Awassi Farm & Cheesery
A Few Words About Us, And Them!Our Mission is to honour the true heritage and the breeding integrity of the Awassi, to produce 100% sheep milk cheeses, fresh produce and natural beauty products.
As our beautiful Awassi herd grows, our purpose-built cheesery, milking parlour, and farm outlet is at full production and welcoming guest to share in the tranquillity offered on our beautiful farm.
Hello From
Di & David Piggott
Many a night, David and I shared around a plate of cheese and fine wine where the idea was inspired, becoming our dream, which developed into our reality! We love to share our beautiful farm with our customers, more importantly, excited to excite customers about the Awassi farm experience.
Bamboo, my best friend and workmate. We adopted Bamboo when we purchased the avocado orchard back in 2017. Yes, he is a border collie which is a breed well known in the farm working dog industry. We say Bamboo’s talents do not lay within the sheep mustering but excel within customer service… We just love him.
Yep, that’s how to pronounce it… true story!
Ahh…Wassi
Our original Awassi….and Jacob were purchased back in 2017 when our Awassi dream had just begun. All our Awassi sheep are more like our pets – the Awassi breed has the most amazing characteristics and we have plenty of stories to tell just ask Mary…
The Awassi breed date back to biblical times and can be seen in old sketches dating back to this time. Their origin is the Syro-Arabian desert and are found commonly in the middle east. They are bred for their meat, wool, milk and tail fat.
At Awassi Cheesery, we breed the Awassi primarily for its milk – they are considered one of the best milking breeds in the world – for quality and quantity. The milk is naturally homogenised, high in fat and proteins, low in lactose, and makes exceedingly high-quality cheese. An absolute amazing milk to make cheese with!
The meat is also a viable commodity – Awassi Cheesery sells its lambs to selected restaurants around Australia. The texture and flavour of this meat is sought after for making traditional middle eastern dishes.
The large tail is fast becoming an important commodity. Awassi Cheesery uses the tail fat to make a range of their cosmetics due to its healing qualities. The current tail weight of the Awassi lambs is reaching over 2 kg. The tail is also considered a culinary delicacy and sold to selected restaurants.
The wool is used for a variety of products. Specially selected fleeces are used for spinning and weaving – being made into floor mats – using local artists. Here at Awassi Cheesery, we use the wool as a garden mulch – a natural release of nitrogen into the soil from the wool also allows for natural plant growth.
Meet The Cheese Maker
Passionate Cheese Maker – Di Piggot
Di’s dream from conception to inception was to be a producer of fine food, and not only bringing the best produce to exclusive customers but sharing her passion with passionate cheese lovers.
Di’s attraction to cheese began when she was a young child sitting on her father’s knee eating cheese, eating it ‘like a piece of cake’. It is not surprising that she would eventually go into a small dairy production all be it later in life. Being a Third-Generation Dairy Farmer and Second-Generation Cheese Maker her love for what she does is in her veins. From the paddock to the milking parlour, to the cheesery, every little nuance throughout the entire process is completely overseen by her own two eyes. Di is a boutique artisan cheesemaker, and her life revolves around the different ways to take cheese to the next level.
To produce the finest quality products for their customers, meant choosing the (the beloved Awassi breed). To produce the best and unrivalled cheese, Di and David have considered the highest industry standards in every aspect of creating their unique product.
Di and David’s desire is for their customers to be excited with their cheese and to enjoy the full experience of what goes into making a handcrafted cheese. So, if you are crazy about cheese and want to come on the food journey and experience a totally unique product – Di, David and the Awassi sheep will be waiting for you to meet the cheese…
Our Farm Events
Cheese Tastings
The magic of making Awassi cheese is that the Cheese Maker gets full satisfaction from the customers enjoying the full experience of what goes into making a handcrafted cheese.
So, if you are crazy about cheese, join our ‘Cheese Movement’ and join the food journey of experiencing an extremely unique product – Awassi Cheesery is waiting for you to meet the cheese…
Weddings
A unique wedding venue set against a backdrop of Avocado groves.
Using your personal style as inspiration we design a unique experience for your special day and an atmosphere that is unforgettable.
If you are after a relaxed country wedding with a touch of sophistication, then Awassi and Avocado Orchard will be a memorable day for everyone. Our Venue is available for hire – our hire includes full use of our farm gate outlet.
High Cheese
There is something special about creating Cheese dishes for the discerning Cheese Lover. By using special local ingredients and cheese, of course, we take you on a Cheese journey.
We start the afternoon with our savoury cheese dishes and after we explore the savoury side of cheese, we take you on a sweet journey. So sit back enjoy the Orchard and we will serve you amazing farm food.