CONTENTS

Sisters set for cows, cows

AND MORE COWS

Cohuna dairy farming sisters Kaitlyn, April and Emmalea Wishart

SOPHIE BALDWIN

cows have always

featured heavily in the lives of sisters Emmalea, Kaitlyn and April Wishart.

Growing up on the family dairy farm, Rowlands Park, at Cohuna, the girls have always shown a keen interest in what is going on.

Whether it’s showing cows, rearing stock, milking, driving tractors or sowing, the girls have got every aspect of farm management covered, which in turn has been a great source of pride for parents Rick and Tina.

“We all share the same interest and are really close as a result. The girls each have their own strengths and when they were younger Emmalea was the boss, which used to create a few arguments but now they are young adults they all share the load and all work really well together,” Tina said.

The girls’ continued interest in farming is now what keeps Rick and Tina motivated especially when they start to question themselves, however the trials, tribulations and tough times, especially over the last few years have only served to bring the family closer together as they negotiate their future.

Emmalea, 21, is in her final year of exercise science at Bendigo and is looking to get her masters next year.

Kaitlyn, 19, has just started agribusiness at Bendigo while April, 16, is in Year 11 and completing a school based apprenticeship in dairy ag.

“By the time April leaves secondary school all the girls will have completed their Cert Three in ag,” Tina said.

Emmalea said she has always wanted to work on the farm but she is thankful her parents have encouraged her to try something else first.

“I will graduate at the end of the year and hopefully do my masters next year. I think it has been very wise of my parents to encourage me to try something different and now I am not too sure what I will do,” Emmalea said.

She is also interested in doing an agronomy course.

“I have always been the one who has helped dad with the tractor work and sowing and I would really like to increase my knowledge in that particular field.”

Emmalea may not know where she is going to end up but she knows her future will involve some sort of farming and she does have plans to eventually settle in the area.

“I am sure one of the three of us will eventually end up on the farm.

“Kaitlyn knows so much about the showing side and the pedigree of the animals while April is the odd jobs girl and does everything from getting the cows up, milking and feeding calves— she basically keeps the place running,” Emmalea said.

Kaitlyn said her passion has always been around breeding and calf rearing.

She knows the pedigree (and name) of every cow in the herd. >>

>>

Kaitlyn has just started her first year of an agribusiness degree, something she feels will help her if she decides to take over the family farm in the future.

“I studied business in Year 11 and it was my favourite subject. I know I will be able to

incorporate what I learn with my degree into anything farm related in the future,” she said.

While her first year of university has been upset by COVID-19, Kaitlyn said choosing to isolate on the family farm has been a great way to spend the last three months.

“Even on our heavy workload days I can still manage to help mum and dad with a few odd jobs around the place. It has also been really good to be home with Emmalea and April because the three of us haven’t been together for a while,” she said.

Kaitlyn said even if she doesn’t end up being on the farm she won’t ever be without cows.

“I would like to have a few show cows, even if someone else has to look after them for me, I just can’t imagine my life without cows in it.”

April said the farm is an important part of their family and a huge talking point for them all. Even though she is the baby of the family, April has the same amount of input and works just as hard as everyone else.

She said the past few years have been frustrating as she has watched her parents struggle with the implications of the high cost of producing milk and the stress of little water and big prices to get it.

“You can tell what is going on and I just keep wondering why it can’t be the other way, the whole water thing just seems corrupt,” April said.

She would like to think there is a good future for dairying, but it depends on lots of things including water, weather and milk price.

“I can’t really see myself working in the city. I used to want to do beauty but I can’t think of anything else I want to be but a farmer,” April said.

She is looking forward to completing her Certificate 3.

“Mum and dad want me to do something else but farming might be the only thing I want to do.”

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