Made at Welbeck | Raw Milk
If you weren’t to spot the small robotic machine that moves slowly up and down the yard of Collingthwaite Farm, you’d see a scene that’s played out for many years during Welbeck estate’s history.
The dairy very much continues to follow the traditional methods of farming with the estate’s herd of pedigree Holstein cows happily grazing the ancient pastures for most of the year. With the exception of the depths of winter, the 250 cows remain outdoors and are brought in by the team for milking.
Field to table
“It doesn’t get more traditionally farmed than that,” says Graham Walker, who manages the dairy. “Each day, we follow a routine. I wake at 4.30 am-ish and set up the parlour to milk, and we start milking at 5 am. We deliver to Welbeck Farm Shop across the estate, so it’s literally from the field to the table.”
The milk supplied is not pasteurised or processed, meaning that it’s not heat-treated. It is milk in its purest form, says Graham, and not only offers more flavour but has increased nutritional value, too, as vitamins aren’t damaged by the heating process. It’s packed with nutrients such as calcium, vitamins, minerals, iron and healthy fats, all in a soluble form.
“As it’s not pasteurised, this wholesome milk is just as nature intended and creamier and tastier. The herd graze outdoors in the pastures between March and November, sometimes longer, depending on the weather. It means the milk has much more flavour, which changes throughout the seasons as the taste comes from the grass the cows eat.”
The milk is chilled to 3 degrees and delivered to Welbeck Farm Shop fresh from the dairy, so it’s the freshest milk you can buy. Customers are able to fill bottles and containers from the dairy’s milk vending machines within the shop.
What’s more, they can fill up in the knowledge that every penny paid goes directly to the farmer.
Seasons
Graham is proud to follow in this long tradition of dairy farming. He added: “We obviously follow strict milking procedures to ensure that the milking conditions are to the highest standard and that we are rigorous about the animal’s health. We farm in ways to keep the bacteria low and use minimal antibiotics. It is a closed herd and has been since 1982, which means we can be confident that our animals remain healthy and haven’t been tainted by other animals.”
“They happily remain outdoors grazing the pastures of the estate for most of the year, so we know it’s good milk. You can almost taste the seasons.”
The milk is ideal for cheese making too, due to its high protein content. In fact, a large amount of the dairy’s milk goes right next door to Stichelton Dairy for the production of the award-winning Stichelton Cheese.