OUR STORY
Where it all started - 60’s
Roskilly’s farm has been building its place in the rural Cornish countryside for over 60 years, but it all started with Joe Roskilly’s working hands. The farm was given to Joe by Miss Bulkley, known in the family as “Joe’s fairy god mother”. This incredible act of generosity transcended to Joe’s mentally on farming and life; working with nature, preserving natural habitats and involving many people in the joys of country living and farming with a heart.
Building a farm using nature 70’s
The farm’s wildlife and pastures thrived much like Joe’s family life with him and Rachel having three children: Jacob, Bryn and Toby. Much of the farm’s key features were also constructed at this point like the ponds and the renovation of several farm buildings. Although the structure of the farm began to evolve, the ethos of the farm never wavered, putting nature first even if that presented some economic struggles.
The origins of Roskilly’s ice cream - 1987
Due to the struggles of running the farm in the way that felt right for the environment and the introduction of milk quotas, we had to diversify – this is where Roskilly’s Ice Cream was born! It incorporated the whole family: Joe ran the farm and provided the rich Jersey milk; Rachel made clotted cream and plenty of preserves from farm produce; Jake moved into renovating buildings and was the delivery service; Bryn used her artistic flair to design all the packaging and the odd stained-glass window; Toby moved away from cabinet making and immersed himself in learning how to make the finest ice cream from our rich Jersey milk.
Expanding into more products - 1990
The ice cream was a hit but we couldn’t stop there with so many brilliant products being made on the farm! The addition of fudge, inspired by Jake’s famous sweet tooth, complemented the tasty Cornish Clotted Cream perfectly. Rachel’s handmade jams and chutneys were also growing in popularity, so we decided to jar them up and let even more people enjoy her kitchen prowess.
Opening the farm to everyone - 1992
Joe and Rachel then agreed to join the Country Stewardship program giving open access to the farming land so that everyone can enjoy the best of the Cornish countryside. This open-armed approach is something we carry to this day with free entry to the farm to see all the animals and enjoy the two miles of ponds and woodland walks.
The first iteration of the Croust House restaurant - 1994
The ever-changing Croust House started with humble beginnings. It began with Rachel’s dream of simply baking scones in the morning and enjoying them with visitors in the afternoon. That has since grown to us welcoming over 100,000 visitors a year. The Croust House restaurant is now serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, delicious cakes and cream teas as well as being home to live music evenings, quiz nights and charity events. Thanks to the skill, creativity and drive of Tom Roskilly and his Michelin-star cheffing experience, the Croust House restaurant has earned an excellent reputation. With Ben Roskilly joining him in the kitchen, this pair give any other ‘dough-bros’ a run for their money! From their selection of sourdough pizzas baked in the spectacular woodfired oven, to the “best Sunday Roast in Cornwall”, we are proud to use our own meat and locally sourced ingredients, creating inspired and exciting dishes, made with love and served with a smile.
Moving towards real - 2006
We wanted to extend the ethos of real authentic quality from the farm into everything we did, this includes the ice cream. To achieve amazing flavour using whole ingredients without the additives and preservatives we built a larger production facility that could cater to the needs of our renowned ice cream. We have now achieved making all the inclusions, from the crumbles to the caramels – even the fruit sauces, so that all the flavours made on the farm are authentic and unique to Roskilly’s.
Expanding into niche markets - 2008
We pride ourselves on selling our homemade products through people we trust and believe in the Roskilly’s brand as much as we do. It is for this reason that we select where you can get your hands on our ice cream, predominantly being in Cornwall. In 2008 we did expand into the rest of the country through a niche market wholesaler who showed their support of a small business trying their best to be environmentally friendly.
Championing Cornish art - 2010
We are of the firm belief that some of the best art you can find is Cornish nature being left to thrive. With this is mind, we want to showcase the very best of our wild Cornwall through the breathtaking artwork displayed in the galleries as well as the bouncing music nights we host on the farm. Many of these musicians and artists are inspired by the nature and beauty of their Cornish surroundings and we are proud to showcase this talent and beauty all around the farm.
Harnessing nature to cook - 2013
The cycle of life is something all farmers are conscious of, and we try to use this to our advantage where possible. In the many acres of woodland around the farm there are numerous trees who have lived their lives and died in the place they stood strong for many years. So, with the ethos of not letting things go to waste, we chopped up and seasoned as much dead wood as possible to use in cooking. The first things built were the clay pizza ovens, which wood-fire our famous sourdough pizzas – a must try when visiting the farm! This has now moved forward to an off-set smoker and open-fire grill, where we serve meat from the farm and vegetables from the local area, all cooked on wood from trees you will have seen guarding the ponds in the years prior.
Striving for self-sufficiency - 2014
Self-sufficiency is something that we have dreamed of from the very start but seems to be something that modern life is moving away from. Our farm has been working towards this sustainable cycle for years but with the newfound demand for our ice cream and latest production facility, we were consuming unsustainable amounts of power from the grid. So, in 2014 we installed our first solar panels and in 2023 added even more, meaning two thirds of the power we use is generated on the farm! This is not the end goal, and we hope with new innovations in renewable energy we will achieve 100% (or more!) in the near future.
Exploring innovative ice creams - 2018
We have a constant need to innovate, especially with something as delicious as ice cream. This has resulted in many new ice cream flavours being added and swapped in, resulting in Roskilly’s making over 40 different flavours. It was in the late 2010s that we noticed the surge in demand for plant-based alternatives and with inclusivity in mind, we released our Vibe range consisting of six creamy flavours of non-dairy ice cream.
Camping on the farm - 2022
We felt the stunning Cornish sunsets, which glazed the fields of the farm in summer months, was a secret we just had to share. This compelled us to set up the campsite, where you can wake up to a chorus of birdsong and enjoy the sunny afternoons melting into the evening while listening to talented musicians in a part of West Cornwall as secluded as it is seductive.
The vision for the farm
The vision for the farm – Many farms of today have moved toward factory farming and monocrop agriculture, something we have always steered away from. We strive to do good by the land we are blessed to live with and proudly fly the flag of Country Stewardship proudly forward into the future. This means using a mix of farming practices trying to execute our version of regenerative agriculture with many people on the farm experiencing the joys of Mother Nature. We are embarking on a large project, currently planting thousands of trees and herbal lays in as much land as possible to sequester carbon and make the surrounding environment as abundant and resilient as it was many years ago.
Closing the loop
‘Closing the loop’ means we are striving to create a system where everything is returned to its origins. This is something that is fraught with difficulty but regardless, a thought we carry across into every decision made on the farm. This also allows us to create authentic ice cream with real ingredients, jams and chutneys, preserving the best of the summer bounty and allowing us to trade through the tough winter months.
Creating a community for the future
The farm is nothing without the people who help run it and the people who come and explore its complex intricacies. Creating a space for people to enjoy stunning nature, hearty local food, luxury Cornish Ice Cream, the best of Cornish talent and a feeling of community working towards conscientious living. Come and try for yourself how good it tastes to farm from the heart.
