Gippsland Jersey met with baristas for a dairy event at Poowong

Gippsland Jersey welcomed baristas to Poowong on Tuesday to meet the region's farmers and take a look behind the scenes at a dairy.

"Coffee beans are only half the story," Gippsland Jersey co-director Steve Ronalds said.

"It's really giving the baristas and hospitality industry a chance to meet the farmers and hopefully break some of the myths and stigmas around farming to understand what goes into a bottle of milk.

"Farming is different to what it used to be and we want people to be able to ask whatever they want to ask."

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Dairy farmers Luke and Mel Wallace, Wallacedale Jerseys, hosted the event at their Poowong farm, while other local farmers including Matt Wilson, Brenton and Richelle Ziero, Kev and Sianh Le Brocq, and Trevor and Sophia Stammers joined to meet the visitors.

About 100 people attended the event that included a question-and-answer session to the Gippsland Jersey farmers, a farm tour, and boot-throwing and milking competitions.

"The majority [of guests] are baristas and they understand that there are different types of milks, Jersey milk is a different type of milk to other milks," Mr Ronalds said.

"Baristas may wonder about their coffee beans and whether they're ethically sourced and making sure they're using the best possible coffee bean but they don't usually consider the milk side of things."

Mr Wilson, who is also a chef, said Jersey milk had a "richer flavour" than other types of milk, being higher in protein and fat, which he preferred for cooking.

"For me, it gives a better flavour, as for turning it into cream and butter, the higher fat content allows that to happen," he said.

"From a chef's side of things, when you're cooking you're adding things to try and make flavours.

"The Jersey milk in comparison to most other breeds gives that fuller, richer flavour."