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12 | OUR STORY: MILLS AND HORNE

Exhibiting at local shows and the Royal Adelaide
is one of the best ways to market the stud while
making strong industry connections, according to
Leonie Mills.
Justin Mills was always involved on the farm
as much as he could be growing up, including
exhibiting at local shows like the 2007 Cummins
Show. Picture supplied

Everyonethinksifyou’renotintownyou’re
missingoutonsomething,butIthinklivingand
workingouthereonthefarmwithmyfamilyis
somethingIwould’vemissedalotmoreifIhad
chosenadifferentpath.
- JUSTIN MILLS

“I was lucky that Dad was fairly forward-thinking
and didn’t mind which of his kids wanted to come
back onto the farm, as long as we would do the
work.
“I didn’t realise until later in life how fortunate I
was in that sense and, in having conversations
with girlfriends from school, I’ve found out how
many of them would’ve loved to have been
involved but it just wasn’t what was done. Justin said he felt a sense of connection to the Kylie Villis, holding son Luca Villis, Leonie Mills
“These days, women are seen much more land his family had poured their lives into, and was holding grandson Leo Villis, and Alex Horne at
Mernowie ram sale last year with ram Mernowie
regularly in hands-on roles on farms and it’s been grateful for the generations who had come before 753. Picture by Mark Scown
exciting to see that change within the industry to him preparing him for the road ahead.
the point where a young girl coming back onto “I don’t think I appreciated how special our
the farm isn’t taboo anymore.” family was until I saw how other farms were run,”
The next generation he said.
“Most mum’s aren’t out there on the tractor or
Although he spent much of his young life on in the sheep sheds, but that’s the way it’s always
the farm, life initially led Justin down a different been. The Field Marshall tractor is now one of Justin’s
path to agriculture. “To then have my Dad, Mum and grandfather all most prized possessions. INSET: Douglas Horne
“Originally, I started a health science degree working together has to be something special.” pulls a header with a Field Marshall tractor at
and was pretty set on that direction,” he said. Morley. Picture supplied
“But coming back to the farm to work shifted
my focus back to agriculture, so I changed to
ag science instead.
“Now I’m back, it doesn’t feel like anything’s
changed since I was 15, it just feels like home.
“Everyone thinks if you’re not in town you’re
missing out on something, but I think living
and working out here on the farm with my
family is something I would’ve missed a lot
more if I had chosen a different path.”
Like his mother, Justin had a natural talent
around livestock from a young age, but now
says he doesn’t have a preference when it
comes to farm work.
“When I was growing up, obviously I couldn’t
drive tractors, so I had a lot more to do with
the sheep,” he said.
“I was always helping catch lambs and
running about, but since I’ve gone to uni, I’ve
had more experience on the cropping side of
things.
“I’m still trying to get my head around it
all, with the crops and the livestock, but I’m
feeling more confident as time goes on and
looking forward to leaving my mark.”