Somerset farmer Tom Calver is cultivating wildflowers in six of his fields to diversify the diet of his dairy cows, aiming for a more complex flavour in his Westcombe cheddar. This approach involves keeping fewer cows and leaving some fields ungrazed as the wildflowers mature.
Calver, who runs the Westcombe dairy, stated that this method has resulted in a loss of milk production. However, he believes the cheese now tastes better, describing it as "meadow flavoured." He also noted that growing deep-rooted wildflowers helped the farm during this year's drought.
The farmer suggests that feeding cattle a wide range of plants contributes to a healthier and more complex gut microbiome in the cows, which he believes significantly impacts the cheese's flavour profile. Calver, a trained chef, aims for his cheese to have a "terroir" – a taste reflecting the land where it is produced.
Despite the benefits, Calver acknowledged that this farming method is "much more expensive." He also highlighted the challenge of marketing the cheddar due to its varying taste, which changes with the diversity of plants the cows consume.