Shannon Pearson

Meet Shannon from Burrungule, South Australia

Proud mum, big laughs and farm traditions.

When Shannon Pearson first decided to leave her career and join her husband and his family on their dairy farm in Burrungule, Lower South East SA, she didn’t expect the profound pride it would bring. “I’m not sure I can pinpoint a specific moment when I realised I wanted to be in dairy, but I’ve loved the decision to make the career change ever since,” she reflects.

That pride shows most in the little milestones, like the first time a heifer she’d raised as a calf joined the milking herd. “It’s like a proud mum moment,” she says. “Seeing the numbers of some of my favourite calves come through the dairy and knowing how far they’ve come—it’s amazing.”

Her favourite cow, Ivy, holds a special place in her heart. “She’s my sweet girl,” Shannon shares. But her connection extends to every animal she works with, alongside her family and team.

Technology plays a big role in the farm’s success and Shannon is a fan of their teat spray robot. “It’s taken away a step in the manual process of milking and it’s pretty cool to see it in action,” she says. Tech doesn’t stop there—Shannon’s learning extends to what she listens to. Since participating in the Dairy Australia Farm Ambassador program, she’s become a fan of the More Than Milk podcast.

But even with technology bringing order and new insights, farm life isn’t without its messy moments. Shannon laughs as she recalls tripping in the old dairy exit. “It was the end of milking and there was quite a lot of cow poo to soften the landing—I had it from head to toe!” she says.

When she’s not working, Shannon’s creativity shines. A lifelong love of photography means she’s often capturing the beauty of nature and farm life. And when the day’s work is done, nothing beats sitting down with her family to enjoy a steaming hot lasagne. Even at Christmas, with a skinny latte (extra hot, hazelnut shot, thanks!) in hand, festivities wait until the morning milking is finished.