Meet the suppliers
We had the pleasure of visiting Bruton Dairy during ‘Organic September’, a small, family-run business nestled in the Somerset countryside. We were warmly welcomed by Katie, who gave us a full tour of the dairy, including their bottling process. Where milk fresh from the farm is carefully prepared and packed, ready to be delivered to shops like ours.
Bruton Dairy is truly a family affair. Katie, her brother, and their mum all play an active role in the business, carrying on the legacy of Katie’s late father, who founded the dairy with a vision of quality, integrity, and care. That vision is very much alive today, you can feel it in every corner of the dairy, from the spotless equipment to the pride with which Katie shares their story.
Katie explained how, after her father’s passing, continuing the dairy was not always easy. However, with determination and the support of her family, they kept pushing forward. A turning point came when the business invested to modernise the dairy, upgrade essential equipment, and improve the building itself. This investment gave the family the vital foot up they needed to progress, helping secure the future of the dairy while allowing them to remain true to their values of quality and sustainability.
As part of our visit, Katie took us up the road to meet Pete Cheek, the farm manager at Godminster Farm, where Bruton Dairy source their organic milk. Pete is an incredibly knowledgeable and passionate farm manager who has been working the land at Godminster since 1998, when the farm was midway through its organic conversion.
What began with 220 hectares and 180 pedigree Dutch Holsteins has grown into a thriving, fully organic operation with 445 hectares and a herd of 300 crossbred cows. Pete spoke with deep affection about his herd, “my girls,” as he calls them, and it was clear that his care goes beyond farming. It’s about stewardship: of the land, the animals, and the team he works with.
Pete sees himself as a keeper of the land, preparing and evolving the farm for future generations. His dedicated team of six, all of whom live on the farm, share that same commitment. Together, they’ve created a system rooted in trust, care, and sustainability.
Over the past four years, Godminster has been involved in a farmers innovation trial run by the Soil Association, focusing on herbal leys, a diverse mix of grasses, herbs, and legumes grown for grazing. These leys help improve soil health, support biodiversity, and enhance the nutritional value of the cows’ diet. Pete and his team are learning how best to establish and manage these leys to maximise their benefit, another step in the farm’s journey of continual improvement.
Around 40% of the milk from Godminster’s herd goes to Bruton Dairy, where it’s bottled for the local liquid milk market (including us at Earthfare!), while the remainder heads to Wyke Farms & Godminster Cheese for organic cheese production.
It’s hard not to be inspired by people like Katie and Pete, their passion, knowledge, and commitment to organic principles are exactly what Organic September is all about. At Earthfare, we’re proud to support local producers like Bruton Dairy and to connect our customers with the real stories behind the food on their table.
Next time you pick up a bottle of Bruton Dairy milk from our shelves, you’ll know it comes from a place where family, sustainability, and community come first.
Let’s Celebrate Organic September…
