being approached to share their biodynamic farming knowledge, and have begun hosting biodynamic workshops at their farm.
“Things are happening faster than we expected,” Ian says. “People are looking for something special these days. We’re very busy!”
“We just want to keep supplying quality, fresh food, sourced locally.”