Summerlea Farm owners Liz and Rick Mahnken adjusting to country life

Angus cattle graze on the lush green pasture of Summerlea Farm at North Lilydale, guests come and go from the beautifully restored farmstay cottage and the freshwater crayfish thrive in the upper Second River which runs through the property thanks to fencing and regenerative tree planting.It’s an idyllic setting, a picture-perfect small farm and a source of great pride for sixth-generation owner Rick Mahnken and his wife Liz, who have raised two children there and put their own stamp on the property.

Guests at the Grain of the Silos Meet the Producers dinner in Launceston last week were treated to tasting plates of Summerlea air-dried beef alongside many other exceptional examples of local produce from wine and cheese to venison and avocados.

But they also had to swallow a dose of reality as Liz took to the stage to tell a story of hard graft and resilience for a couple who didn’t really expect to become farmers.

Resilience was the theme of the night, and a panel of five farmers all had their own stories of overcoming adversity on the land.

Rick, a career firefighter, met city girl and health worker Liz in her home town of Brisbane and when they eventually settled in Tasmania it wasn’t with farming in mind.

Then a farm accident claimed Rick’s dad unexpectedly when he was only 59 and the couple were suddenly relied upon to keep the business running.

“There was no succession plan and we had two young children at the time but I know that Rick felt the responsibility of looking after the farm – animals still had to be fed and everything managed despite the grief and trauma of that time,” Liz said.

“He’d watched his dad, who also had a school bus run, put everything he had into the farm and his heart was there – but I didn’t know how I would go living in the country.”

Liz grew up in India and Africa, the daughter of missionaries, and had lived and worked in London early in her career.

The thought of being on a farm raising children and the emotional weight of taking over the family legacy didn’t sit well with her.

The Mahnken family has been farming in North Lilydale since the late 1870s – from prize-winning potatoes to renowned sugar plums each generation has had its own, diverse agricultural pursuits.

But Liz wasn’t sure how she could contribute.

“Taking on the farm became a second job for us both and life seemed to come to a full stop,” she said.

“We realised to make it work we needed a values-based business, one that suited and involved both of us and had meaning for us and our children – not just continuing someone else’s dream.”

The Mahnkens decided to prioritise the cattle and the environment and fenced off 21ha that had been a tree plantation so that it could regenerate.

They planted thousands of trees along the waterway where the giant freshwater crayfish were living – luckily a hundred years of cattle crossing the river from one side of the farm to the other had not been catastrophic for the protected species.

The herd of black Angus was built up to about 80, including about 25 cows with staggered calving twice a year so that animals could be finished and processed throughout the year.

Half the beef is sold as sides to loyal customers and half is butchered for restaurants, cafes and special events.

A new bull has been introduced to improve the herd genetics to suit the restaurant market, producing meat with a nice layer of fat and a beautiful flavour, along with intra-muscular fat for tenderness and above average eye muscle that translates to bigger steaks.

Liz completed a course in agri-tourism and led the renovation of the historic farmstay cottage which is a TV and wi-fi-free retreat for couples and important additional income along with small, private farm tours.

“The Meet the Producers function was a great social event and it was lovely to have a chance to be celebrated alongside other producers,” Liz said.

“We are humbled by the opportunity to have people eat our food and listen to our story – what goes on behind the scene to get that food to the plate is important but not often revealed.”