A CATERING expert charged with feeding a school has been learning about the benefits of going organic.

Newly-appointed catering manager at Barnard Castle School, Marcus Baker, was invited to Acorn Dairy to see how organic methods benefit animals, children and the environment.

Barnard Castle School’s 700 students manage to consume around 1,100 pints of organic milk a week with half drunk and the rest used in food at breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks for day and boarding students.

Acorn Dairy director and Old Barnardian Graham Tweddle gave Mr Baker the grand tour of the farm at Archdeacon Newton, near Darlington.

Mr Baker, of Newton Aycliffe, said: “We serve milkshakes and biscuits as a dessert and the students love it. Acorn’s milk certainly tastes much nicer than the generic product. This is the first time I have visited the dairy and it has been great to see the whole process from cow to bottle. The animal welfare is very impressive and we really value local suppliers.”

Mr Tweddle explained how the cows benefited from being fed grass, clover and silage rather than concentrates.