Our Heritage: What it Means and Why it Matters
Our Heritage
Cows were first thought to be domesticated some 11,000 years ago with dairy farming thought to have then developed in the UK in the fourth millennium BC. As you can see, humanity’s relationship with bovines has been long and prosperous; we are just the latest in a long line of farmers and manufacturers.
In the last century, dairy farming has become increasingly more commercialised. Even before our founder Richard Hollingbery bought the land in 1993, there has been a dairy farm at Godminster Farm since the start of the 20th century. Although we may only be one thread in the grand tapestry of cheesemaking, we hope to make our own impact.
We take the traditional farming values passed down from those who came before us and combine them with modern technologies and practices for happy cows and delicious products. By creating sustainable practices, we are maintaining old traditions and updating them for the future.
The Importance of Cheddar
We use the milk from our organically reared dairy cows to make our own delicious variety of cheddar cheese. This classic cheese is a staple of many household fridges and favourite meals not just in the UK but all around the world.
Cheese has been a favourite foodstuff of the British public for years. In particular, cheddar is the most consumed cheese on the planet. In Britain, cheddar accounts for 51% of the UK cheese market and, unsurprisingly, has been voted the nation’s favourite cheese consistently. Its taste and versatility in cooking are loved by many, and that is unlikely to change any time soon.
Cheddar was first made less than thirty miles away from our farm in the village the cheese is named after. Furthermore, real cheddar cheese had to be made within 30 miles of Wells Cathedral, a little fact about tradition that can be applied to us at Godminster Farm!
We are proud to be part of the West Country’s long history of cheddar-making. By producing our own high-quality cheeses, we look to celebrate both the food itself and our nation’s love for it. Celebrating both our products and those made by others in our area reaffirms that they are indeed worthy of praise. We are not just celebrating them; indeed, we honour the lives of all those who spent their careers making the dairy industry what it is today.
