It’s not a dairy farmer vacation until you get to take in the dairy scene, especially in another country. It’s fun to compare and observe the differences and similarities whether on the product or the cow side.
I am currently getting to enjoy some time in Scotland after hoarding away pennies to visit what is a dream location for me. While I am not sure I’ll get to visit a dairy farm, I have thoroughly been enjoying seeing all the dairy products in action. The United Kingdom certainly has a dairy scene that is alive and well.
From admiring the cheese case in a cheese shop to ordering a fine cheese board in a restaurant or simply checking out the dairy aisle in the market, it is always so interesting to me to find the different ways that dairy is used. For instance, there’s no cream or creamer here for your coffee. They simply use 1.8% milk (their skim) for tea.
We’ve tasted some fine cheese. A few slices came from a Sunday market we happened upon. The others were included in a delicious cheese board that featured all Scottish cheese. A Cheddar from the Isle of Mull was especially delicious. We’ve also seen ice cream stands at basically every location, which I can totally get on board with. They apparently enjoy their ice cream in all seasons.
The biggest thing that always seems to stand out to me during travel is that the dairy scene, no matter where you are, is alive and well. People around the world love and depend on their dairy products. That is always the biggest reward for being a dairy farmer.
The author is a third-generation dairy farmer from Oregon where she farms in partnership with her husband and parents. As a mother of young sons who round out the family-run operation as micro managers, Darleen blogs about the three generations of her family working together at Guernsey Dairy Mama. Abiqua Acres Mann's Guernsey Dairy is currently home to 90 registered Guernseys and transitioned to a robotic milking system in 2017.