Adding flavour to farm’s fresh milk
A FAMILY-RUN farm has launched a new vending machine serving milkshakes.
A total of 18 flavours will be available to try at Hooks Farm Dairy, in Borrowash.
The Smith family have been serving full-fat pasteurised milk to the local Erewash community from an existing vending machine since 2019. But this has now been upgraded, with the addition of a second machine which will serve up the 18 milkshake flavours available, as well as seasonal specials under the Golden Hooves brand.
Among the flavoured milkshakes available will be strawberry, chocolate, vanilla, salted caramel, bubble-gum, cherry, Biscoff, and the two specials of gingerbread and orange.
As well as fresh milk products, the vending machines will also stock cheese and other farm produce. A spokesperson for the Draycott Road farm said: “Having diversified their farm in 2019, throughout the following years and during the Covid lockdown, the Smith family have supplied farm fresh milk to the local community through a vending machine in a milk shed within the farm.
“Golden Hooves is backed by a co-operative of dairy farmers, which the Smith family are members of, who work together to produce fresh, tasty dairy products.
“Enabling local communities to buy food directly from the people that produce it, the Smiths will be the first to launch a nationwide network of farmers with Golden Hooves vending machines. The farm set their own pricing for liquid milk, and other prices start from £1 for a milkshake.”
The vending machines were launched at an open farm event on Sunday, when visitors had the chance to see the farm in action, with demonstrations of the robotic milking machine and talks on how regenerative agriculture can recycle nutrients in the soil.