This story epitomises all that makes The Countryphiles such a joy to create + share. A few weeks back, I decided to explore a lesser-known bush lane to see what I might happen upon. Amidst rolling green pastures at the foot of the Cobaw Ranges I came across a beautiful house perched upon a rise ‘Cloud 9 Farm‘. I hopped out of the car to take a picture for The Countryphiles’ Instagram feed when moments later the landholder and his Kelpie came trundling down their long, tree-lined drive.
Our meeting proved to be delightfully serendipitous! I was warmly invited in to share Alan + Susie Deeble’s stunning piece of country paradise.
Not only do the views at Cloud 9 Farm live up to the vision of lofty heights that its name evokes, but you can’t leave this place without feeling like you are on cloud 9; like you’ve drunk and eaten your fill of the kind of happiness you get from sharing a great meal and laughter with good friends.
Alan + Susie and their daughter Jacquie are among a new breed of farmers, makers, creators. Until ten years ago, the professional couple had successful city-based careers (Alan in manufacturing and Susie in radiography), but the country life had always beckoned. Susie, in particular, yearned for the kind of connection to home-grown food and beautiful animals that she’d grown up with in Budapest in Hungary. Today, Alan makes his small-batch wine from scratch using their North-facing hillside vines, while Susie and Jacquie make a delectable trio of cheeses from Bessy their Jersey milking cow.
“There are no food miles and no processed chemical enhancements; just simply good wine and cheese,” says Alan. “Healthy grapes and cows produce quality raw materials. Our aim is to produce both wine and cheese from this raw material that reflects the passion and hard work we put into the farm. We love what we do, we love our animals and we love good food.”
It’s pretty simple.
Cloud 9 Farm’s cool climate wine and much sought-after cheeses are only available at the cellar door and that’s a really good thing because it encourages us to make the journey, to continue to learn, to connect to community and to honour our environment. The Deeble family’s integrity, authenticity and passion are as tangible and irresistible as their White Velvet cheese joyfully paired with a glass of ‘New Beginnings’ Shiraz. Make the journey to Cloud 9 Farm on Gooch’s Lane in Pipers Creek because blessed are the cheese + wine makers! Enjoy! {d} x
Tell us a little bit about your background – what path led you to where you are now?
We were originally city people with a dream to move to the country. We started out with some grape vines to make wine for personal use & a Dexter cow called Molly to provide us with milk. Growing our own produce & being self sustainable has always been a goal for us. Over time, we purchased more Dexters & planted more vines. The volume of milk we were receiving was getting too much to consume so we decided to start making our own cheese. Our production grew over time so we made the decision to open a cellar door where we could offer our on farm-produced wine & cheese to the public.
What inspired you to buy a small holding in Pipers Creek in the first place?
We originally drove out to Kyneton on a family picnic & walked past a real estate agent and spotted the property (only land) on an advertisement in the window. We popped out to have a look & fell in love with the place instantly. It just felt right! We purchased the property the following week.
Tell us about the passion and purpose of your newly launched business venture ‘Cloud 9 Farm’?
Our purpose is to provide a relaxing enjoyable experience to our customers. We want people to come here away from the hustle of everyday life sit back enjoy some wine & cheese with friends and family. We wanted to create an informal relaxed atmosphere where people would feel like staying & coming back!
What philosophy is Cloud 9 Farm based upon/inspired by? What produce does Cloud 9 Farm create?
Our philosophy is quality not quantity; you will not find us in retailers. We want people to come to the property & understand where their food & wine is coming from. The experience is the most important part of what we do; we don’t just want to be another bottle in a bottle-shop or another cheese in a deli because people wouldn’t get the same message as they do by visiting us here. All our cheese & wine is made/grown here and is done by hand; yet we still conform to the standards required of large commercial operations.
Your cellar door farm is very unique. What makes it so?
We are the only cellar door in the Macedon Ranges that produces its own wine & cheese.
What does a typical day in the life of Alan + Susie of ‘Cloud 9 Farm’ look like; from when you wake to when you go to sleep?
First thing in the morning we do the milking & feed the animals. Then depending on the day Susie will spend the day in the cheese room making either cheddar/ Grana/ White Velvet or working in the cellar door. Our cellar door is open Thursday-Sunday 10am-5pm weekly. Alan also works in the cellar door when Susie & daughter Jacquie are not available otherwise attending to farm duties.
What are the ups and downs & challenges you’ve experienced in your journey towards being a small-scale producer?
We have close contact with our customers which we really enjoy, its very rewarding to see the positive reaction from people after they have tried our wine & cheese. The challenge is that its taken us until now to get here (into our 60’s), thankfully we have our daughter who brings lots of energy to our new venture.
What have you learnt along the way? Does small-scale, local farming have a bright future?
I think if small- scale/ local farmers want to be successful they need to remind themselves of what drove them to start in the first place, if the passion is there & they’re willing to work it will last. We’ve learnt a great deal about animal husbandry/ the retail industry & hospitality.
What skills/abilities/mind frame is required to successfully run a project like Cloud 9 Farm?
A positive attitude is needed and a passion to produce quality wines & cheeses. A lot of what we do is being able to deal with people & enjoying meeting people from all walks of life. The desire to continue learning & up-skilling; whether it be through other people or formal training.
How important is community connection to the farming way of life?
It is the backbone of our business. The community drives customers to our business. Having the support of other local business has been fantastic for growth also.
Do you consider yourself to be a ‘Countryphile’? i.e. Do you love country life? Why?
We love the country life. Having lived in both the city & the country, we are happier & healthier than we have ever been. Living in the country, in my opinion, is the way we’re supposed to live. We take more time to focus on our surroundings and how we impact on the world, I think the world would be a better place if everyone lived in this way.
What aspect of country life are you enjoying MOST at the moment?
Enjoying sitting down at the end of a long day with a beautiful meal and some Cloud 9 Farm wine and feeling so proud of what we have achieved here on the farm.
What is the most CHALLENGING aspect of country life?
Living so far away from the rest of the family.
Do you prefer Coffee or Tea? Your favourite country café and why?
It’s a tie we love both. We love Cookie Crumbs in Kyneton; a lot of what they have there is house made & they are lovely local people.
What and where was the last great meal you enjoyed/shared in the country?
At home. Susie celebrated 40 years in Australia and we enjoyed a meal with friends of Hungarian style foods made with produce from the farm.
Where would we find you on a typical Saturday morning?
Milking cows/ feeding animals. Working at the cellar door.
Would you ENCOURAGE others to live a country life? Why/why not?
The country life is enjoyable for many and I would encourage those with similar values to us to try out this lifestyle. I would probably encourage people to do their research & understand what is involved with running a country property and see whether or not they think this is for them.
What ADVICE would you give those dreaming of making a TREE CHANGE?
Research – get as much information as you can and see whether or not it fits with your lifestyle. Country properties are very different to city ones and often require some labour of love to maintain them daily.
Is moving to the country all it’s cracked up to be?
Definitely! It has got us out of our 9-5 and into a lifestyle that has enabled our dreams to become a reality. We are happier and healthier than we have ever been.
What can we expect NEXT from you/Cloud 9 Farm in the future?
At the moment our main focus is our cellar door & running that well. Perhaps in the future we might look at wine & cheese nights/ restaurants/wine tours
What are you looking FORWARD to and why?
We are looking forward to welcoming new people to the farm & getting our philosophy across to people so that they will return & spread the word.
What would be your DREAM project?
Our Dream is to have Cloud 9 Farm running successfully with a growing base of customers.
Can you list for us 5 specific things you turn to/do when you need of a ‘dose’ of city life?
1. Go to the movies at Lygon St Carlton
2. Shopping for clothes & make-up (well, not Alan) at Chadstone
3. Seeing friends & family
4. Restaurants at Crown
5. Go and get my hair done
For Alan – it’s the football!
Cloud 9 Farm
Thurs – Sunday 10am to 5pm
An breath taking place with amazing people. All of us a Sign Obsession which Alan, Susie & Jacqueline the very best in this new venture – you should be truly proud.
Thanks Melanie @signobsession – will pass on your lovely wishes. Danielle
That’s a great story about a family who dreamed a dream and then made it happen.
Congratulations to Alan, Susie and Jacquie for what they have achieved.
So true Doug. They’re very inspirational and wonderful to meet in person. Thanks on their behalf for your nice comment. Warm wishes, Danielle
Congrats and best wishes to the Deeble family. Thanks for this lovely and interesting story.