Adam and Jody Turner are first-generation farmers who bought Spring Hill in the Hunter Valley in 2016, just before the 2017-2019 drought. Since then, they’ve grown from a lifestyle-farming ambition into a multi-farm, paddock-to-plate business spanning livestock, processing, retail, and direct-to-consumer food.
In this episode, we discuss:
- How drought shaped the way they think about risk and decision-making
- Why cash flow forecasting and knowing their numbers gave them more confidence to grow
- The role of business coaching in clarifying priorities and major investment decisions
- How water infrastructure, soil health and ground cover have become central to drought preparation
- The livestock triggers they use around early weaning, culling and confinement feeding
- Why they focus on what is happening on the ground rather than letting seasonal forecasts drive decisions
- How a shared vision and values help them move quickly on opportunities
- The role of team culture, peer support and asking for help
- How connecting production directly with the customer has changed how they plan and budget
Chapters
- (00:00) - Building a business without an exit plan
- (02:01) - Becoming first-generation farmers
- (04:38) - From cattle production to a paddock-to-plate business
- (07:22) - Buying the farm just before drought
- (09:34) - Learning, adapting and building the right team
- (14:22) - Business coaching, cash flow and scaling up
- (17:46) - Making confident decisions based on numbers and values
- (20:10) - Building drought resilience through water and soil health
- (21:25) - Livestock decisions, feed budgeting and protecting pasture
- (26:41) - Connecting farm production with the customer
- (28:08) - Knowing your numbers and learning from other farmers
- (31:29) - Finding support and preparing for the next dry season
The Farm Business Resilience Program is jointly funded by the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund and the NSW Government.