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FOOD
Grass roots
Why pasture-fed dairy is the choice
of cheese connoisseurs and 'green' shoppers.
Hollis Mead is one of the only dairy farms in the
UK that is 100% pasture fed and certified as
such by Pasture for Life*. But what is it that
makes pasture-fed dairy so special?
According to Angus Birditt food writer and Pasture for
Life marketing manager, "It's clear that pasture fed dairy
is superior nutritionally. This is based on the premise that
whatever we feed our animals will eventually impact the
nutritional quality of meat and milk. Pasture-fed produce
is much higher in omega-3 fats, and is particularly
rich in vitamins A and E, and minerals such as calcium,
magnesium, and potassium."
So, for people who are looking to feed their health as
well as their tastebuds this Christmas, pasture-fed cream,
butter, and cheese is the better choice. Also, feeding cows
on natural, organic pasture is better for the environment.
Organic, Pasture for Life farms like Hollis Mead, use no
pesticides, herbicides or artificial fertiliser and no grains,
soya, concentrates, or industrial feeds are used in the
cows' diets.
Regenerative
Pasture-fed dairy farms are more naturally 'regenerative',
meaning they put nutrients back into the soil and enhance
biodiversity in their local ecosystem. Native pasture
grass and wildflowers naturally capture and store more
carbon than land used to grow grain and cereals. This, in
addition to cows' dung, removes the need for chemical
fertilisers (which degrade soil health and negatively
impact biodiversity). So not only is pasture fed dairy
better for human health, but better for the health of the
environment and for biodiversity too.
Hollis Mead produces a wide range of pasture-fed,
organic dairy products from its high-quality milk. Some of
the most popular products are its premium cheeses, such
as the Benville Brie, winner of 3 Stars at the Great Taste
Awards 2022 and its Truffled Benville, winner of 3 Stars at
the 2023 Great Taste Awards.
Founder Oliver Hemsley set up Hollis Mead to
demonstrate that it's possible to farm in a way that
enhances nature, produces delicious, healthy products,
and demonstrate that it is possible to build a profitable
UK natural dairy business whilst at the same time
protecting and enhancing biodiversity. He says, "At Hollis
Mead, the quality and richness of our pasture-fed, organic
milk is the key to everything we produce. Our cows
are milked only once a day compared to an intensive,
industrial dairy farm and as a result they are happier,
our milk is richer in nutrients and you can taste the
wildflowers in our award-winning cheeses."
www.hollismead.com
*Grazing animals on 100% pasture brings positive impacts
for biodiversity and carbon, human health and wellbeing,
and animal health and welfare. Pasture for Life works on
the ground, every day, to restore ecosystems, implement
positive change in our food and farming systems, and
demonstrate the benefits of 100% pasture fed.