Why We'd Love a House Cow... And Why ReDairy Is the Next Best Thing
One of the biggest projects we're working on at the moment is our Suburban Homestead Project.
Like many people, we love the idea of growing more of our own food, reducing waste, composting, planting fruit trees, collecting eggs from our own chickens, and creating a little ecosystem that gives back more than it takes. Not because we're trying to be completely self-sufficient, but because we want to feel more connected to where our food comes from and raise our daughter, Orchard, with that same appreciation.
The reality, though, is that most of us don't have a lifestyle block or acres of farmland. We have a typical suburban section.
Ours is just 460m² and most of that is occupied by a house, driveway, and concrete. So we’ve embarked on The Suburban Homestead Project: using what small space we do have, to still get our dream of having this circular, sustainable lifestyle.
Which brings us to one small problem with our Suburban Homestead Project...
We don't have room for a cow.
As much as we'd love fresh milk and homemade yoghurt from an animal we know has been well cared for, that dream probably isn't happening anytime soon.
So instead, we've been asking ourselves a different question:
If we can't produce our own dairy, what's the next best thing?
For us, it's finding brands that share the same values we'd have if we were producing that food ourselves. Brands that care deeply about the health of the land, the wellbeing of their animals, and the quality of the food they're producing.
That's what led us back to ReDairy.
Visiting the Farm
In March 2025, Tim and I visited the ReDairy farm in Canterbury to see how they farm firsthand.
Rather than just hearing the words "regenerative farming", we wanted to understand what that actually looked like in practice. What we found was a calm, thoughtful place.
The cows wandered quietly through generous pastures, happily doing what cows do best. There was no sense of rushing or intensity - just a farm that felt peaceful and well cared for.
One of the things that surprised us most wasn't actually the cows. It was the soil.
It All Starts With Healthy Soil
One of the team dug into one of the paddocks to show us what was happening beneath the surface. Almost immediately we started finding worms. Lots of them.
The soil was soft, dark, crumbly and full of life.
It was a simple but powerful reminder that healthy farming doesn't just happen above the ground. Healthy soil supports healthier pasture. Healthier pastures feed healthier animals.
And healthier animals produce the food that eventually ends up on our plates.
It's a philosophy that sounds obvious when you say it out loud, but seeing it in person gave us a whole new appreciation for it.
So... What Is Regenerative Farming?
Regenerative farming is about leaving the land healthier than you found it.
Rather than simply producing food, the goal is to continually improve the health of the soil, increase biodiversity, and create farming systems that become more resilient over time.
Every farm will approach this differently, but common principles include caring for soil biology, improving pasture diversity, managing grazing carefully, and working with natural systems rather than against them.
At ReDairy, that philosophy is evident throughout the farm. It's not about chasing perfection. It's about continually improving the health of the land, because healthy soil ultimately benefits everything else that depends on it.
Why That Matters To Us
As we've started building our own Suburban Homestead, we've realised that almost every sustainability decision comes back to one simple question:
How can we work with nature instead of against it?
Whether we're composting kitchen scraps, planting fruit trees, preparing for chickens, or growing vegetables, we're trying to create small systems that regenerate rather than deplete.
So while we'll never have our own dairy cow wandering around our suburban backyard, we can still support farmers who share those same principles.
That feels like a pretty good alternative.
And The Yoghurt?
Thankfully, it also happens to be genuinely delicious.
ReDairy's yoghurt is thick, creamy and packed with probiotics.
It's less sweet than many supermarket yoghurts, which we actually really appreciate. It lets the quality of the ingredients speak for themselves.
Our favourite is the Dark Berry flavour, and it's become a regular in our house - whether that's spooned over breakfast, enjoyed with fresh fruit, or simply eaten straight from the tub as a snack.
The Bigger Picture
One of the things we love about sustainability is that it isn't all or nothing.
Most of us aren't going to own lifestyle blocks.
Most of us won't milk our own cows.
Most of us will continue buying food from the supermarket.
But every time we shop, we get the chance to support the kinds of farming systems we'd like to see more of.
For us, that's what this partnership with ReDairy is really about.
Not perfection.
Just making thoughtful choices where we can.
If You're Curious...
If you're walking down the yoghurt aisle next time you're at the supermarket, we'd encourage you to keep an eye out for ReDairy.
It's one of the closest things we've found to the values we'd hope to build ourselves if we ever did have that dream house cow.
You can find your nearest stockist here.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is regenerative dairy farming?
Regenerative dairy farming focuses on improving the health of the land while producing food. Practices vary between farms, but generally include building healthier soils, encouraging biodiversity, and carefully managing grazing to create resilient farming systems.
Why does soil health matter?
Healthy soil stores water better, supports diverse microbial life, grows healthier pasture, and helps create stronger farming systems. Everything starts from the ground up.
What makes ReDairy different?
What stood out to us was the genuine focus on regeneration - caring for soil health, supporting biodiversity, and continually improving the farm while producing high-quality dairy products.
Where can I buy ReDairy yoghurt?
ReDairy is stocked in selected supermarkets and retailers around New Zealand. Use their stockist finder to locate your nearest store.
Is ReDairy yoghurt good?
We genuinely think so. It's thick, creamy, probiotic, and less sweet than many supermarket options. If you enjoy natural yoghurt with a rich texture, it's well worth trying.