Our Ice Cream Farm is a working dairy farm. We have two breeds, the Jersey cows which provide the milk for the ice cream and the Friesians. 

 The Jersey herd is a relatively recent addition to our Backford farming enterprise, having, like many dairy farms, previously moved away from the traditional breeds of Ayrshires and Dairy Shorthorns, to the black and white breeds.

Our small herd of Jerseys is kept as a separate group enabling us to keep their milk separate so we can use what we need to make our ice cream.

The Jersey cow produces milk which is slightly higher in fat, 5-6% fat compared to 4% of normal milk. This is why we use the Jersey milk in our ice cream, because it produces a richer creamier flavour and texture.

The British Friesians still form the majority of our milking herd; their milk is sold to a dairy for processing into liquid milk, cheese and other dairy products.

Both of my grandparents were dairy farmers, my Mum’s parents farmed in Saighton, Chester.

On my Dad’s side my Granddad too came from a farming family, but joined the RAF during WWII. He started farming again in the early 1950s on a smallholding in Saughall, Chester,with just 7 cows.

They moved to a farm in Backford in 1957 and gradually increased the area farmed. We have been milking cows here at Acres Farm since the late 1960s and continued to build up the business, diversifying into ice cream in 2009. Thanks to our lovely Backford Belles, we think we produce some of the best home-made ice cream in Cheshire. Come and taste for yourself, you're always welcome at Backford Belles.