Batch Farm Cheesemakers

Batch Farm Cheesemakers

Batch Farm is in a lovely spot. We’re situated on the picturesque Pennard ridge with views of the Glastonbury Tor and the Mendips. The Gould’s have farmed here for 70 years and the cheesemaking has been a family concern for the last 40. The dairy is adjacent to the thatched farmhouse where my brother Fred and I run the farm and cheesemaking business with the help our head cheesemaker Richard Honeybun. My son, John, runs our farm shop and does most of the packing.

We bring the milk from our 260 Friesian cows about ¾ of a mile to the dairy each day. Our cows drink the whey that is left over from the cheesemaking process. This gives them a lovely coat – a good coat means a healthy cow and a healthy cow produces better milk and better cheese. Their wonderful milk goes into making about 150 rounds each week, each of which is pressed for a full two days before we wrap and lard them. Our Cheddar has a distinctive flavour – strong but smooth, with a hint of nutty woodiness which comes with the aging process.

We’ve have a farm shop next to the dairy and it’s lovely to have people drop by and pick up a wedge of our real Cheddar and see where it’s made.

Website: www.gouldscheddar.co.uk

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