BE THE CHANGE CONVERSATIONS with Lisa Wain
from Jerakala Beef MAKE IT HAPPEN! Business Matters and Life Matters caught up with Lisa Wain at the Big Top in Maroochydore, where she and husband Jasen recently opened their business, Jerakala Beef. We found Lisa and Jasen to be truly inspirational, as they are not only making things happen for themselves, but are also being the change within their industry.
Tell us about your journey so far?
I’ve certainly done my fair share of jobs over time, from admin work when I left school to cleaning houses when I had my babies. I’ve poured beers and managed pokie machines, and done accounting, small business consulting and economic development consulting. But I’ve also been involved in farming and butchery plus a fair bit of retail since the age of 15 when my mum bought a small corner store.
We hear there’s a big trip on the cards?
I’ve travelled a little bit for work and been to the Gulf fishing with the family a couple of times but I’ve never been out of Australia. But that’s about to change in December. India, here I come!
Tell us a little about Jasen?
Jasen is a fifth generation beef cattle farmer, born and bred in Queensland. He has always lived in Mundubbera. He has been involved with cattle farming his whole life and also spent 15 years developing The Golden Mile Orchards for Australian Food and Fibre, among many other things. Property development is his thing!
Tell us how Jerakala began?
We bought our first small cattle property of 250 acres in 1997 and that’s when we started the Jerakala Foundation. Jasen already had a lease on some state forest country where he ran a few breeders and we grew from there. We now have over 22,000 acres and run around 800 head of cattle.
What are you doing within your industry to BE THE CHANGE?
Understanding that traditional agriculture on a property of our size was simply not viable, we have significantly diversified and value-added to our enterprise over the past few years. Four years ago we moved a house onto one of our properties and spent a year renovating it into a gorgeous little bed and breakfast business. Then, two years ago, we purchased a small abattoir and butchery 40 kilometres up the road in Eidsvold to close the supply chain. We also have 2,000 olive trees of which we are currently harvesting olive leaf for powder and extract. 52 ISSUE 73
Wow, you’re working very hard! What is your goal?
Our goal is to grow the foundation so that it can sustain (and pay) us, as well as our three children. And now we have a grandchild, I guess we had better keep going so that we can sustain our grandchildren over the longer term, too! It’s about planning for the next 100 years, rather than just the next five.
Tell us a little about the Freshfood Markets and your shop in there?
One of our strategies for growing the meat retail side of the business was to sell through farmers’ markets. We tried for almost two years to get into an existing farmers’ market within 300 to 400 kilometres, without much luck. Shane Stanley’s Noosa Farmers’ Market was number one on my list and through my persistent following up, they offered us the opportunity to open a stall at the refurbished Big Top in Maroochydore.
And how is it all going?
We are in four different farmers’ markets and experiencing substantial growth because of this. It’s scary and exciting at the same time!
How important is it for our local economy for the community to support the markets?
The Shane Stanley Farmers’ Market at the Big Top is the first of its kind in Australia. Never before has a traditional farmers’ market been integrated with a modern retail environment, as it has at the Big Top. Farmers are basically selling produce direct from their farms outside the doors of Woolworths. It’s a fantastic opportunity for us farmers to get in front of people who may not normally shop at farmers’ markets and to become price-makers instead of pricetakers. This, in turn, is great for the local economy with stall holders employing people to help out on market day. The markets also provide another reason for visitors to spend some of their travel dollars locally.
What will community support achieve?
With support from the community the Big Top Farmers’ Markets will continue to grow and be something that other regions are jealous of.