Boolarra dairy farmers Matt and Nadine Gleeson educate school groups

Matt and Nadine Gleeson have a passion for sharing knowledge and have generously opened their farm to visitors for the past six years.

Mr Gleeson's family have been farming for five generations and he is a former chair of regional development organisation GippsDairy.

For the Gleesons, the school visits are a way of improving understanding of milk production, helping educate their local community, and highlighting the many career opportunities available in regional areas.

The Gleesons, who run a herd of 520 dairy cows, said they had welcomed more than 100 schoolchildren to their farm this year to discover more about milk.

"Our first excursion was arranged with our daughter's kindergarten, and has grown from there," Mrs Gleeson said.

"It's a way to help younger children understand that dairy doesn't just come from the shop and that there's a whole process behind it.

"If we can encourage them to eat more nutritional dairy foods and drink more milk, then that's even better."

Mr Gleeson said staying connected with the community, especially when living in a small town, was important.

"Working with schools is a great way to engage our community with what we do," he said.

"We're proud of our farm, that's part of it as well.

"We make the time for school groups to share the cycle of what we go through each year."

For Mr Gleeson, the purpose extends beyond educating children solely about dairy farming, it's also about a broader understanding of agriculture.

"Each child will take something different away from the visit," he said.

"Some might like the cows, others will love sitting in the tractor, or some will want to watch the milk truck come in.

"The important outcome is that it starts a conversation at home, they see agriculture and the different types of jobs it leads to."

The Gleesons are Fonterra suppliers and work with Fonterra's Farm Source team in Gippsland to extend the experience for children who visit.

Fonterra supplies cheese products and samples to help create a connection between the farm, the cows and the dairy products they see on the supermarket shelves.

Fonterra Farm Source area manager Mick West said the Gleesons were making a positive contribution to their community.

"We're happy to support them and help tell the story of dairy from both sides of the farmgate," he said.

"It's just a small thing but it's rewarding to see the kids snacking on cheese knowing they've seen where it comes from."

The Gleesons' commitment to supporting education and growing awareness of the dairy industry is helping to shape a future generation that understands, appreciates and one day might consider a career in farming.

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