SOUTHSEA NEWS
MEET THE FARMERS
Each month Hampshire Farmers turn up in the heart of Southsea with armfuls of delicious treats to be enjoyed across the city. Over 7500 locals regularly visit the market which helps to make sure that they keep coming back but what everyone really wants to know is what happens behind the scenes.
We've talked to producers Loosehanger Cheeses to find out more about the people behind the Cheese!
A familiar face at Hampshire Farmers' Markets, Gwyn Williams started Loosehanger Cheeses with his wife Vanessa (Ness) in 2002 at their small traditional dairy in Redlynch on the northern edge of the New Forest. They make and sell a total of 15 different handmade blue and pressed cheeses of which 12 have won top awards, including gold awards in all three classes they entered at the prestigious 2006 Nantwich International Cheese Show for their Hampshire Rose, New Forest Blue and Woodfalls Bustard with Mustard. Today, their best selling cheese is chilli and nettle.
In the early days Ness, who has a background in cheesemaking, scoured the country for second hand equipment and developed her Woodfall cheese. Gwyn retained his day job as a senior computer consultant and spent every weekend fitting out the cheese room and stores to food saftey standards. "It was effectively a 7-day-a-week job for both of us" says Gwyn "and good practice for what was to come over the next 4 years". Gwyn then joined Ness to build the business, escaping from the daily grind of many hours commuting.
Loosehanger is made from milk from Ayreshire cows, supplied by the traditional Woodgarston farm near Basingstoke, one of the only two Ayrshire Dairy herds left in Hampshire. The cows graze on the herb-rich Hampshire Downs and are fed cereals that are grown on the farm. Ayrshire milk imparts the unique flavour and texture to the cheese. Says Ness "This is the best milk I have ever tasted and it's fantastic for cheese making. From the excellent raw material the cheeses are handcrafted in the time-honoured way, and allowed to mature slowly on traditional wooden slats". Ness adds "when you are making any food produt it is good ingredients that count. We think we have the best available - and our customers agree!"
Working well as a team together, Ness enjoys the creativity of cheesemaking whilst Gwyn loves meeting people at markets, chefs and deli owners. Loosehanger Cheeses attend most Hampshire Farmers' Markets and whilst still a small business, their business has gone from strength to strength.
Next farmers market - Sunday 20th July 10am, Palmerston Road Southsea.
Sam
Samantha Fay
Town Centre Manager Southsea
0790 4436310
See also: our archive of previous news items