FAQ’s
Milk Vending Machine
Either bring a clean bottle or purchase one of our branded bottles from us which you can reuse.
You then make a payment with either a card or cash.
Then hold your bottle in the serving area of the machine. You must hold the bottle tilted as per the diagram on the machine. When bottle is in place press start.
Optional milkshakes are served as a syrup shot, which you dispense yourself from the optics on the wall.
Bottles:
The bottles and lids are sold on a cash only honesty basis.
1 litre bottle = £2
Half litre (500ml) = £1
Replacement lid = 20p
Milk:
1 litre (card only at present) = £1.25
Less than 1 litre (cash only at present – 60p minimum) = Insert 70p cash you will get 70p worth of milk
There is no change given.
Milkshakes:
The milkshakes are sold on a cash only honesty basis.
Per shot = 50p
5p of every litre of milk sold will be donated to a local charity. The charity will be changed at intervals and chosen by the customers. The charity will be chosen using a suggestion box situated in the vending shed where you can add a charity of your choice (must be local and registered).
Bottles and milkshakes are cash only.
You can pay for the milk using cash (any amount of milk below 1 litre) or a card (1 litre only at present).
Produce Vending Machine
Our produce vending machine is always well-stocked with R&R Delights, who sell their own fresh delicious brownies, cookies and cakes (great paired with our milk and milkshakes!), Bisley Lane Farm Meats, Golden Sheep Coffee, Selsley Foods Preserves, Day’s Cottage Apple Juices, Howletts Honey, Godsell’s Cheese as well as our own fresh eggs.
Cakes are restocked on a Friday and meats usually on a Tuesday.
All other produce is as and when required.
Milk
The milk is gently pasteurised on the farm. The milk is non-homogenised which may give a creamy top.
It is essential that you thoroughly clean your own bottle before first use and clean any purchased branded bottle or your own bottle before any further purchases.
Our bottles are dishwasher safe.
If the milk is stored in a clean container and in a refrigerator it should last for a minimum of 3 to 4 days.
This will vary depending upon the season and stock available. The range of flavours that we stock (up to 16 at any one time) are:
Almond, Banana, Banoffee, Blackberry, Black Forest, Blueberry, Bubblegum, Butterscotch, Candy Floss, Caramel, Cherry, Chestnut Praline, Chocolate, Chocolate Cookie, Chocolate Mint, Coconut, Coffee, Créme Brulee, Eggnog, French Vanilla, Green Apple, Gingerbread, Irish Cream, Honeycomb, Lime, Mixed Berries, Orange, Peach, Peanut Butter, Pear, Pineapple, Pistachio, Pumpkin Spice, Raspberry, Rhubarb, Rose, Salted Caramel, Speculoos, Strawberry, Toffee Apple, Toffee Nut, Toasted Marshmallow, Violet, Watermelon & White Chocolate.
Seasonal flavours such as Gingerbread will be on offer around Christmas.
We try and offer at least one sugar free flavour (varies).
There are many flavours on the market, so we are looking forward to trying them.
If you have any allergies please ensure you read our ingredients lists before purchase and consumption.
All shots are 50p each. Please post cash in Honesty Box. Thank you.
Yes it is. We are Free Range Dairy ‘Pasture Promise’ members. Milk bearing the Pasture Promise label is backed up by NSF certification, a food standards label that will guarantee the cows have indeed been grazing outdoors for 180 days, that they are in yard for an hour before and after milking, that they graze within 400 metres of water and that no male calves have been euthanised, an industry practice that fuels the fire of anti-dairy campaigners.
Bottles
Yes you can, but it must be thoroughly cleaned before each use or your milk will spoil.
You must also ensure that the bottle you bring is large enough (maximum 1 litre) for the amount of milk you wish to purchase and has a tight lid for transportation purposes.
The bottles and lids are sold on a cash only honesty basis.
1 litre bottle = £2
Half litre (500ml) = £1
Replacement lid = 20p
Yes they are.
Yes you can. All our milk bottles are made from glass, with a metal lid.
Yes you can. Our metal lids are available to purchase separately on the dresser in the Vending Shed for 25p each (cash in honesty box)
Vending Site
Yes, situated alongside the vending shed.
Please park safely and responsibly and drive slowly on the premises.
Winter 6am – 8pm daily
Dogs on leads are welcome, but if there is another customer around please check they aren’t scared or allergic to dogs.
We welcome you to enjoy our footpaths on our farm, we simply ask that you stick to the footpaths and keep dogs on a lead. Dogs can carry a disease called Neospora which is harmful to pregnant cows and, can cause them to abort. With that in mind, please ALWAYS clean up after your dog, and be particularly careful if you go between lots of farms as your dog could spread and carry the disease.
No. Stonehouse Milk is a working farm and we would request that you stay in the designated vending area for your safety. Do not enter gates or areas where you are not permitted.
We kindly request you use our service safely and with thought to others.
Please use the hand washing facilities within our Vending Shed and social distance.
Mask wearing within the Vending Shed is optional, but encouraged.
Treat Tuesday (Mini-Market)
Every week, local independent businesses bring their products to the farm to sell in the car park.
We currently have Salt Bakehouse who bake and sell artisan breads and pastries, using high quality locally sourced ingredients, including a special ‘Stonehouse Milk’ loaf, which uses our own fresh free range milk. Golden Sheep Coffee also sell their artisan micro roasted ethically sourced coffee, and are winners of Best Coffee Roaster in the Cotswolds 2023. Last, but by no means least we have Armadeli, based in the Five Valleys Centre, who sell exciting delicatessen products, cheeses & wine.
Coffee Lada Barista coffee service also swing by in their Lada 4×4.
Our range of businesses and when they can attend can vary, so please check our Facebook page for up-to-date information.
Every Tuesday between 10-11am (subject to change – please see our Facebook page for up-to-date information).
Cows
Our milking herd compromises of 100 cows, comprising of UK bred Dairy Shorthorns with a few other breeds such as Brown Swiss (Diana) and Friesians.
The Shorthorn breed of cattle, known for its excellent milk quality, temperament and longevity, which we know today, has evolved over the last two centuries, from Teeswater and Durham cattle found originally in the North East of England.
Yes they go out to graze for at least 180 days and 120 nights of the year. If the weather in the autumn and spring is good they will be out for longer over the year. When the weather is bad the grass does not grow, the ground will become muddy, and the cows do not want to be out. They’d far rather be in a warm, dry building with food delivered to them.
Community
We are passionate about producing and supplying ethically sourced milk to our local community.
We aim to:
- Improve the local economy
- Create more local jobs
- Promote and support local businesses
- Establish educational connections with local schools
- Utilise the ‘Countryside Stewardship Schemes’
We will be:
Environment
We are participating in the Countryside Stewardship Scheme (see below), which provides financial incentives to look after and improve the environment.
Buying your milk and produce locally from us means:
- You can get to our farm easily – on foot, by bicycle, or public transport
- A reduced carbon footprint
- Fresh food = less waste
- No use of plastic bottles
- Preserving open farmland from development
Countryside Stewardship (CS) provides financial incentives for farmers, woodland owners, foresters and land managers to look after and improve the environment.
The aim of the scheme is look after and improve the environment by:
- conserving and restoring wildlife habitats
- flood risk management
- woodland creation and management
- reducing widespread water pollution from agriculture
- keeping the character of the countryside
- preserving historical features in the landscape
- encouraging educational access