Jonny Slack, a 36-year-old dairy farmer at Dolphenby Farm in Cumbria, expressed his fondness for mornings as he tends to around 500 cows on a daily basis. His routine typically starts at 5 a.m. with milking the cows and ensuring their well-being before having breakfast around 8 a.m.
Dolphenby Farm is a key supplier of milk for Nestlé’s Nescafé range of frothy coffees, which are manufactured at the nearby Dalston factory, just 20 miles away. Jonny emphasizes that the key to producing top-quality milk lies in maintaining high-quality grass and soil, which Cumbria excels at due to its optimal grass-growing conditions.
Jonny and his farm co-manager, Robert Craig, attribute much of their achievements to their longstanding partnership with Nestlé and First Milk, a dairy co-operative owned by British farmers. They describe the collaboration as unique and well-funded, with a strong focus on moving towards regenerative practices.
In recent years, Dolphenby Farm has placed a significant emphasis on soil health and biodiversity, reducing reliance on chemical fertilizers in favor of more sustainable farming methods. Jonny stresses the importance of regenerative farming, highlighting the interconnectedness of farming with nature, soil health, cow well-being, and community welfare.
Despite not hailing from a farming background, Jonny has carved his path in the industry, evolving from a cowman at 16 to a stakeholder at Dolphenby Farm. With his wife Lucy and daughter Neave, Jonny values the farm as an ideal environment for their family, where Neave enjoys caring for pet sheep, feeding calves, and relishing outdoor activities.
While Lucy maintains a full-time job off the farm, Jonny acknowledges her indispensable support and considers farming a family endeavor that requires dedication and round-the-clock commitment. The dedication of farmers like Jonny and Robert ensures that the milk in your morning Nescafé Latte originates from locally nurtured cows on nutrient-rich pastures right here in the UK.
