Cream o’ Galloway is located in the south of Dumfries and Galloway not far from Gatehouse of Fleet. They are based on Rainton Farm, a dairy farm, with its own creamery which is the focus of the visitor attraction.

The visitor centre and creamery opened in 1994. Rainton Farm decided to go organic in 1999, a process which took three years to complete. It was something that they’d talked about doing for a long time but it wasn’t until 1999 that the market finally felt right to take the plunge. The farm offers visitors nature trails, cycle hire, playgrounds, farm tours and a tearoom that sells their own ice-cream. It attracts some 60,000 visitors per year.

As a visitor attraction Cream o’ Galloway really stands out. Their organic approach is only the beginning of their commitment to green principles. A farm-wide environment and habitat enhancement scheme was launched to increase biodiversity and enhance the experience for visitors. In addition Cream o’ Galloway undertook a biodiversity audit to better understand their natural assets. They are currently undergoing a more thorough environmental audit which will look at the way they manage energy, waste and water.

Energy efficiency and waste recycling are very important at the creamery. They are currently undertaking an energy audit to determine how their energy is used so that they can target where to save it. Starting with straightforward energy saving devices, such as low energy lightbulbs, they have also begun to make a long-term capital management plan to replace other energy-intensive machinery and appliances.

 One of the more innovative ways that Cream o’ Galloway are looking to reduce fossil fuel based energy consumption (ie. through the standard grid) is the establishment of a community owned wind turbine. The turbine would be small and non-intrusive but would generate approximately 15 KW per hour. A community owned turbine has the added advantage of being eligible for a full grant for its construction (as compared to a business owned turbine).

Cream o’ Galloway recycle farm and tourist waste including paper, glass, cardboard, plastic and aluminium. Food scraps are composted and used as fertiliser. They also reuse materials whenever they can. This may simply mean repairing items instead of throwing them out although they will also go out of their way to source recycled materials for constructing new build structures on their property.

Cream o’ Galloway has been very proactive in their commitment to biodiversity. The farm has many naturally occurring habitats such as conifer forests and broad-leaved woodland. The woodland area is actively managed to promote biodiversity by coppicing in a traditional way.

In addition to the existing habitats, Cream o’ Galloway has created further broad-leaved woodland areas and a pond. The woodland area has been created organically without pesticides to establish the saplings. Instead, straw mulch and fencing were used to protect the young trees. The pond was created to attract insects, bees, amphibians, reptiles and waterfowl to the area.

All of the habitat areas have paths and benches to give visitors a chance to take in the atmosphere and to look out for plants, mammals, birds and insects.

 The Cream o’ Galloway website includes lots of information on their green approach. It explains how their actions are positively impacting on local biodiversity. Information is also available on recent wildlife sightings, going organic and habitat creation and enhancement.

They also provide information on where they source their ingredients for their tearoom and explain why they choose to use fair trade coffee:

The business shows a clear commitment to environmental and social ethics.

Cream o’ Galloway prefer to take a soft approach to engaging people in the environment and let people decide for themselves how much they want to learn and take on board. They simply want people to enjoy their time at the farm. They believe however that their efforts enhance the attractiveness of the farm which in turn attracts visitors to them.

For further information contact:

Rainton Organic Farm
Gatehouse of Fleet
Castle Douglas
Kirkcudbrightshire, DG7 2DR
Tel: 01557 814 040

Or visit the Cream o' Galloway website at www.creamogalloway.co.uk.

Photos courtesy of Cream o' Galloway

Case study added 23 April 2004

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