Ice-cream business is going from strength to strength

This week group focus is courtesy of the Lagan group, featuring group members, the Gibson’s of Hollowbridge Farm. The family have been farming in the townland of Taughblane, Hillsborough since 1805 for six generations.

Stephen Gibson and his father Nevin farm 100 Holstein-Friesian milking cows. In 2018 Stephen and his wife Amanda began a new ice cream business using the milk produced from their already successful thriving dairy herd.

The couple had no previous experience or knowledge of ice cream manufacture and its processing technology, but they shared an ambition to produce their own ice cream products using their high quality milk from Hollowbridge Farm.

Stephen and Amanda desired to source flavours, inclusions and ripples from local suppliers in Northern Ireland which would complement their product. Since completing their development work Hollowbridge Farm are supplying their ice cream locally, including a ‘Drive Through’ service during lockdown which proved to be highly popular.

The family have been long standing members of the UFU for many years. A piece of advice they would give to other farmers would be to join their local UFU group.

The Lagan group and neighbouring South West Down group plan to have a face to face meeting in December with a joint Christmas breakfast on 7 December.

For further details and to book your place, please contact the group offices on 02892662850/02840625444.

Both groups look forward to holding its AGM in February 2022. We would also like to encourage members to attend the presidents county roadshow in January.

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