Wyke Farms Visit - you missed a real treat!

Click on the photo above and enlarge it! You will see that it says:

"Prize Winning Cheddar Starts here"

and my goodness me, it does! We were given a very warm welcome by Richard Clothier, managing director of Wyke Farms Cheese. His grandparents began farming here at Wyke Champflower in 1902, and his Grandmother started makng cheese. The family has continued to farm in the area, and the cheese making has developed into an international business, selling family made, locally produced Cheddar cheese to 153 countries. (China being the fastest growing market). One of their unique approches is to take the cheese to shows across the country so that people can talk to them and taste the product. This way, many more customers buy Wyke Farms cheese when they see it in the supermarket.
The tour around  the factory was fascinating, from seeing a tanker delivering milk to the tanks in the photo above, we watched the journey taken by the milk into cheese or butter, by products: whey and lactose is dried and sent for use in the food industry, cream is made here and skimmed milk is condensed to send to Yeo Valley for their yoghurt, and anything remaining is either purified and used for machinery cleansing or to feed the pigs on the farm below the factory.

Couldn't resist getting a photo of this sign! Wallace and Grommit where are you?

The complete dedication and passion about the whole process was evident from everyone who spoke to us, it was very interesting, especially when we began discussing fair prices for milk producers and the profit margins made by the supermarkets.
As we drove home, Sue, Val and I decided that we can easily make a difference to our supermarkets and what goes on. each time we can't find something we want on the shelves, or if we want to know whether they are paying a fair price to their producers -  we need to ask! Go to the customer services desk and ask a question! They really do take notice, so let's start doing it! Individually and collectively, we can make a difference!

We were also awarded a very generous discount in the shop on our way out! We were first there, and when we realised the extent of the discount, we each bought more! I bet once every member of the WI group had gone through, the shelves would have been empty! My 'Crunchy Extra Mature Cheddar' has already been well and truly sampled!
I'm thinking we should have a cheese tasting session at one of our meetings.......