Joost Bakker: Every step creates a footprint

This blog was inspired by a facebook post by Joost Bakker - click here to learn a little about our history and the legacy he was instrumental in creating.

Joost’s post reminds us of the importance of learned wisdom and that good work, however hard, will always reap rewards. Joost found us in the first place via researching bio-dynamic farming methods. Long before social media existed, Alex Podolinsky wrote about Schulz Organic Dairy patriarch Hermann Schulz and the European practices he had brought with him to Australia that rejected modern synthetics in agriculture.

Things have changed since Herman started the farm; we’re organic now, although we do continue to follow the best of the biodynamic principles of old. When Joost first asked us to supply milk in stainless steel pails to his zero waste cafe Brothl, we didn’t quite comprehend that we would be saving  165,000 plastic bottles from reaching landfill over the venue’s 3 year life. While Brothl was perhaps a little too ahead of it’s time in terms of sustainable venues in the inner city, it did plant a seed that we and other like-minded businesses continue to grow and nurture.

In our business, in every stage of the process from the farm to your shopping basket, we make an incredible amount of decisions with our environment in mind. We understand that many individuals and businesses don’t have the financial luxury of choosing organic or best practice over factory farming, but we feel a responsibility to constantly evolve our practices for the better. 

Following from the closure of Brothl, other commercial clients were able to make use of our milk pails. Image Credit: Little Green Corner.

Following from the closure of Brothl, other commercial clients were able to make use of our milk pails. Image Credit: Little Green Corner.

2nd generation milk pales (and new milk in glass initiative available for the punters at home!)

2nd generation milk pales (and new milk in glass initiative available for the punters at home!)

Single use plastic started as a revelation, and now it’s ramifications are proving devastating. We’re tasked with finding ways to reduce the stress we are putting on our planet, and our wash and return initiatives are just one part of that. We are by no means perfect, and have a long way to go in reducing the single-use output of our farm, but as Joost’ father pointed out, change takes time.

Change takes time but it IS happening, and it’s happening because businesses and people all over are taking it upon themselves to make responsible decisions over easy ones for the benefit of future generations. We think Hermann would be proud of our progress, and we like to think the same for Joost’s family for all that we’ve achieved together.

Thanks to Joost and all of you for your support! 

GLASS AND STEEL PROJECT UPDATE: Red Beard Historic Bakery & Millet Road Maker have signed on to accept milk in our stainless steel pails! Little Green Corner in Geelong continue to fly the sustainable flag as well as Chef Dan Hunter at Brae.

We are still working to meet the demand of Farmers Market attendees flocking to purchase milk in returnable & refillable glass, and retailers are knocking down our doors to fulfil their local demand for the same service.

The challenge now is meeting commercial plastic-free demand, expanding the retail glass offering and working towards future reductions in our footprint.