Search is on again for Sark farmers
The search is on again to find new farmers for Sark, after the current couple confirmed they would be moving on.
Jason and Katherine Salisbury are heading back to their Suffolk farm next summer after five years looking after the herd that supplies the island’s 500 residents with milk and dairy products.
The Salisburys were chosen to start up the Sark Community Dairy following a national campaign – which was even featured on C4's Gogglebox programme – to find a dairy farmer with the relevant experience and knowledge
‘We are proud to have been the first dairy farmers for the Sark Community Dairy, to establish our top-quality herd and create products of milk, double award-winning cheeses, cream and butter,’ said Mr Salisbury.
‘We hope that the newly-chosen tenants will take the dairy to the next level with the support of the islanders. We would very much like to pass on our knowledge and help whenever we can.’
He added that it had been amazing experience living in Sark.
‘But it is time for the next challenge for us,’ he said. ‘We came to be the first tenants of the community dairy and it is mission accomplished.
‘We are really going to miss the sense of community here and it will be gut-wrenching when we have to go. We look forward to coming back to Sark in the future to visit friends we have made and see how the dairy has grown.’
An investment of around £70,000, to cover the cost of the processing equipment and the Guernsey cows, will be needed from prospective new farmers.
Seigneur and community dairy trustee Christopher Beaumont said he and his fellow trustees were grateful for the Salisburys' dedication to Sark and establishing the dairy as a going concern.
‘The dairy is a vital aspect of Sark’s land management, and their cattle are a welcome feature of our bucolic landscape,’ he said. ‘We look forward to hearing from potential tenants who want to live and work in this beautiful environment.’
The trustees are initially looking for the next tenants to come from within the Channel Islands, but will expand the search to the UK ‘within weeks’ if necessary.
To register an interest info@sarkdairytrust.com.
