Dairy doubles output of nettle and garlic Yarg

Lynher Dairies - the UK’s sole producer of Cornish Yarg cheese - has doubled production over the last eight years as the speciality cheese wrapped in stinging nettles has increased in popularity.

The firm, which is based at Pengreep Farm, Truro, is now making more than 200t of Cornish Yarg and Wild Garlic Yarg a year and is also exploring new cheese varieties, said director Catherine Mead. “The plan is to make a new cheese entirely from milk from our own herd of cows.”
The Cornish Yarg, which is sold to airlines, caterers, restaurants, independent retailers and supermarket deli counters, has also secured national distribution in Waitrose and regional listings in Tesco and Sainsbury.
Cornish Yarg is a semi-hard cheese that is creamy under the rind and slightly crumbly in the core. It is produced using traditional methods in open round vats.
After pressing and brining, it is wrapped in nettle leaves that are picked wild and frozen for use throughout the year. The nettles attract natural moulds that help the Yarg to mature, but also impart a delicate mushroom-like flavour to the cheese, said Mead.