Graham’s Dairies: The 84-year-old Scottish 'David Attenborough of Dairy' farmer turned TikTok star
Dr Graham has been referred to as the “David Attenborough of dairy”.
For all his working life, dairy farmer Dr Robert Graham has been an early morning person. As a boy, daybreak was spent delivering milk on a horse and cart. Today, as he approaches 85, this time is spent checking his TikTok account.
The chairman of Graham’s Dairies turned to social media a couple of years ago to bring the virtues of a career in farming to a younger generation. His posts have since racked up nearly two million views, with the dairy farmer acquiring a legion of fans in the process.
He said: “I am up at 6am every morning and I always have my shower before I check the TikTok.
“I’d say 99 per cent of the comments are complimentary. The big thing is people say ‘Dr Graham, I just love listening to your voice’.”
He has even been referred to as the ‘David Attenborough of Dairy’ as he walks his followers around the farm, from field to bottle, and introduces his favourite cows along the way.
“I really want to bring young people into the trade and get them interested in farming,” he said. “I think people think it is about just sitting on a tractor, but it is completely different to that.
“I did get some help from my daughter Carol in getting set up on TikTok, but I found it very easy to get going.
"At first I thought ‘I’m 84, who is going to be interested in what I am talking about?' But when you read the reviews coming in, it just makes me want to do more for the folks who are watching.”
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Dr Graham’s reels range from showing how butter is made to the barley harvest and illustrating the company’s new milk sachets, which reduce waste and “roll up into a ball in your hand” - a post that proved one of his most popular. The company’s eldest cow, Arabella, 18, has also starred.
The farmer has also been generating a buzz around central Scotland with the company’s “Fizzy Exchange” where people can trade in a can of juice for a pint of organic whole milk.
Dr Graham still farms close to where his father started Graham’s Family Dairy in the 1930s in Kippen. The company has a long association with Bridge of Allan, where it is still headquartered. More than 120 dairies across the country also supply the firm with milk.
Dr Graham said: “Farming and agriculture have given me and our family so much, and it’s important for traditional farmers to give that back in whatever way we can. It is all a bit of fun and I really didn’t expect so many people to follow me right away. But I enjoy educating people on the day-to-day as a farmer – and who knows, hopefully it inspires one or two to look into the career path.
“It’s not an easy career, but a very fulfilling one, and one that is crucial to society, so I’m glad to be able to showcase a bit of a behind-the-scenes look. I love seeing people’s questions and interests come in and trying my best to answer them – though my wife, Jean, does remind me that the cows still need my attention too.”
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Due to turn 85 next month, Dr Graham said he has no intention of retiring. He said: “I don’t want to retire because this is my life, seven days a week.”
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