News and Events

News -

Farm Shops

More local farm shops are opening as customers ask for fresh local produce produced by their local farmers. This means much less is spent on food miles and these shops can promote local milk as well as regional specialities like cheeses, breads and cakes.

See more details about the Briddlesford Lodge Farm Shop under “Visit my farm”.

Government Top-up for school milk

The Government have decided to continue to offer a top-up subsidy for milk drunk by children at school under the School Milk Scheme. Parents are urged to take advantage of cheaper milk for their children. See details under “Subsidised milk”.

Events –

FARMHOUSE BREAKFAST WEEK 22 – 26 January 2006

Several events were organised in the Isle of Wight and there was good media coverage.

Farmhouse Breakfast for Schools
Sponsorship for the events in schools was received from the South East Food Group Partnership

Children from Downside Middle School, Summerfield and Barton Primary Schools in Newport had a nourishing breakfast including muesli with local milk, bacon rolls and apple juice. The fresh produce all came from a local farmer, Harold George at Coppidhall Farm, only 4 miles from the school. The Headteacher of Downside and some teachers joined in with a member of the Oral Health Team and enjoyed having local produce.

Breakfast at Haylands Primary School started with the children at the school breakfast club and then the Headteacher came in with about 50 parents. The IW Healthy Schools’ manager, the IW NFU Chairman and the Chairman of Governors also attended. 100 bacon rolls were given out, and also muesli, milk and apple juice were on offer from a local farmer. The catering supervisor came in especially for the event. There was much discussion about food and farmingt. The ‘Share’ SureStart manager also attended, and asked for literature about milk and healthy breakfasts to give to the Family Learning group.

Breakfast Sponsored by the Chairman of the Local National Farmers Union
The Isle of Wight NFU Chairman, Paul Griffin, held a breakfast at Briddlesford Lodge Farm house to launch Farmhouse Breakfast Week. Invited guests included the High Sheriff, the Chairman of IW Council, the IW Member of Parliament, local farmers Mark Orlik, Mark Parsons and Richard Griffin, the Regional Director of the Countryside Landowners Association and the NFU Secretary.

The Chairman explained the significance of the breakfast, which was promoted by the HGCA and sponsored by the SEFGP. All the food presented for the breakfast was local or regional – muesli, milk, apple juice, eggs, bacon, tomatoes, sausages, kidneys, bread and was cooked and served by Chris Hoyal, Chairman’s partner, and Judi Griffin, SEEDA Dairy Sector Champion.

Enjoying watching the cows: Judi Griffin, Paul Griffin, NFU Chairman, Christine Hoyal, John Effemy, Chairman of the Isle of Wight Council, Andrew Turner, M.P., Lt Col Danny Fisher MBE DL, High Sheriff of the Isle of Wight.

Breakfast at a Farm Shop (Briddlesford Lodge Farm)
The event was organised by Louise Griffin and her partner Julian Scott. Members of the public were offered local bacon in a locally baked roll, made from locally grown wheat with unpasteurised milk from the farm’s Guernsey cows either as a drink or with cereal. Fortunately it was a beautiful morning and the bacon was cooked out of doors. The NFU Chairman and his breakfast guests joined the public and chatted. The public were invited to see two Guernsey cows and some calves, which stimulated many questions.

Child in the shop.

DAIRY FARMERS VISIT RINGMER COMMUNITY COLLEGE, East Sussex

Jeremy Courtney, who farms near the college, and Judi Griffin, Isle of Wight dairy farmer and SE Dairy Sector Champion, took 11 x 24 pint pergals, (bag in a box), and two dispensers into the college. 9 pergals came from Dairy Crest and were funded by the NFU and Sussex Enterprise. 2 pergals and one dispenser came from Harold George, a producer/retailer on the IW. The other pergal was loaned from the NFU at Liss. Judi took her new model cow, ‘Buttercup’, a collapsible Guernsey which can be “milked” and was a popular focal point for the young people.

The milk was dispensed free into The White Stuff’ beakers, donated by 1st Milk during breaktime and at lunchtime. Very few of the 800 pupils declined the milk and every drop was drunk. Vice- principles of the College, the Head of Catering and college staff were present, and were all very enthusiastic. The event was so successful that the college is very seriously considering having milk permanently available for the pupils, who all said they would gladly pay to have a milk drink every day.

The two farmers were assisted by Jan Burden, milk facilitator funded by E. Sussex NFU, and Luisa Devismes from Farming and Countryside Education (FACE) and Plumpton College.

Luisa is investigating how the scheme can be put into Plumpton College, and she and Jeremy have both ordered model cows from Judi’s ‘cow designer’!

There is no doubt that the cow is an attraction, and naturally makes the link between farming and food. If anyone would like details on how to make one please look at the instructions under the Resources section.