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Milk business turns sour
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| The silo is carefully craned out of the barn |
A PRESTWOOD family which has run a dairy since 1924 has been forced to stop producing milk.
Spiralling costs have forced the owners of the farm to shut their dairy and the milk silo is now redundant.
Last week, the eight tonne silo had to be lifted by crane through a hole which was cut in the roof of the farm.
A giant crane hoisted the 20ft tall and 11 ft wide vat and carefully maneouvered it out through the top of the barn in a major operation that took several hours.
The Davis family has run its farming business, Wren Davis Ltd, from the 18th century Collings Hanger Farm in Prestwood since 1924. The silo held up to 15,000 gallons of milk it produced.
Today, the business is run by brothers David and Rex and David's two daughters Wendy and Virginia.
But spiralling costs caused by fuel shortage, increasing health and safety legislation and red tape have forced the Davis family to close down its dairy operation and continue as a beef farm.
David, 82, said: "We've stopped bottling milk and we're now going to have to buy milk in. We will just be a milk distributor. We had to sell off what we could, so the silo is going to a farm in Acton and they hired people to come and take it away.
"We've been having to pay for so many extra things that we're having to sell equipment off to make something back.
"Years ago we used to sell milk in glass bottles. They were returnable and reusable. Nowadays they use plastic cartons for everything and the price of plastic is going up every week. That's where all the oil fuel is going - that's why we've got this petrol shortage.
"We've been spending so much more that we couldn't afford to keep going."
Twenty years ago when the silo arrived at the Davis' farm, it was delivered by a crane and the barn was built up around it.
Contractors had to cut a square hole in the building's roof, carefully rock the silo off its base and then lift it up, over and out before it was loaded onto a lorry to be taken to its new home.
10:17am Tuesday 6th May 2008
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CommentPosted by: littlemiss, Wycombe on 10:26am Tue 6 May 08
This is so sad, another local business down the pan.
This is so sad, another local business down the pan.
Posted by: paulc, Amersham on 11:18am Tue 6 May 08
Very sad.
Nice choice of headline, BFP. Pretty insensitive.
Very sad.
Nice choice of headline, BFP. Pretty insensitive.
Posted by: Gail Robinson on 12:00pm Tue 6 May 08
I cant really remember the details at the inquest etc. but it was one of these small dairy drivers that knocked down and killed the father of my only child (also my best friend), 18 Months ago.
I am so sorry if I don't share everyones sadness.
I cant really remember the details at the inquest etc. but it was one of these small dairy drivers that knocked down and killed the father of my only child (also my best friend), 18 Months ago.
I am so sorry if I don't share everyones sadness.
Posted by: David St, High Wycombe on 12:25pm Tue 6 May 08
Sorry to hear about your loss Gail but I hardly think you can blame all Dairy Farmers for this. It could have been anyone who was involved in your tragedy.
Sorry to hear about your loss Gail but I hardly think you can blame all Dairy Farmers for this. It could have been anyone who was involved in your tragedy.
Posted by: Its Meeeee, Somewhere on 1:50pm Tue 6 May 08
Its a real shame.
15 years ago we had the CO-OP dairy in Desborough ave, Express Dairy in Keep hill drive and Wren Davis + others, all delivering daily pinta's to thousands of houses in the wycombe area.
Now the supermarkets have nearly got thier way with their loss leading 6 pints for a quid.
as soon as all the Milk depots are gone, you watch the price of milk sky rocket in the super markets.
Its a real shame.
15 years ago we had the CO-OP dairy in Desborough ave, Express Dairy in Keep hill drive and Wren Davis + others, all delivering daily pinta's to thousands of houses in the wycombe area.
Now the supermarkets have nearly got thier way with their loss leading 6 pints for a quid.
as soon as all the Milk depots are gone, you watch the price of milk sky rocket in the super markets.
Posted by: Mario, Bucks on 2:04pm Tue 6 May 08
Good post Its Meee, it will happen as you say.
Good post Its Meee, it will happen as you say.
Posted by: David St, High Wycombe on 2:07pm Tue 6 May 08
The price of milk is already going that way, as is cheese, butter and eggs to name but a few.
The price of milk is already going that way, as is cheese, butter and eggs to name but a few.
Posted by: Molar Man, bottom row , fifth right on 2:27pm Tue 6 May 08
Well its all obviously the fault of Eden in Wycombe eh Ivor?!
Well its all obviously the fault of Eden in Wycombe eh Ivor?!
Posted by: smokey, high wycombe on 3:06pm Tue 6 May 08
I am fighting a rear guard action and still have a milk delivery. I remember wren davis well - it is all so sad.
Another little bit of british individualism gone.
I am fighting a rear guard action and still have a milk delivery. I remember wren davis well - it is all so sad.
Another little bit of british individualism gone.
Posted by: happy blue, bucks on 3:40pm Tue 6 May 08
Are you really surprised? This labour government is killing off all the small firms and it won't be long before the large ones are suffering.Why don@t they do something to help people who are in trouble ?
Are you really surprised? This labour government is killing off all the small firms and it won't be long before the large ones are suffering.Why don@t they do something to help people who are in trouble ?
Posted by: Plus ça change..., Wycombe is-a changin'... on 4:24pm Tue 6 May 08
Probably, for what we used to pay extra for just the milk we had delivered a few years ago, we get [italic]ALL[/italic] our groceries delivered home now...
It is one of the injustices of our society that many people do not have more access to the Internet to benefit from easier & cheaper ways of buying their food rather than having no option but to have to pay much more in corner shops with much less choice.
Probably, for what we used to pay extra for just the milk we had delivered a few years ago, we get
ALL our groceries delivered home now...
It is one of the injustices of our society that many people do not have more access to the Internet to benefit from easier & cheaper ways of buying their food rather than having no option but to have to pay much more in corner shops with much less choice.
Posted by: Ivor on 11:57pm Tue 6 May 08
A sad day indeed. It’s the small, local, family run businesses that we need they are the backbone of our local communities.
If this the result of progress in our society then I would rather stick with the olde fashioned ways of life.
[bold]Have you read Ivor’s blog today?[/bold] Click on the “Opinion” link on the menu on the left then click on “Readers Bucks Blog”.
A sad day indeed. It’s the small, local, family run businesses that we need they are the backbone of our local communities.
If this the result of progress in our society then I would rather stick with the olde fashioned ways of life.
Have you read Ivor’s blog today? Click on the “Opinion” link on the menu on the left then click on “Readers Bucks Blog”.
Posted by: Steve, Totteridge Hill on 6:53pm Wed 7 May 08
I do hope they can continue to deliver (GOOD) milk. I've been a loyal customer for 25 years and will miss them...if they go...or start selling poor quality produce.
I do hope they can continue to deliver (GOOD) milk. I've been a loyal customer for 25 years and will miss them...if they go...or start selling poor quality produce.
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