National fame for Sark dairy via TV documentary
SARK’S dairy has gained national acclaim after featuring on a Channel 5 farming documentary, seven months after the island’s new farmers brought their first cows to the island.
Jason and Katharine Salisbury revitalised the island’s dairy industry in August last year, marking the first time milking cows had been on Sark soil for more than four years.
The Suffolk pair were chosen from a list of 80 potential people to take on the island’s dairy.
Springtime on the Farm, a show which visits farmers in and around the UK, highlighted the idyllic nature of the farm and its unique setting, referring to the island as a ‘green island paradise’.
‘Katharine has moved over from the UK and we now run the two farms from Sark,’ said Mr Salisbury.
‘The change from living in the UK was certainly a big one, but we have been welcomed by the island with open arms and many have taken us under their wings.’
The documentary showed the journey the cows made between Guernsey and Sark as they were transported by boat and winched onto the pier.
There are seven milking cows on the farm currently and seven more are due to calve this month. Three others will be shipped over from Guernsey in the coming weeks.
While only one type of milk was produced during the first few months of operation, the products on offer have now been expanded.
‘Cream and low fat milk is currently being sold in the two shops and on the farm, with whole milk sales also via the farm vending machine,’ said Mr Salisbury.
The vending machine sold out in its first weekend in action last summer and has continued to prove popular with Sark residents and visitors.
‘We are looking forward to the visitors this year, when extra cows will calve down to hopefully fill demand,’ Mr Salisbury said.
