Shop move and new face at the dairy

As we go into the festive season Omicron has sent the world into flux once again, but despite pings from school for our staff and lateral flow tests around the clock, we are trying to keep jolly here on the farm.

We are feeling somewhat buoyed because we managed to move our honesty shop to its new location just below the farm for the first weekend of December.

The move itself took the best part of a week, but happily we only had to close to the public for less than half a day while Scott and Nick transferred the milk and chilled vending machines.

Months in the planning, the converted container has been fully lined and fitted with sliding glazed doors and smart lights that only come on when someone comes in.

Renamed our ‘self service farm shop’, the unit now contains the three ice cream ranges – Artisan Originals (our core flavours), Scrumptious and Seasonal (our premium flavours), and our supersize and mini tubs Big Cow, Little Cow – as well as local artisan bread and freerange pork from our neighbour.

There is also a rotary vending machine for our ambient products, including my soaps and skincare, which should be onstream shortly.

The milk and chilled vending are still housed in their original container, which we are planning to refurbish in the new year to bring it in line with its smartly branded ice cream container cousin.

Coinciding aptly with the launch of the new shop, we also welcomed new parlour manager Katie to the farm at the start of the month and we are delighted at the speed and ease with which she has taken to the role.

With a background in food product development inherent with exacting environmental health standards as well as a keen interest in animal welfare, we are confident she is going to take our processing arm of the dairy to the next level. Indeed, on my first meeting with Katie she echoed the five key points I had on my checklist for refocusing and developing the business.

While my role will continue to be in the creative direction and greening of the business and Nick’s the overall management of it, our intention is to let Katie’s experience, exceptional organisational skills and drive help ease Nick’s involvement in the day-today running of the dairy processing.

Elsewhere on the farm, Nick has moved the herd inside, much to the Rootfield ladies’ delight (they’re far from keen on the cold and wet) and is perfecting their winter ration to achieve an optimal balance of both milk volume and high levels of protein for our local buyer, Highland Fine Cheeses in Tain, where 95% of the milk from Rootfield goes.

Frustratingly there have been a few issues with the robotic milking machines of late, but happily the Lely engineers are unfailingly prompt to diagnose and fix problems, on site whenever they can.

Almost five years on from when Nick first took the huge financial plunge when he installed two high tech milking robots, he hasn’t looked back.

As elsewhere across the industry, engaging reliable and capable agricultural staff is always challenging, particularly dairy personnel.

It’s amazing to think that pre-robots, Nick worked every Christmas holiday because no one wanted to milk cows, especially not on Christmas Day.

Of course, the cows and calves still need fed and mucked out over the festive season, like every other day, but happily Nick has Scott to share this load.

And thankfully the robots don’t complain about working the holidays!

Wishing all our staff, loved ones and every one of you a very Merry Christmas – thank you for your continued support and please stay safe out there.

Engaging reliable staff is always challenging

Jo lives at Rootfield Farm in the Black Isle with her husband Nick, daughters Daisy and Mollie, and 120 dairy cows. They run the Black Isle Dairy.

ALL SET: Some of the produce available at the new shop at the Black Isle Dairy.