My grandchildren have two favourite Cornish ice cream makers: Roskilly’s, at St Keverne, which we have visited several times and Callestick Farm, between Perranporth and Truro, unvisited until today.
Callestick is a dairy farm, signposted off the A3075 at Penhallow, just past Healey’s Cider Farm. There is plenty of parking near a play area and some pens of pigs and chickens. The farmyard is across a small lane, where you will find the ice cream manufacturing area with the viewing gallery, shop and a tea room with inside and outside seating areas.
Jasmine and I headed for the viewing gallery and watched the team filling ice cream tubs and putting them in boxes. It was pretty well automated with the staff feeding a machine with lids and tubs and the machine doing the rest.
Callestick has 300 cows which graze grass on the farm without supplementary feeding and are milked just once a day. It is not intensive and the farm is also carefully managed for wildlife. It is a real family business, just like Roskilly’s, with three generations involved with running the farm, shop and the ice cream production.
I have known Angela, the ice cream aficionado, for many years. It was lovely to catch up with her for a chat while Jasmine and I tucked into our delicious ice creams outside in the sunshine.
Later we popped over to the playground to have a look at the lovely little Gloucester Old Spot sow and piglets and the chickens, followed by some fun on the swings and slides. We had glorious sunshine and a really simple, enjoyable afternoon out. I am firmly maintaining that Callestick Farm clotted cream blackcurrant is still my ice cream of choice.
Getting to Callestick Farm
Callestick Farm is approximately 30 minutes’ drive from Bosinver. Postcode for satnavs: TR4 9LL
Supporting local producers
Supporting local producers is something that’s really important to us as it helps keep our community sustainable and thriving. When it comes to food, we’re really lucky to have a huge range to choose from in Cornwall. From farmers’ markets, freshly caught fish and artisan bakers there’s lots to whet your appetite.