Producer Visits

Michael loves milking cows.  So much so as soon as he hit the teenage years he was pretty much responsible for milking all of the cows on the family farm…

In 2001 Mario arrived from Italy into Leeds/Bradford Airport.  He spoke no English, and had just £200 in his pocket, and the promise of a friend’s floor to sleep on. …

In October 2020 chief cheesemonger Anna went to visit Stonebeck cheese.  Here she recounts her journey and explains what helps make the cheese so special. A few of the Courtyard…

Cheese-maker, Rose Grimond makes Bix, Witheridge and Highmoor on their farm near Henley-on-Thames in Oxfordshire. Andy interviewed Rose to find out what makes this fantastic cheese-maker tick. Give a brief…

Nestled on the border between England and Scotland, Doddington Farm is almost as far north in England as you can get. And allegiances up here are mixed; indeed the Maxwell…

An in-depth video interview with Barry Graham, who was at the forefront of the raw-cheese British cheese-making revival in the 1980’s. Starting with just four Ayrshire cows and a parcel…

Gillian and Tim Clough farm a small herd of 10 Anglo Nubian goats in Hebden Bridge (England). Gillian hand-milks the goats every day before using it to make Hebden Goats&#8217…

Martin Gott’s cheese-making day doesn’t start until 8.30 am. By that time the milk vat is full. With just 100 litres. Most of the small farms that supply cheese to…

“This room is not for me”, stated my four-year-old daughter, Mary, as she entered the final ageing room where Young Buck Blue is matured. You could understand why – the…

Stuck deep within rural Ireland is the small market town of Portumna. It is near here, on a small family-owned farm, that one of the finest goats’ milk cheeses is…

Read how about The Courtyard Dairy’s newest recruit – Louise Pauley went to help make Stichelton cheese earlier this year, and what she loved about the place. “I’ve decided that…

Joe Schneider wanted to make a raw-milk (unpasteurised) Stilton and so set up a small dairy in partnership with the Wellbeck Estate in Nottinghamshire in 2006. Unable to call it…

Hidden amongst the forest and lakes on the border between Northern and Southern Ireland is an idyllic small cottage.  Here lies a truly inspirational cheese-maker; one of the pioneers of…

A year ago, cheesemonger Sam went out to Botton Village to make Summer Field Alpine cheese. Here’s the story of his visit, learning about Botton Village’s unique way of farming…

Charlie Westhead was one of the pioneers in artisan cheesemaking in the UK. This short video tells the story of his cheesemaking business and his famous cheeses: Ragstone, Dorstone and…

How to make cheese? The transformation of milk into cheese is one of the brilliant achievements of humankind. It enables us to take a product that spoils fast at ambient…

Martin Gott and Nicola Robinson farm a small herd of 110 Lacaune sheep in South Cumbria (England). Since 2006 Martin and Nicola have used their fabulous milk to make St…

Last month, along with my colleague Sam, I met Andy at the Courtyard Dairy ready to set off for a day of fun-filled excitement making Kirkham’s Lancashire. Even though I…

Earlier this year The Courtyard Dairy visited Botton Village Creamery. Botton is part of the Camphill Village Trust (CVT), and was the first and still largest Camphill created. Below is…

In early 2015 a young couple named Tom and Clare Noblet visited The Courtyard Dairy at Settle and told Andy Swinscoe and his team of their intention of starting to…

An interview with Todd Trethowan; cheese-maker of the fabulous Gorwydd Caerphilly cheese! Find out how Todd got into cheese, what he loves on the food scene, the ethos for his…

Nestled high in the Swiss mountains there remains a a group of small farms make a truly special cheese: Etivaz.  Made to a Gruyere recipe but over burning log wood fires, it is a true step…

This five-minute video tells the story of Etivaz cheese, a truly special cheese still made over open log wood fire high-up in the Swiss Alps.

Part time Cheese Monger and Affineur trainee Joe Lodge visits Holden farm, makers of Hafod Cheddar, to find out about Sam and Rachel’s quest for the perfect cheese and their dedication…

Part time Cheese Monger and Affineur trainee Joe Lodge visits Holden farm, makers of Hafod Cheddar, to see how their farming practices help to make their cheese special.

This five-minute video tells the story of Anster Cheese, and the background to Falside farm where Jane Stewart makes Anster and St Andrews Cheddar

Andy visits St Andrews Farmhouse Cheese; the last remaining producer of farm cheese is Fife, find out what makes their cheese (Anster) taste so special and how they got into making…

This five-minute video tells the story of Hafod cheese, from the very beginning of the Sam and Rachel Holden’s journey into cheese making to how the cheese is made now.

The backbone of any cheese-shop in the UK is a great Cheddar cheese.  Keen’s Cheddar, made in Somerset by the same family since 1899, is one of the best. 

Read the…

Bungay is a long way from North Yorkshire.  But in the pursuit of good cheese, The Courtyard Dairy’s cheesemongers will travel to the ends of the earth so it was…

Learn more about Bleu de Termignon from this documented visit to one of the last three producers.  Making by hand on a small chalet at 2000m high in the Alps…

This five-minute video tells the story of Baron Bigod cheese, from the very beginning of the Crickmore’s journey into cheese making to how the cheese is made now.

Dorstone goats cheese is a regular favourite of cheesemongers across the UK.  But what makes Dorstone so special – find out it’s story, history and how Charlie Westhead’s excellent cheesemaking…

Last month Andy took all the staff out to visit The Courtyard Dairy’s favourite cheesemaker: Botton Village Creamery.  Their cheeses are great, and their story is extra special, here is…

Last month cheesemonger Deb went off to visit The Courtyard Dairy’s favourite cheesemaker: Botton Village Creamery.  Their cheeses are great, and their story is extra special – read about Deb’s…

Last month we sent Pamela Curran, cheesemonger in training, to see how Sparkenhoe red Leciester Cheese is made.  The Clarke’s are the only-remaining makers of unpasteurised farmhouse red Leicester cheese…

The morning of Thursday 17th April had finally arrived.  My colleague, Pam, and I, were being taken on an amazing educational “day out” by Andy and Kathy, owners of award-winning…

Every couple of months Andy, Kathy and occasionally some of The Courtyard Dairy staff like to pop over to visit good old Graham Kirkham (of Kirkham’s Lancashire cheese fame) and…

A story to tell the tale of Robin Congdon, the master of the blues.  The latter is rightly credited as the creator of Beenleigh Blue, Harbourne Blue and Devon Blue…

When I told Kathy we were going on holiday for a week, she seemed excited.  And I hadn’t even told her she’d be spending a day with Hampshire Cheeses, makers…

Two years ago I visited Holden Farm Dairy and reported some very exciting things that Sam and Rachel Holden were experimenting with:  “I can’t wait to try some of his…

Michael and Mary Davenport had a decision to make: give up farming or find some way of adding value to their milk.

Here is the story of how they transformed a…

In the shadow of the real Mont d’Or (gold mountain) lays a small dairy.  At 6.00 am in the morning its three big long vats are being gently filled with…

On a trip to London, a guy named Joe Schneider got talking about cheese.  Over a pint of bitter, an idea was mentioned and developed.  A raw-milk Stilton.  Made with…

Finn was created in Sevenoaks as Britain’s first cream-enriched cheese (often called double or triple cream cheese) and is named after Charlie Westhead’s dog at the time (Finn is Irish…

Late last year I went off into the deepest darkest depths of Herefordshire to find one of Britain’s most-outstanding and pioneering cheese makers: Neal’s Yard Creamery.

Read about that visit here…

All about the amazing Dale End Cheddar made on the North Yorkshire Moors by Botton Creamery.

Alastair only makes a small amount of cheese: he farms only 46 Dairy Shorthorn cows…

I’ve visited a lot of cheesemakers.  Very rarely have I been back twice.

But some producers are awe-inspiring. Tarentais cheese is one of these.

Andy goes off to visit a very special farmer making Salers de Buron Traditional Cheese.  Making by hand on a small farm in the Auvergne mountains their method of cheesemaking is…

One cheese-making course and 11 years of hard work have enabled Mike and Judy Smales (of Lyburn Farmhouse) to create one the finest modern British Cheeses around: Old Winchester.

Read more…

The story of Humprhey Errington and how Lanark Blue came to be, and their trials and tribulations along the way!

During a bleak time for Scottish cheese making, Humphrey Errington decided…

Close to the edge of Leicestershire (barely a mile inside) is Sparkenhoe Farm, near Hinckley. Hinckley, with its clay loam underfoot, is the traditional red-Leicester area. And it was here…

Bwlchwernen Fawr. Hard enough to pronounce, let alone find, especially with enterprising Welsh locals turning round the road signs to keep us confused. It’s no wonder they say no one…

Andy visits Appleby’s of Hawkstone; the last remaining producer of unpasteurised traditional cloth bound Cheshire, find out what makes their cheese special and how they got into making this mighty-fine cheese.

I drove up into the mountains of Beaujolais, and as the sun rose, my enthusiasm for seeing this cheese grew. I was visiting Isabelle and Jacques. Daily, for almost all…

Andy goes in search of France’s best Reblochon with a visit to the Savoie to visit and make cheese with some of the best cheesemakers in France.  Find out who…

The story of Yves,  a rustic French goat herder who makes goats’ cheese from his small herd on the side of a hill in France.