30/09/2026
An Evening with Alison Chestnutt 🌿
We were delighted to welcome Alison Chestnutt of Chestnutt's Farm to Garvagh WI earlier this month. 🐄🥛
Alison shared the story of her family's dairy farm at Ballymagarry, which William's great-grandfather bought in 1913. Four generations of the family have since farm there, continuing the family tradition while developing and diversifying the business over the years. 💚
In 2020, they opened The Milk Hut and introduced their milk vending machine, selling fresh milk from their own dairy herd. Customers can also use reusable branded glass bottles, which can be washed in the dishwasher and returned to be refilled. ♻️
They launched their own Greek- style yoghurt in 2022, and later that year, they opened the Honesty Farm Shop. Their yoghurt has since received recognition at the Blas na hÉireann Irish Food Awards and two Gold Stars at the 2024 Great Taste Awards. 🏆✨️
Alison brought along their fresh milk and Greek- style yoghurt for us to taste, and some members also purchased yoghurt to enjoy at home. 😋
Thank you to Alison for joining us and sharing her family's farming and business journeys. 💙
On the night, we also had a little competition to find the oldest cookery book. Congratulations to Moira Irwin, who won first Prize, and Sue Kemp, who took 2nd Prize. 🎉📖
Garvagh Wi x
