A former ballerina has executed a career pirouette to become a beef cattle farmer, unwittingly highlighting a potential alternative for those unable to crack the property market and willing to roll up their sleeves.
Queenslander Alison Russell was involved in the performance dance industry for 30 years before a combination of injury, motherhood, divorce and COVID-19 saw her take the leap into agriculture.
From investing in 10 cattle on a leased property at Yandina on the Sunshine Coast, the creative arts graduate is now raising her three daughters on a 20-hectare cattle farm near Noosa, selling to high-end markets.
“My friends do think it’s a laugh. It is a bit of a jump in career paths,” Ms Russell said.
“I just felt I was really getting away from doing things that I love … wanting to be outside and hands-on doing something.
“I think that’s where my whole upbringing of performing arts translates. It’s very active and physically involved.
“My favourite thing is actually to be out in the paddock, slashing on the tractor.”
Swapping slippers for gumboots
After a hip injury put paid to her performing days, the former Queensland Ballet employee now operates a boutique farming operation called Sunny Cattle Co between Peregian Beach and Lake Weyba.
The farm places Ms Russell and her three daughters at a juxtaposition between city and country, with the farm bordered by a densely populated housing estate, national parkland, a busy road, and a school where kangaroos roam the ovals.
“I now have three young girls who think that cows are the best thing ever,” she said.
“They absolutely love it. They’re constantly asking if we can get more … more cows, chickens, a horse, any sort of animals.”
She said farming could be tricky with young children.
“Unfortunately, I have to explain to them that things go wrong sometimes, whether it’s illness or injury, and we discuss whether we could have prevented it or if it’s Mother Nature taking its course,” Ms Russell said.
“Overall, I think it’s giving them a good grounding in life and they don’t believe products simply appear in supermarkets.”
An astute investment
During the course of her divorce and COVID-19 restrictions, Alison contemplated purchasing a property but found she did not have sufficient funds for a deposit.
Instead, she looked into cattle as a short-term investment, setting the ball rolling for a series of events that saw her eventually take over a farm and on a steep learning curve.
“I’m always learning. A lot comes down to passion, drive, wanting to seek out knowledge, recognising you have much to learn and accepting help sometimes,” Ms Russell said.
Ms Russell said beef prices were very high at the time and projected to do well into the future.
“I purchased a few cattle, had some really good results with breeding, then garnered a few good sales at market,” she said.
“A few cows turned into a few more cows, then a few more again.”
She said beef was a product “always in demand”.
“It can take a few years to see returns, but it’s a combination of investing for a monetary return, investing in providing for your own family, and knowing where your food comes from,” Ms Russell said.
Finding reward for effort
With a background in marketing as well, Ms Russell said her high level of care for her cattle was a point-of-difference.
She described how she went above and beyond in terms of veterinary treatment, carefully analysed the genetics of animals added to the farm, and offered her cattle lush and breezy fields just 2 kilometres from the ocean.
“I think having some heart in what you do ultimately pays off,” Ms Russell said.
“The care I put in creates a better product.”
Bit-cow as opposed to Bitcoin
The option of investing in livestock can be overlooked by some people, or poorly understood.
Cattle Australia director Adam Coffey said his own farming journey shared some similarities with Alison’s.
Originally from Tasmania, Mr Coffey started out by agisting cattle in the Northern Territory, buying his animals when the market was at a low.
He eventually built up to approximately 1,200 head of cattle, before selling up and buying a 2,500-hectare property near Miriam Vale in Queensland, where he has continued in the cattle industry.
“It’s a great investment option, but you need to know the nuts and bolts of it or you’ll get taken for a ride or end up mismanaging things,” Mr Coffey said.
“I wouldn’t put money in cryptocurrency, because I don’t understand it, and I’m not a share guru either.”
He said that like any investment, people needed to approach cattle “with the intent to be in the market long-term”.
“You won’t make money overnight unless you’re extremely lucky, so be prepared to sit it out,” Mr Coffey said.
The key to agisting
The act of agisting — having cattle owned by one party grazing, or being cared for, on land owned by another party — is centuries old.
But arrangements can vary significantly in the details, such as whether there is an agreed weight target, sale price, or guarantees about the health of the animal.
“You want a solid agreement and to protect yourself with insurance,” Mr Coffey said.
“Some people might be put off by formal agreements, but a one-pager that lists the obligations for both sides can often be enough.
“It can end in tears if you don’t account for what might happen. You learn the hard way.
“You can also personalise your approach. Some people never see their cattle, while others want to have an involvement in their lives.”
Posted , updated
