Here in Tasmania, our favourite organic, super ethical, award winning dairy, Elgaar Farm is in trouble and need our help.  For almost one year they’ve had to shut up shop to upgrade their facilities to appease new regulations. This has meant no production for that whole time, meaning no income. Having taken much more time than initially hoped they’re now drained of resources and need our help to get back up and running. Right now they’re running a crowd funding campaign to raise $100,000 in the next week and $250,000 by June 30th to complete upgrading their facilities to new requirements and get back into business. It’s a lot of money, which is why we need to get lots of hands helping.

We cannot afford to lose Elgaar. And so we have become “cow buddies”… What’s a cow buddy you ask?

The cow buddy is one of the many options available for Elgaar’s crowd funding campaign to get them back into business. Simply put, we pay money to Elgaar and secure a cow as our own special buddy. However the cow buddy option is actually a loan to Elgaar Farm, meaning we get our money back in three years, plus interest paid in cheese and other treats.  Sounds heaps better than money in the bank to us!

Hanah, our new and much loved cow buddy. We are in love with her and with the idea of her being able to get back into business!

Right now, and since July 2014, Elgaar’s cows are being milked every day and the milk poured down the drain.  They’re in a predicament where they need money to operate, but need to operate to get money. Hence the reach out to their community for help.

Antonia and Joe Gretschmann, owners of Elgaar

Being a cow buddy does something awesome.  It provides instant capital for them to invest in improving their plant and production facilities, and gives them the leg up they need to start producing again. Of course if you can’t afford this option there are other perks you can buy through their crowd funding to offer your support like delicious wheels of cheese. And if you’re totally loaded, you have the amazing power that you could also cut straight to the chase and buy them a new pasteuriser – please do that.

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The world is in desperate need of farms like Elgaar, they are a farm unique and far above the rest in many ways.   If they close down forever, think about what you might lose…

A farm that;

•  Employs 300 year old traditions to produce unique products in Tasmania.
• Is a family farm with three generations living and working onsite, plus employ members of the local community.
• Is a business committed to zero waste, who run a national return and reuse program with their jars and bottles (this should be mandatory rather than utterly unique).
• Allows cows to “retire” on site, the calves have extended time with their mothers and calves are not sent off to slaughter.
• Value adds, creating over 30 products from a single herd.
• Is certified organic, committed to regenerative agriculture.

Simply put, a farm that makes the best, most ethical dairy produce that you can buy.

This cannot happen on our watch. So our friends…

• If you have $1000 sitting in a bank account get that money out and become a cow buddy *now*.
• If you only have $50 bucks, log onto the Elgaar crowdfunding site and choose from a range of ‘perks’ you can purchase *now*.
• If your uncle has a cheese habit, get him buying there wheels *now*.
• Like, share and spread the message  *now*.

You can like them on Facebook and please visit their crowd funding page to make sure we get these legends back in action.

If you’d like to get in touch with Elgaar

• Gareth Shapiro: 0408393898
• Joe Gretschmann: 0420949616
• Email: elgaaronline@gmail.com

Admire their heritage cheese and milk factory in all its glory

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