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Frequently asked questions
We are a small team and there is always lots to do on the farm. As much as we enjoy reading and responding to our emails, we don't always have the time to give them the attention they deserve. So, please try and find the answer to your query below before emailing, using the categories at the top to narrow your search. Thank you!
If you still can't find it, please do get in touch! Our contact details are at the bottom of the page.
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Do you have a shop on the farm?We don't currently have anywhere on the farm for buying dairy produce, however we are looking into vending machines and an honesty shop. However, our dairy produce can be purchased from a handful of local, independent shops nearby. Alternatively you can order meat and ice cream from our online shop.
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Are you the same business as North Aston Organics (the vegetable box scheme)?No. Our friends at North Aston Organics sell delicious, organic vegetables and fruit through their box scheme, but they are a completely separate business from us. Please do not email us about fruit & veg orders, we can't help!
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Are you taking on new milk round customers at the moment?As we only have a very small herd, our milk supplies are limited and variable. We have room in our delivery schedules for a small number of new customers at the moment. Once we are at full capacity again, you will be put on our waiting list and will be contacted if our supply increases (eg if we buy a new cow!).
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Can you deliver to me if I'm outside your delivery area?Unfortunately not. However, we have a collection point for people that want to buy our produce but live outside our delivery area. Please email us for details.
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Where do you deliver to?We operate weekly milk rounds in the following nearby villages: North Aston, Middle Aston, Steeple Aston, Lower Heyford, Upper Heyford, Somerton, Duns Tew, and Deddington. We also deliver to Wolvercote (North Oxford). We are looking to expand our milk rounds to include the new Heyford Park estate, and will do if we have enough interest.
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How do I make changes to my order?If you are a regular dairy customer, you can pause your order, change your order quantities or add extra products (including meat and ice cream) by emailing the dairy office. We will usually respond to enquiries within a few hours and will do our best to fulfil your request. We pasteurise and bottle our milk on Mondays and Thursdays, so the cut off time for changes to your milk order are as follows: Yoghurt for the whole week is made on Tuesdays so please give us as much notice as possible. Meat and ice cream can be added up until 6pm the night before your delivery.
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Why are you now charging for delivery?We have always charged for delivery but it has been included in the price of the milk and other products. We are now just splitting them up so it’s easier to see how the price of milk compares to other suppliers. We are making no money at all on the delivery, just covering our costs.
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What happens if I pause my delivery for a week or two? Do I still pay the full monthly delivery charge?The delivery charge is essentially a monthly subscription to the milk round, which will remain in place even if you pause your delivery for a few weeks. In any given calendar month, the charge will apply if you have had one delivery or more. If you are away for a whole calendar month, let us know and we can pause the charge for that month.
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How do I pay for my milk and other produce?All milk round customers (delivery or collection) receive a invoice via email at the end of each month, detailing the items they've bought and the amount that needs paying. This needs settling within 7 days, ideally by bank transfer.
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Do you accept cheques?We do still accept cheques, although our bank charges us 50p for every cheque we pay in so we encourage our customers to pay by bank transfer if possible. We are investigating direct debits as an alternative payment option.
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Is there anywhere I can view my current account balance?No, but we send monthly invoices so you will always see where you are. You can email us if you would like to know your current balance. We are working on ways to make this easier for you.
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Why is your produce so expensive compared to the supermarkets?In short, because: - Milk in supermarkets is sold as a loss leader. - Milk in supermarkets is industrially-produced, so they have the advantage of economies of scale. - We want to cover our costs, which the farmers that supply supermarkets cannot. For a detailed explanation of the journey of supermarket milk vs ours, see this very well-written explanation from a dairy very similar to ours... https://www.churchfarmdairysemley.com/differences-between-our-milk-and-the-supermarket
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Why is your produce so cheap compared to other small-scale dairies?While we could charge much more (a dairy near to us sells their non-organic milk at £7.60 per litre!!), we believe that healthy, locally-produced, sustainably-sourced food (including our organic dairy produce and meat) should be affordable and accessible for anybody to buy, should they want to.
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How long does the milk last?Our milk is best used within 5 days of delivery, but we trust that you will use your common sense and follow your nose! We find that it often lasts longer than this, especially if left unopened. We are aware that food waste is a huge issue and hope you will help us to reduce it!
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Is delivery included in the price of our products?No. Since January 2023, we charge for doorstep delivery separately from the products. We charge £4 per month for weekly delivery, and £8 per month for twice-weekly delivery.
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Is your cream double or single?Neither. Our cream is what we'd call "real cream", skimmed straight off the top of the milk. Its consistency varies depending on the season and herd's diet. If it's too thick for you, gently heating it on the stove will make it a thinner consistency.
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Do you sell raw milk?No. We aren't licensed to sell (or even give away) raw milk. Although it has its downsides, we think that pasteurising our milk is the best way to ensure our milk remains safe for everyone to drink.
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When is the online shop going live?!The online shop is now up and running (yippee!) with a good selection of beef and lamb and a small amount of ice cream. We hope to be making lots more ice cream over the next few months in time for the warmer weather. There may be a few teething problems as we work out how best to operate this online shop and find workable delivery routes/timings etc, so please bear with us!
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Can I order meat and/or ice cream through the online shop and receive it with my normal milk delivery?Yes - but to do so you must follow these instructions carefully: Add your items to the basket Proceed to the checkout In the delivery/collection instructions box, write your unique payment reference (below ‘Total to Pay’ on your monthly invoice - e.g. “Taylor J&V NA”). On the next section, under Delivery Method, select ’Collection / Milk Round Delivery' and click Continue. Complete the checkout process, paying by debit/credit card. You will receive a confirmation email and your items will be added to your next delivery/collection but will not appear on your monthly bill. If you don't put in your reference number, your items will be put in the collection fridge/freezer instead.
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Do you have a minimum order quantity for delivery through the online shop?Yes. We can't deliver orders of less than £40 (unless you're already on our milk round) and there will be a £10 delivery charge with each order. However, there is free delivery on orders over £80. If you would like to collect your order from the farm instead, there is no minimum order.
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