On Tuesday 26th February we were thrilled to take all 30 children of Year 4 to visit Quickes Cheeses at Newton St Cyres for a fun day learning about how high quality Devon cheeses are made and most importantly how they taste! Check out the new podcast to see exactly what we got up to but I’m sure the memory of the 400 strong Holstein/Ayrshire herd grazing in open fields will stick with them for quite some time.

The children got the chance to see the handling sheds, milking parlour, day old calves, the food stores, slurry management and to experience something of a very large working farm. They went into the cheese store where truckles mature for several months, watched the cheese smoking, the packing process, before a tasting of curds and some of the different cheeses including the herby Cheddar.

To help show how we use the cheese in our cookery, the day was finished off with a simple, cheese inspired menu and lots of empty plates! (The children were served cauliflower soup with a Quickes Extra Mature cheese toastie, a four cheese penne pasta and finally a five spiced pumpkin cheesecake).