There are no native breeds of sheep in the UK that have been adapted for cheese milk production, so we have chosen to milk sheep from the Lacaune breed.  This french breed have been bred for many years to produce high quality milk for cheesemakers and unlike some other milking breeds are hardy enough to cope with Cumbrias cold winters. 

The sheep resemble goats in character, they are bold and inquisitive but have a strong herding instinct.

They have taken well to the rich grasses, herbs and clovers that make up the parkland, but also enjoy stripping the leaves from the lower branches of beech and lime trees!

Each sheep will give around 350 litres (750 pints) of very rich pure white milk per year ideal for cheesemaking.  All our milk is used on the farm with the majority going to produce St James.

As far as we are aware we have the only pedigree flock of Lacaune sheep in the UK and one of the only MV accredited milking flocks in the country.