Episode Summary:

Winter is well and truly here on the farm, and while Stephen complains the second it gets cold, I actually love the slower pace, the warm mugs of coffee, and the chance to reflect. In this episode, I give you a behind-the-scenes look at what’s happening on our dairy farm right now — from breeding season and weaning calves, to prepping our new block and making tough feed decisions as the weather turns.

But the second half of the episode is where things really heat up. After one of my recent reels about milk prices went unexpectedly viral, I had a flood of comments and questions about how dairy farmers are actually paid. So today, I’m answering those questions — openly and honestly.

I break down how the dairy code of conduct works, what “milk solids” really are, and why most dairy farmers supply the big companies (spoiler: we often don’t have another choice). I also explain why selling our own milk sounds simple but would cost millions, and how you can make informed choices to support Australian farmers at the supermarket.

Whether you’ve been around dairy your whole life or are just curious about what’s in your fridge, this episode brings clarity, real-life context, and a reminder that every litre of milk starts with a farmer.

Key Points Covered in this Episode:

• A seasonal update from our farm: breeding, weaning, drying off, and managing feed shortages
• What winter looks like for dairy farmers and how we plan ahead for calving
• Why June is such an important month for the dairy industry
• How dairy farmers are paid and what the Dairy Code of Conduct means for us
• The truth about milk solids, price variations, and seasonal premiums
• Why most farmers can’t process or sell their own milk (even if we wanted to)
• What happens to our milk after it leaves the farm (spoiler: it’s not always bottled)
• How to support Aussie farmers through the dairy products you buy

💛 If this episode helps you understand our industry a little better or makes you feel more connected to where your food comes from, I’d love if you shared it with a friend or on your stories.

Some days feel heavy — not because you’re doing life wrong, but simply because life is hard. And that’s something we don’t say often enough.

In this episode, I’m talking honestly about what it means to sit in the hard seasons without guilt, pressure, or pretending. Whether it’s endless laundry, school holiday chaos, or just the daily grind of farm life, I want to remind you that you’re not failing — you’re human.

We talk about the pressure to romanticise your life (hello sourdough and glass jar laundry liquids), why high-achieving women often push through without pausing to celebrate what they’ve already overcome, and how learning to say “this is hard” might be the strongest thing we can do — not just for ourselves, but for our kids too.

• Why life often feels hard even in our best seasons, and how accepting that truth can lighten the load
• Insights from The Happiness Trap by Russ Harris, including why chasing constant happiness can leave us feeling more stuck
• The rise of romanticising rural life on social media — and why it can backfire when it adds more pressure instead of joy
• The sourdough example: how doing “what looks good online” can sometimes cause more stress than peace
• A not-so-glamorous look at laundry: the unrealistic tips that make us feel worse (and why decanting detergent won’t fix burnout)
• The importance of saying “this is hard” without guilt — especially in farm culture where getting the job done often takes priority over how we feel
• Why hard doesn’t mean bad — we grow and build resilience when life challenges us
• How acknowledging our emotions helps us and teaches our kids emotional regulation in real, everyday ways

🎧 Listen to this episode if you need a reminder that you're not weak for feeling worn out — you're strong for showing up anyway.

Tag me @groundedfarmwife or send this to a friend who might be in a hard season too.

Resources and Links

• Grounded Farm Wife Journal
• Values Bundle

Connect with JESSICA:

Follow me on Instagram Instagram

Join my newsletter community Join my newsletter community

Check out my website Website

Find the complete show notes here: https://www.groundedfarmwife.com.au/podcast-1/37

Mother’s Day isn’t always the joyful, relaxing celebration it’s made out to be. In this episode, I’m pulling back the curtain on the pressure, disappointment, and hidden challenges so many of us mums quietly carry on a day that’s supposed to be “all about us.”

Let’s be honest — the expectations are huge. We’re meant to feel appreciated and pampered, but often, it’s us mums who are still organising the day, juggling the kids, and trying to make it special… for everyone else. Meanwhile, our kids don’t really know the difference between Mother’s Day and a Tuesday. We say we want a break, but even asking for that can feel like a big ask.

And then there’s social media. We scroll through highlight reels of families smiling in perfectly clean homes, posting about heartfelt cards and fancy breakfasts. But we’re not seeing the chaos behind the scenes, the meltdowns, or the fact that sometimes we receive a gift while sitting in a trashed kitchen. It becomes another day for comparison — and the feeling that somehow, we’re not doing it right.

Mother’s Day tries to squeeze all the recognition and gratitude for motherhood into one overly commercialised day. But what if we don’t feel seen? What if we feel let down? I’ve had so many conversations with mums who feel quietly hurt by the way this day plays out — and no one talks about it out loud.

In this episode, I reflect on:

• Why the pressure to have a “perfect” Mother’s Day often backfires
• The impact of over-commercialised celebrations and social media comparison
• How romanticising motherhood can make us feel worse, not better
• The meaning behind those cards and flowers — and what we really want
• Why it’s so hard to feel seen on a day that’s meant to be about us
• The idea that maybe… we don’t have to make such a big deal out of it

Resources and Links

• Grounded Farm Wife Journal
• Values Bundle

Connect with JESSICA:

Follow me on Instagram Instagram

Join my newsletter community Join my newsletter community

Check out my website Website

Find the complete show notes here: https://www.groundedfarmwife.com.au/podcast-1/36