Regional & Seasonal: Fen Farm Dairy, Suffolk

A Suffolk family farm advocates pure, raw milk products that are both rich in protein and full of flavour

AN EARLY MORNING mist, driven inland from the sea, flows softly through the water meadows and wildlife-rich marshes of the Waveney Valley. This unspoilt haven is characterised by its willow-shaded river, which forms the boundary between Norfolk and Suffolk. In the east, the trembling veil gradually gleams with suffused light as the sun crests the horizon and casts its luminous rays over the landscape. From this moment on, the rising flood of coming day will advance quickly. In the valley marshlands, soft outlines of trees, hedgerows and grazing cattle become more defined in the wakening dawn, and as the first of the sun’s rays break through the golden haze, grass, shrubs and flowers laden with dew reflect the radiance of the brightening sky.

For Fen Farm Dairy in Suffolk, this is the start of another busy day on the working farm. At 4am, the herd of red-and-white Montbéliarde cows are moved from their grazing pastures on the Stow Fen to the farm’s large milking parlour. Pioneering the standard in British raw dairy, some of the fresh, unpasteurised milk will be filtered and cooled, ready to be sold in the adjacent cow-print shed, while the rest is used to make raw, cultured farmhouse butter and traditional, handcrafted bloomy-rind cheese. A leading producer in the dairy industry, the farm’s mission is to put raw dairy products at the heart of food production and to secure a prosperous future for all the raw milk producers.

The Crickmore family have been farming the land for three generations. “The dairy farm has been around since the 1940s,” says Jonny Crickmore, who now runs the business with his wife, Dulcie. Their decision to diversify the farm’s offering from a traditional milk-led dairy farm to a producer of cheese and butter has changed the shape of their herd and pushed the boundaries of raw dairy products.

“As a farmer, the general mindset seems to be production and growing as much crop as possible. Up until 2011, our herd were Holsteins, which are high-yielding cows,” he explains. “We took it upon ourselves to invest in quality over quantity, changing the herd to Montbéliarde.” Though these cows have a lower yield, the milk is protein-rich, flavoursome and perfect for cheesemaking. “We are one of few farms in the country who have this breed of cow.”

The farm is famed for its Brie de Meaux-style Baron Bigod cheese, named after Baron Hugh Bigod, Earl of Norfolk in the

12th century and owner of the land on which the farm now stands. The cheese is made in small batches early in the morning, when the raw milk is still warm, which is the ideal temperature for cheesemaking. “Starter cultures are added to the milk, which begins the acidification process,” says Jonny. Once the correct level of acidity is achieved, rennet is added, which causes the milk to solidify over what is called the flocculation period. “The curd is then cut to release the whey and carefully hand-ladled into hoops to begin creating their shape.”

This careful treatment keeps fat molecules intact and gives the cheese its smooth, silky texture. The cheese is then matured to develop its earthy flavours. “We oversee every step, from the cows grazing on the water meadows to the cheese being sold in our little farm shop,” says Jonny.

Since producing the cheese, he has also started to make Bungay raw butter: the UK’s only raw farmhouse butter produced using a lactic culture. This forms a homage to the region’s heritage; in the centre of Bungay stands the butter cross, a vaulted monument beneath the shade of which dairy farmers gathered to sell Suffolk butter more than 300 years ago. The farm has helped to revive this tradition of dairying.

As spring reaches its gentle crescendo, Jonny looks to the farm with a renewed excitement. “It is the best time of year. Everything springs to life: the plants, the flowers, the birds and the cows out in the fields. It feels fantastic to think of the beautiful summer days ahead, but I love May. It’s my favourite month of the year.”