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Over the last few months, The Crofter and family have been quietly working away at a new product which could see its debut at the new North Tolsta Community shop in the near future. Utilising the fast and prolific breeding of the Guinea Pigs, Mr Crofter, in conjunction with the University of Doncaster working with Cornell University, New York has developed a unique and minute milking device which has allowed North Tolsta’s grazing committee man to create a delightful new cheese.

“We did have some difficulties developing the milking equipment” The Crofter told me. “But the Uni bods got in on the job and soon had it sorted”.

“Tolsta Guinea” as the new cheese will be called is hoped to form part of a new ‘Excellence’ range in the North Tolsta Community shop once larger scale production has been established. To this end, The Crofter has applied for a grant to buy another croft in the village to establish a large scale guinea pig farm and build a specialist dairy using the new technology. This should bring new employment as well as a new product tot he village in the long-term.

The cheese, packaged in delightful small round wooden boxes with the “Peat me” logo on the side is an unusual texture rather like camembert with a subtle but distinctive flavour.

Unfortunately, I have not been allowed to photograph the new product at the moment but will bring it to you as soon as I can.

North Tolsta shop’s new ‘Excellence’ range is hoped to include both the new cheese and The Crofter’s superb Cavy Scratchings.