To celebrate the NFU's summer ice cream campaign and British dairy, Fraser Thomson speaks to a farmer who has secured her family business by chilling her churns...
The lightbulb moment came in 2006 when, keen to exploit new opportunities in the face of challenging milk markets, Gillian, of Churchfields Farm, in Salwarpe, Worcestershire, decided to “have a go” at producing her own ice cream.
It was a cool decision that led to a hot business and Churchfields Farm, still a milk producer, now boasts a burgeoning café and retail business with more than 40 flavours of ice cream, half a dozen sorbets and more than a large scoop of awards.
“I will always remember making my first batch of Churchfields Vanilla ice cream in 2004,” says Gillian, who runs Churchfield farm in partnership with her father Michael Davies.
“I had been told that everyone judges an ice cream company by its vanilla, so I knew it had to be good. We took time to develop our recipe into a product we would be proud of – an ice cream that would sell itself.
Churchfields Farm is just one of many dairy producers to feature on our Great British dairy ice cream map.
It shows where NFU members across England and Wales are producing real, British dairy ice cream and is designed to connect the public with local dairy ice cream producers and help people discover top quality British dairy products as well as the stories behind each unique producer. The map can be found on NFU Countryside here.
“When we gained in confidence (and customers!), we got a bit more adventurous with our flavours. We agreed to make Stilton Ice Cream for the Stilton Cheesemakers’ Association. I wouldn’t recommend it for the faint hearted but it certainly put us on the map.”
Of course, liquid milk is still a staple and Churchfields has started pasturising its own milk to sell through its vending machine in a vintage milk float which, Gillian says, is proving very popular.
"People can buy traditional glass bottles and fill them up with fresh milk at 90 pence per litre.”
Churchfields Farm was bought by Gillian’s great grandfather, Thomas Davies for the princely sum of £1,460 in 1913. The farm was 45 acres and home to a herd of 15 dairy shorthorns. The mixed herd, now, numbers 120 of Pedigree Shorthorn and Holstein Friesian cows. The business employs more than 30 people and the whole production process happens on-site.
Michael and Gillian are the fourth and fifth generation of the Davies family and, while she admits some things never change, she says the farm is constantly evolving. Technological advances and automation mean it is a very different business to that started by Great Grandad.
“We don’t have to milk the cows by hand anymore!” she adds. “And the labour required is more skilled than manual."
With diversification came the need for a new take on traditional values but quality over quantity remained the family and business ethos.
“We never compromise on the quality of our ice cream. If it’s not up to scratch, we’ll bin it (or eat it ourselves!). We are audited and certified by SALSA,” says Gillian. “We also know that we are only as good as the people working with us so we invest in training. And we are investing in future generations.
“In everything we do we consider our environmental impact, and seek to protect and enhance the farm’s biodiversity and reduce our carbon footprint.”
Churchfields has ensured it remains at the heart of the local community.
“As far as possible we source local products, support local people and supply local businesses. We are involved in local fund-raising activities, biodiversity initiatives and farm tours for kids."
As well as the café, Churchfields supplies restaurants and retailers but will also offer support to small traders who just want to sell ice cream by the cone.
“We can help organise everything needed to get started; including freezers, cones, tubs, point of sale and, of course, the luxury ice cream.”
