“The science of craftsmanship and vernacular knowledge that derives from working with natural materials over many seasons, combined with respect for human labour which is the only way to perform tasks with the requisite care and vigilance: these too are vital features of sustainability.”
Our family have lived in Gubbeen for six generations, always as dairy farmers. Tom and Giana first began making cheese here in the 1970’s.
Gubbeen is the name of the townland were we are based. It’s a 250 acre farm in West Cork, 20 minutes from Mizen head, which makes us the most south-westerly cheese dairy in Ireland. Our coastal position keeps us quite frost free and that blesses us with early grass for grazing.
Fingal started making cured meats in the early 90’s adding to the range of products on the farm.
There are multiple sides that tie all the things we do on the farm together. Primarily the cows produce the milk that we make the cheese with. We rare some pigs that are used to produce cured meats and salami in the smokehouse. We have a garden that Clovis maintains which produces some of the herbs for ingredients and that feed the family with organic, seasonal vegetables and fermeted food. We source high quality hard woods which are used for both the smoking of the cheese and the meats here on the farm. These elements have over the years intermeshed to become a range of honest foods based on tradition.
