Curlew Fields Dairies: Meet the siblings who have started an ice cream and milkshake business from their Yorkshire farm

Nina said she couldn’t believe that within just a matter of days from opening up their brand new ice cream, milk and milkshake business they had already had people coming that they had hoped to attract.

“We had people come from Leeds who had set off to come here, they hadn’t planned on going anywhere else, just to try our rhubarb and custard milkshake which we had on as a special that day. That’s how we see Curlew Fields Dairy developing, as a destination venue, somewhere that when you set off from home you specifically want to come to. We never thought we would reach that stage in our first week of opening."

Nina said it has been a whirlwind start after nearly two years in the planning and development at Curlew Fields Farm.

“We only started making ice cream two weeks ago and held a taster day when people could come along and try free samples. We put a message on the village Facebook page and we were stacked out. We just wanted people’s opinions on it and it went down a treat. We are producing a gelato style ice cream but as natural as possible with no artificial colourings."

Nina has also been blown away by the immediate success of the milk dispenser.

“The milk and milkshake dispenser usage is growing day-by-day. In each of the three weeks it has been active we have recorded increases and it is great to see so many from our village walking up to the farm to collect their milk and milkshakes. I’m amazed at just how popular the milkshakes have already become. As well as being a destination venue for people away from the village we are also becoming a community hub too."

Tom said that the platform for their success has been built by their father Roger’s keenness to be involved in the annual, national Open Farm Sunday events that take place once again in a fortnight’s time on Sunday 12 June.

“Dad has involved the farm in Open Farm Sunday many times and so there are many who already know the name Curlew Fields. Nina has always talked about running a tearoom here since in her teens and has been involved in food and catering all her working life and so this is the first step towards that for us. A natural move.

“We’ve got to the point on the farm where we have as many cows as we want to have and we know what we are doing, producing quality milk that goes into Arla, but our future growth will come from the milk dispenser, ice cream and eventually a tearoom.

“We definitely want to start doing more, but we also want to keep ourselves as a very green conscious, family friendly destination. We certainly don’t want to be commercialised and want to retain our respect as an excellent dairy farm. I think we want to stop just short of being a petting zoo. That’ll do for us."

While Nina and Tom can do little about plastic usage through Arla, Tom said their own glass bottles either litre or half litre, that are also purchased via a glass bottle dispenser are proving a big hit.

“We’re certainly encouraging less use of plastic and we’ve had several customers tell us they have just thrown away their last plastic bottle into the recycle bin and that they are now wholly on our own Curlew Fields Dairies-branded glass bottles which they purchase from us and then bring to refill either once every few days or sometimes come armed with a dozen bottles to fill them all in one day.

“We will soon be offering our own bottle bags too, branded with our Curlew Fields Dairies logo."

Nina said that one of the most refreshing comments she has received about their milkshakes has come from parents.

“I’ve had parents say that they know a milkshake is full of sugar because of the syrup, but they don’t mind that because it is using proper milk and that it is a proper compromise. And their children have told them it is the best ever."

Tom said that Curlew Fields Dairies milk, which is all whole milk either pasteurised or unhomogenised, which means you still get the cream at the top, is 95.8 per cent fat free and that the village customers are their greatest advertisement.

“People are now much more aware of buying local, keeping food miles down and we cannot get any further reduction on that than what we have here. It is less than 50 yards from the cows to our bulk milk tank and then to our milk dispenser."

Nina said the community aspect of villagers from Hessay coming to the farm has been a return to the Hildreths seeing people they hadn’t seen for some time.

“We used to farm in the village before moving out here in 2004. Since moving we had lost touch with some, but now we are seeing them again which is lovely.

“What we hadn’t perhaps taken into account in opening up the milk dispenser and the ice cream business was just how much that put us back involved with our own local community as well as being a destination venue for those who come from further away. It’s great to see everyone talking together and coming here."