Sam spent plenty of time with Dad on his rounds around the farm and grazing pastures.
In July 2021, cheesemonger, educator and podcaster Sam Wilkin (aka Cellarman Sam) started an ambitious project to document a-year-in-the-life of Westcombe Dairy. It was a really timely partnership as it coincided with a big push here at Westcombe Dairy to take our regenerative farming to the next level. It also became a great opportunity to stop and consider all the changes that we’ve brought about here at the dairy in the past years, from our pasture-led grazing to the development of our charcuterie and the work we’ve done on the farm to improve resilience and diversity.
Sam visited Westcombe once a month, focusing on a different aspect of what we do on each visit. It was great to show him around and sit down – together with Dad, Nick, Rob and Paul – and really get to talk in detail about what we do here – and why. With each episode lasting around 30 mins, it’s a lot to get through, but taken one at a time, over a few weeks, we think it forms a really interesting ‘behind the scenes’ overview of Westcombe Dairy. We hope you like it, and we offer a big thank you to Sam for taking the time to get us to stop and discuss what we do – something that never seems to happen as we rush from one thing to another!
Cellarman Sam recording The Westcombe Project during one of his visits here at Westcombe Dairy.
Episode 11 – Sam sits down with Andrew, Nick, Rob, Mel and me at Landrace Upstairs in Bath to talk about – among other things – the wider Westcombe family and some exciting new ventures soon to be announced. Catch up below.
THE WESTCOMBE PROJECT PODCAST SERIES
EPISODE ONE – DAIRY FARM LIFE
It was July 2021 when Sam first visited Westcombe. Dad and I took him to Milton farm to meet herdsman Nick Millard. We discuss all things grazing, herbal leys, the benefits of a pasture-led dairy system and how it just might lead to a more delicious cheese.
EPISODE TWO – SOMERSET HERDSMEN
August 2021, and Sam heads out with Dad on his early morning rounds, taking in Manor Farm and meeting herdsman Raymond. This episode is about the challenges of persuading a diverse range of people to follow the same path to reach the same goal.
EPISODE THREE – MILK & MILKING
It’s September 2021 and Sam is back at Westcombe to herald the start of autumn …and we're finally talking milk. He joins Nick and the cows at Milton Farm to experience a milking session and we discuss the concept (and complexities) of "quality" milk.
EPISODE FOUR – IN THE DAIRY, PART I
In this October 2021’s episode, Sam is in the dairy with our head cheesemaker Rob Howard to experience Westcombe Dairy cheesemaking first hand. They discuss cheesemaking approaches, techniques, microbes and historic Cheddar making.
EPISODE FIVE – WORKING WITH COWS
In this November 2021 episode Sam is back at Manor Farm to discuss all things cows. We cover some of the harsh realities of dairy farming, from TB and testing regimes to fertility and the success (or otherwise) of the breeding programme here at Westcombe.
EPISODE SIX – CHEESE SELECTING & SELLING
Sam joins us as the Neal's Yard Dairy team visit to make their selection for the coming months. He then spends time with David Lockwood, Neal's Yard MD, to discuss Westcombe, its farming practices and the importance of telling the stories behind cheese.
EPISODE SEVEN – IN THE DAIRY, PART II
It’s the depths of winter for Sam’s January visit, but its nice and warm in the dairy, with some physical cheddaring of the slabs to raise temperatures. Rob discusses his instinctive cheesemaking approach, historical makes and the importance of lard.
EPISODE EIGHT – WESTCOMBE CHARCUTERIE
February 2022, and we look beyond cheese to talk about Westcombe Charcuterie. Paul and I sit down with Sam to discuss our recent adventures in charcuterie making, and all that encompasses. This one’s longer than usual, but there was a lot to talk about!
EPISODE NINE – THE DIVERSITY OF FARMING
With spring in the air, Sam joins me, Dad and Nick back on the farm to discuss the grazing paddocks, herbal leys and our planting of fruit and nut trees. We also talk bio digesters, slurry, fuel prices, the role of the farmer as custodians of the land, and much more!
EPISODE TEN – MANAGING THE TRANSITION
It’s out under blue skies in April 2022 as Sam returns to Westcombe and we discuss the realities of the new grazing systems. As the tracks start to go down at Manor Farm, it's not all plain sailing. Richard, Nick, Dad and I revisit Manor herdsman Raymond.
EPISODE ELEVEN – LANDRACE
It's May 2002 and Westcombe is lush and green. The cows are out on pasture, but for this episode we take Sam into Bath to Landrace Upstairs to discuss grain, herbs, flowers and the wider Westcombe family, with Andrew Lowkes, Mel Calver and Nick Millard.
EPISODE TWELVE – THE FINAL VISIT
For this last episode of The Westcombe Project Sam joins us to recap and reflect on everything he’s seen, heard and learnt on his visits here to Westcombe. We look back across the series and look forward to what the future holds for Westcombe Dairy...
We fully support Sam Wilkin’s endeavours in telling British cheesemakers’ stories. If you’d like to support him too, join his Patreon here.
To listen to The Westcombe Project on Apple Podcasts, click here.
Check out Sam’s website and Instagram here. Follow The Westcombe Project Instagram here.
Tom.