Lynher Dairies, maker of Cornish Yarg and the World Champion cheese Kern, has found an ideal solution in its search for the perfect milk – it has bought its own herd of cows.
It made the deal with the new tenants at the neighbouring Cornwall Council farm, Jonathan and Eleanor Hosken, who had just taken over from Trevor and Julie Howe.
No strangers to award-winning cheesemaking themselves, the Howes had created the much-loved St Gluvias and Treloar using the milk their herd of Ayrshires.
Adam Paynter, deputy leader of Cornwall Council, said: “We are committed to provide real opportunities for farm tenants so I am delighted that our Land Agents have been able to facilitate this outcome which delivers on all fronts – for the Council’s Farm estate, the Howes, the Hoskens and for Lynher Dairies.”
Dairy owner Catherine Mead added: “To have our own herd is really exciting. Cornish Kern won Supreme Champion at the World Cheese awards in 2017 and to maintain that standard, we need a consistent supply of superb milk.
“Kern, being a blend of Alpine and Gouda recipes, can be susceptible to inconsistencies if the milk quality is not exact. As the Howes and the Hoskens will tell you, the attention to detail in making silage and the animal husbandry is absolutely critical so we are delighted to have found the right tenant in the right farm with the right business plan and absolutely the right cows.”
The innovative management agreement between Lynher and the Hoskens was facilitated by Mike Houghton of farm business consultancy Andersons.
“It is a win-win situation,” he said. “An agreement like this provides an advantageous management fee for the young tenants at an important time in their careers and represents a genuine shortening of the supply chain for them whilst ensuring Lynher have the exact milk they need.”
