Farming has been in the blood for the Devon-based Perkin family for over five centuries, so it’s natural that the current generation continues on this route.
Jon and Lynne Perkin have brought a combination of time-honoured traditions, mixed with their own fresh and innovative approaches, to Dartington Estate’s largest tenant property, Old Parsonage Farm.
Their resultant brainchild, Dartington Dairy, which launched this spring, has swiftly grown, continually embracing the principles of Dartington’s founders, Dorothy and Leonard Elmhirst, of a many-sided life, and the promotion of sustainable and forward- thinking farming practices.
Like their dairy-farming forefathers, Dartington Dairy’s burgeoning range of artisan products are all crafted from the finest quality milk. However, unlike those ancestors, Jon and Lynne’s ice cream comes from the couple’s 230 premium milking goats.
MD Jon says: “Our goats milk has a truly rich, clean and fresh taste and is bright white, denoting its purity. Plus it can be a perfect solution for those who are lactose intolerant.”
The Dartington Dairy goat’s milk ice cream, fresh milk and yogurt produce has immediately drawn a solid and enthusiastic fan base and is now available at numerous stockists across Devon and beyond, with more innovative products in development.
Jon says: “Our flagship goat’s milk ice cream really is something special. We manufacture our ice cream on site in a slightly different way, meaning it has a lower fat content from your average ice cream and an almost sorbet texture. Also we use as few inputs as possible, utilising raw products where we can and limiting processed ingredients.”
Its high-end ice cream flavours include Madagascan Vanilla, Dark Belgian Chocolate, Gin, Elderflower and Honeycombe, Salted Caramel and Garden Mint Chocolate Chip. Ingredients are sourced as locally as possible to their base at Dartington.
Goat’s milk double cream, whole and skimmed milk, halloumi cheese and other dairy products are currently in development and will be available in the near future.
Jon believes that dairy farming or indeed any type of farming is not able to bring in the income that is required without massive investment in time and equipment.
He says: “Diversification at this level is a necessity as well as a means to make the most of the beautiful unspoilt farmland in the South West. We are keen to innovate wherever possible whilst keeping our core traditional farming methods. The challenge was to utilise current assets and new ideas to deliver a quality hand crafted product.”
Visit dartingtondairy.com for further information.
