Local cheesemaker wins at Sydney Royal

Mike and Cressida Cains’ Pecora Dairy has again won accolades at the Royal Sydney Show’s food awards for their sheeps cheese, taking out the Champion Cheese of Show (for its Yarrawa cheese); the Simon Johnson Perpetual Trophy for Champion Sheep, Goat or Buffalo Cheese; and the RAS Perpetual Cheese Board Trophy.

“The RASNSW has been supporting Australian farmers for over 200 years,” says Mike.

“Cressida and I couldn’t be more proud to be part of that history, especially with Yarrawa, Australia’s first raw milk cheese.

“Very satisfying for our years of hard work to be recognised by Australia’s best judges.”

The past year has been a tough one for Pecora, with their farm at Knights Hill, on the north western edge of the Kiama LGA near Robertson, receiving over four metres of rain and Jamberoo Mountain Road cutting off their access to Kiama.

“We’ve had reduced production because for most of the year the sheep have been cold and wet, using their energy to keep themselves warm,” says Mike.

“Our cheese production has been 50-60 per cent of our normal yield, but the quality is still there.”

With milk production tailing off at this time of the year, the rams are in service at the moment.

“In five months we should have plenty of lambs and milk,” says Mike.

Their business has been affected badly in two ways by the closure of Jamberoo Mountain Road since the middle of last year.

“It has made it difficult for us to sell our cheese at Kiama Farmers’ Market, especially given Macquarie Pass isn’t a reliable option, and our custom at our cheese shop and wine bar in Robertson has also suffered, as it hasn’t been easy for people to get here,” he says.

Always an optimist, Mike says, “It’s been a year of a slower pace, but that is OK. The major thing is our quality has not suffered.”

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Grants open

The Federal Stronger Communities Program Round 8 will give each electorate $150,000 to fund projects of up to $20,000 each.

It aims to ‘improve local community participation and contribute to vibrant and viable communities’.

Yarning circles, surf club upgrades, equipment for emergency services, community gardens and art installations have been funded in the past.

“I know how important it is to have high quality local facilities and I want to make sure that our community can take full advantage of this excellent funding opportunity,” says Fiona Phillips MP.

Expressions of Interest close Friday 10 March. More information on fionaphillips. com.au/grants/grants/

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Artist Time Venue

Cormac Grant 17:00 - 19:00 Stoic

Francisco Sonur 17:00 - 19:00

SevenMarks

CJ stranger 18:00 - 20:00 WildGinger

Cone of Confusion (ticketed) 18:30 - 20:00 Fillmore’s

Owen Campbell 18:30

KEEP ON KEEPIN’ ON

The viewing of this extraordinary film will be followed by a Q & A with Grammy Award-Winning director Alan Hicks, a performance of the music of Clark Terry by a live all star band, including Alan Hicks (drums), Nick Garbett (trumpet), James Greening (trombone) Matt Smith (guitar), Barney McAll (keys) and Johnathan Zwartz (bass). The evening takes place at Geringong Hall from 7pm on Friday, with delicious refreshments available.

Welcome To Country

Gumaraa - Sunday, Welcome to country, Smoking ceremony & traditional dance

Buskers

Be sure to catch some super cool talent along Terralong street. Guitar cases are ready for your coins.

Terralong Street Party

HOME COOKING: A TONY ALLEN TRIBUTE

Home Cooking is a celebration of Tony Oladipo Allen. The night will feature an eight-piece band, boasting some of Australia’s most established, creative and hard grooving musicians.

BARNEY MCALL NON-COMPLIANCE TRIO

On Saturday Grammy nominated, ARIA-winning artist, Barney McAll, is one of Australia’s most innovative musicians and composers. For his Non Compliance Trio, he unites two talented rising stars Jacques Emery (Bass) Alex Inman-Hislop (Drums) to explore a mix of brand-new original music and obscure old-world gems.

Main Stage

From 11 am - 5 pm Sunday - sit back and enjoy the spoils of the 36th KJBF in its all new location. Terralong Street has been claimed for the Street party, activated with food trucks & Henry Clive Caravan Bar will keep us refreshed. Kids, dogs, friends, family and what a view!

Festival Finale

This ticketed event on 33 Bong Bong Street will feature Francisco Sonur, Cone of Confusion, Firetail and Oyobi. Come on by and make some noise to wrap up the amazing weekend: 3 - 9pm!

Ticketed Shows

These shows are the bomb! Book in early, refreshments available at all ticketed venues. Head to our website for more information: www.kiamajazzandbluesfestival.com.au

Come and join the celebrated pianist & composer Barney McAll for his mesmerising concert “Hymns, Elegies & Reflections: A Piano Hour” a spiritual & soulful musical jounrey. Over his 20 years of touring internationally, alongside a prolonged stint working in the notoriously competitive jazz scene of New York, McAll has established a unique solo piano style. He is a celebrated Australian artist, one of our best, being Grammy nominated & ARIA award winning; having contributed to over 100 albums, creating 22 solo works; & working in collaboration with some of music’s finest including Dewey Redman, Gary Bartz, SIA, Maceo Parker, Kurt Rosenwinkel and Fred Wesley.

In addition to his Sunday solo performance, McAll will be joined by Jacques Emery (Bass) Alex Inman-Hislop (Drums) for their Non Compliance Trio performance on Saturday. Here he unites two talented rising stars to explore a mix of brand-new original music and obscure old-world gems.

“an apex of all-out funk, brought the house down”

–The Australian

Head to Gerringong Town Hall on Friday night to take a seat and enjoy a viewing of Alan Hicks’s extraordinary film Keep On Keepin’ On. The documentary follows jazz legend Clark Terry over four years, capturing his mentorship of 23-yearold blind piano prodigy Justin Kauflin who prepares to compete in an elite international competition.

Hicks is a Grammy AwardWinning filmmaker based in Sydney and Los Angeles. After working as a musician in and around New York earlier in life, Hicks transitioned to filmmaking, directing his first feature documentary

Keep On Keepin’ On. The film proved highly successful, winning both the Audience Award and Best New Director honours at the 2014 Tribeca Film Festival. It later garnered awards from the IDFA, AFI, Cinema Eye, Seattle Film Festival, Palm Springs, Hamptons Summer Docs and was additionally shortlisted for the Academy Awards Best Documentary Feature in 2015.