A FAMILY-RUN farm has expanded its eco-friendly vending machine as it works alongside Herefordshire businesses to cut down on waste and supply fresh whole milk.

Great Trewen Milk Shed is a family business ran by the Amos family in the village of Llangrove, near Ross-On-Wye.

It has four generations on the farm, which has been in the family for over 60 years.

Holstein Friesian cows spend their days during spring, summer and autumn enjoying the Herefordshire countryside.

During the winter they are housed in sheds with beds of straw and fed fodder collected earlier in the year.

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Great Trewem Milk Shed: Heather Amos delivers fresh local cakes to her Milk Shed in Langrove.

Great Trewem Milk Shed: Heather Amos delivers fresh local cakes to her Milk Shed in Llangrove.

 

The Milkshed, at Llangrove Village Hall, is a self-service vending machine providing fresh whole milk which has been pasteurised gently.

This means it is pasteurised at a lower temperature for a longer period to help retain the natural flavour.

It is open seven days a week: Monday to Friday from 7am to 8pm and Saturday and Sunday from 7.30am to 8pm.

Milk is £1.20 a litre or 60p for 500ml, with reusable one litre and 500ml glass bottles also available.

The machines accept coin or contactless card but neither give change.

At the milkshake bar you can find chocolate, banana, and strawberry alongside a guest syrup and a sugar-free syrup available at 50p per shot, but this is cash only.

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Heather Amos from the Great Trewen Milk Shed in Langrove.

Heather Amos from the Great Trewen Milk Shed in Llangrove.

 

During lockdown, the milk shed worked alongside an extended family to be able to offer free range chicken eggs for members of the public along with the fresh milk.

This went down well with the locals as it saved many from heading to a big supermarket in the hight of a global pandemic.

In July 2020, the milkshake bar was added, and this was a big hit with loyal customers and the farm also saw new customers traveling from as far as Pontypool and Hay-on-Wye, said a spokesperson from the farm.

Since it opened, other farms have launched similar ventures, including Wicton Farm at Legges in Bromyard and Whole Moo World at Saffron's Cross Garage in Bodenham and at Hintons in Leominster.

Great Trewen Milk Shed: Heather Amos with local fresh products which are available at the Milk Shed vending machine in Langrove

"Many of our far away customers still travel to visit us weekly," said the spokesperson.

"The local community reached out to us and asked if we were able to stock more items, so we looked into this."

The first year the milk shed began it sold asparagus and strawberries.

Now local free-range eggs, Netherend Farm Butter, locally made Tasty Jane's Cakes, Hank Meat and Game sausage rolls and pork pies are also stocked.

During the summer, the farm sells locally grown fruit and in the winter faggots.

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Steamed pudding, cheese, and sausages have also been in the shopping machine.

When lockdown was over it teamed up with Old Court Hotel, which used milk in the cooking, drinks and for small bottles to be on each table for breakfast service.

When Covid restrictions were lifted, the farm received its first delivery of fresh whole milk travelling only one mile.

Following on from this it now supplies many locations in Herefordshire and has just ventured into Monmouthshire.