Longley Farm

Last updated

Longley Farm
TypePrivate
IndustryFood
FoundersJoseph and Edgar Dickinson
Headquarters
Hade Edge
Holmfirth
Huddersfield
,
England
Key people
Jimmy Dickinson (CEO)
ProductsDairy
Number of employees
100–110 [1] [2]
Website www.longleyfarm.com

Longley Farm is a Yorkshire based company that produces a variety of dairy products. The company was founded in 1948 by Joseph Dickinson and his brother Edgar Dickinson. The company is named after the farm in Hade Edge, near Holmfirth in West Yorkshire at which the dairy was formerly based, All its products are popular across the North of England with certain key products - cottage cheese in particular - being popular nationally, and also internationally.

Contents

History

The company was founded in 1948 by Joseph and Edgar Dickinson after they inherited a 30-acre (12 ha) farm near to Holmfirth in the West Riding of Yorkshire. [3] Initially just having a few head of cattle, they farmed the land and with their herd of Jersey cows they first started producing cream in 1954 after wartime food rationing had ended. [4] In the early days of the venture, Joseph Dickinson would deliver products to the Morrisons market stall run by Ken Morrison in Bradford. [5]

The company branched out into making yoghurts and after Joseph Dickinson had visited an American farm in the early 1970s, they also started making cottage cheese. To start with, the cheese was made in tin baths and stirred with hay rakes before more suitable processes were adopted. Longley Farm were the first European company to make cottage cheese on an industrial scale and sell it. [6] The cottage cheese brand is very popular in France, despite initial predictions that you could not sell a non-French sounding cheese to the French. [7]

As well as owning their own 250-strong herd of Jersey cattle, the company takes milk from another 80 farms across Yorkshire, of which, 25 are Jersey herds. They process over 8,800,000 imperial gallons; 11,000,000 US gallons (40,000,000 L) of milk per year. [7]

The first commercial wind turbine in Great Britain was installed at Longley Farm in 1986. It was rated at 90 kW and stood at over 105 feet (32 m) high. [8] It was replaced in September 2015 with a newer model which is 151 feet (46 m) tall and produces 400 kWh. [9] [10]

In 1990, the brothers Dickinson bought a 1,000-acre (400 ha) farm near Barnsley. [11] All the cattle were moved to this farm and as such, the dairy processing was moved there too. Production of cheese and yoghurts was retained at the Longley Farm site. [3]

Both Dickinson brothers retired in 1997 and Joseph's son, Jimmy, took over running the business. [3] [12]

Food scare

In 2003, three Yorkshire pensioners from the Huddersfield area, died from a strain of listeria found to be in butter that they had consumed. As a precaution, Longley Farm withdrew certain products from sale and recalled other batches of stock although an investigation later determined that the farm was clean and the poisoning outbreak had nothing whatsoever to do with any Longley Farm product. It was the first health scare connected with the company in its 55-year history. [13]

Popularity

The firm's products regularly feature in the winners category for dairy products at the Great Yorkshire Show [1] [14] and have grown to be popular outside of Yorkshire with many people enjoying them internationally. [6] Some of the supermarkets in the United Kingdom sell Longley Farm products throughout Yorkshire, with Morrisons and Asda selling them nationally. [1] The Telegraph described the yoghurts produced by Longley farm as being "...natural, exceptionally good and simple fruit yogurts from this small dairy." [15]

Related Research Articles

Dairy Organization that processes milk

A dairy is a business enterprise established for the harvesting or processing of animal milk – mostly from cows or buffaloes, but also from goats, sheep, horses, or camels – for human consumption. A dairy is typically located on a dedicated dairy farm or in a section of a multi-purpose farm that is concerned with the harvesting of milk.

Holmfirth Town in West Yorkshire, England

Holmfirth is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees, West Yorkshire, England, on the A635 and A6024 in the Holme Valley. Centred upon the confluence of the Holme and Ribble rivers, Holmfirth is 6 miles (9.7 km) south of Huddersfield and 13 miles (21 km) north-east of Glossop. It mostly consists of stone-built cottages nestled in the Pennine hills. The Peak District National Park around Holme Moss is 4 miles (6.4 km) south of the town.

Dairy farming Long-term production of milk

Dairy farming is a class of agriculture for long-term production of milk, which is processed for eventual sale of a dairy product. Dairy farming has a history that goes back to the early Neolithic era, around the seventh millennium BC, in many regions of Europe and Africa. Before the 20th century, milking was done by hand on small farms. Beginning in the early 20th century, milking was done in large scale dairy farms with innovations including rotary parlors, the milking pipeline, and automatic milking systems that were commercially developed in the early 1990s.

Napolact is the main Romanian brand which belongs to the Dutch company FrieslandCampina and it’s one of the biggest dairy producers in Romania. It owns three production facilities in Cluj (Baciu), Târgu Mureș and Țaga.

Dairy cattle Cattle bred to produce milk

Dairy cattle are cattle bred for the ability to produce large quantities of milk, from which dairy products are made. Dairy cattle generally are of the species Bos taurus.

Colne Valley (UK Parliament constituency) Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom

Colne Valley is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2019 by Jason McCartney of the Conservative Party.

Channel Island milk, is a creamy, light-beige coloured cow's milk from the Jersey cattle and Guernsey cattle breeds. As well as in the Channel Islands, Channel Island milk is produced in the United Kingdom, Australia, South Africa, Denmark, the United States and Canada.

Birdsedge Village in West Yorkshire, England

Birdsedge is a small village in the borough of Kirklees in West Yorkshire, England, on the edge of Yorkshire's Pennine Hills, standing just below 1,000 feet (305 m) above sea level. It is approximately 6 miles (10 km) south-east from Huddersfield and about 4 miles (6 km) north-west from Penistone, between the villages of Shepley and Upper Cumberworth and is linked with the neighbouring hamlet of High Flatts, a former Quaker settlement.

Arla Foods UK British dairy products subsidiary

Arla Foods Ltd is a major dairy products company in the United Kingdom, based in Leeds, and a subsidiary of the Swedish-Danish Arla Foods Group.

Shepley is a village in the civil parish of Kirkburton, in Kirklees, West Yorkshire, England, and in the Diocese of Wakefield. It lies 8 miles (13 km) south south east of Huddersfield and 6 miles (9.7 km) north west of Penistone.

The Holmfirth floods refers to a number of instances when severe flooding had occurred in the Holme Valley, West Yorkshire, England affecting Holmfirth and other settlements in the valley. The earliest record dates from 1738 and the latest from 1944. The most severe flood occurred early on the morning of 5 February 1852, when the embankment of the Bilberry reservoir collapsed causing the deaths of 81 people. It is recorded as the 23rd most serious, worldwide, in terms of loss of life from floods and landslides in human history.

Kerry cattle Cattle breed, native to Ireland

Kerry cattle are a rare breed of dairy cattle, native to Ireland. They are believed to be one of the oldest breeds in Europe, probably derived from small black cattle brought to Ireland by Neolithic man. They were probably also the first cattle bred mainly for milk production, with other breeds being developed mainly for draught and meat. The climate of southwestern Ireland was suitable for milk production year-round, and the Celts also stored milk in the form of cheese and butter.

In Sri Lanka many farmers depend on animal husbandry for their livelihood, but not a large proportion. Therefore, many livestock products have to be imported. The main livestock products in Sri Lanka are milk, meat and eggs. Hides, wools and other products are still not produced within the country. Animal power formerly used in the cultivation of rice and vegetables have been replaced by modern technology to farmlands. However animal husbandry plays an important role in the rural economy for improving the living conditions of farmers in the country.

Dairy farming in New Zealand Overview article

Dairy farming in New Zealand began from small beginnings during the early days of colonisation by Europeans. The New Zealand dairy industry is based almost exclusively on cattle, with a population of 4.92 million milking cows in the 2019-20 season. The income from dairy farming is now a major part of the New Zealand economy, becoming an NZ$13.4 billion industry by 2017.

Hade Edge Village in West Yorkshire, England

Hade Edge is a small village to the south of Holmfirth and southeast of Hepworth in West Yorkshire, England. It is in the parish of Holme Valley and the metropolitan borough of Kirklees.

Principle Group

Principle Group is an international brand implementation company headquartered in Huddersfield, UK, with offices in the USA, Mexico, Germany, France, Italy, Brazil, China, Japan, Russia, South Africa, Australia and India.

Denby Dale Pies

Denby Dale Pies is a manufacturer of pies founded in 2001 in the 'Pie Village' of Denby Dale, West Yorkshire, England. Their products are sold in branches of Sainsbury's, Tesco, Waitrose, the Co-operative Food, Asda, Morrisons and Booths.

Agriculture in Wales Cultivation of plants and animals in Wales

Agriculture in Wales has in the past been a major part of the economy of Wales, a largely rural country that forms part of the United Kingdom. Wales is mountainous and has a mild, wet climate. This results in only a small proportion of the land area being suitable for arable cropping, but grass for the grazing of livestock is present in abundance. As a proportion of the national economy, the importance of agriculture has become much reduced; a high proportion of the population now live in the towns and cities in the south of the country and tourism has become an important form of income in the countryside and on the coast. Arable cropping is limited to the flatter parts and elsewhere dairying and livestock farming predominate.

The dairy industry in the United States includes the farms, cooperatives, and companies that produce milk and cheese and related products, such as milking machines, and distribute them to the consumer. By 1925, the United States had 1.5-2 million dairy cows, each producing an average of 4200 lb of milk per year. By 2007, there were 9.1 million dairy cows but their average milk production was over 20,000 pounds per year, with eight pounds per gallon.

Wisconsin dairy industry Overview of the milk producing industry in Wisconsin

Dairy is a major industry in the state of Wisconsin. The state is widely known for its dairy production, with "America's Dairyland" being both a nickname and slogan of Wisconsin.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Zientek, Henrykk (20 July 2009). "Longley Farm wins Great Yorkshire Show award for best product". Huddersfield Examiner. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
  2. ↑ Zientek, Henryk (11 January 2011). "Longley Farm staff get de-stressed". Huddersfield Examiner. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
  3. 1 2 3 "Farm of the Week: Success is enough cottage cheese to fill York Minster". The Yorkshire Post. 18 December 2009. Retrieved 26 January 2018.
  4. ↑ Zientekek, Henryk (10 December 2009). "Longley Farm celebrates 60 years with awards to long-serving staff". Huddersfield Examiner. Retrieved 25 January 2018.
  5. ↑ "Royal visit: Princess Royal tours Longley Farm". Huddersfield Examiner. 29 April 2009. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
  6. 1 2 "Tributes to a dairy farming adventurer". The Yorkshire Post. 9 July 2012. Retrieved 26 January 2018.
  7. 1 2 "The family recipe for dairy products with a difference". The Yorkshire Post. 9 December 2009. Retrieved 26 January 2018.
  8. ↑ "It's Our World: Longley Farm to launch wind turbine community eco-project". Huddersfield Examiner. 7 January 2014. Retrieved 26 January 2018.
  9. ↑ Himelfield, Dave (3 June 2015). "Plaque could be installed in memory of UK's first commercial turbine at Longley Farm". Huddersfield Examiner. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
  10. ↑ Douglas, Joanne (9 February 2017). "This wind turbine is making money - here's how you can get some". Huddersfield Examiner. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
  11. ↑ "Edgar Dickinson". The Yorkshire Post. 30 July 2011. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
  12. ↑ "Edgar Dickinson". The Yorkshire Post. 30 July 2011. Retrieved 26 January 2018.
  13. ↑ "Tests clear dairy of blame over bug deaths". The Yorkshire Post. 17 July 2003. Retrieved 26 January 2018.
  14. ↑ "2007 attendance high despite miserable weather". The Yorkshire Post. 8 July 2008. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
  15. ↑ "Savvy shopper: yoghurt". The Telegraph. 6 January 2006. Retrieved 25 January 2018.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.