Future-proofing the family farm with robots and retail

Three generations of the Hetherington family run a diverse farming business on the Cumbrian coastline, where a robotic milking system with grazing sits alongside tourism and direct sales

clock • 7 min read
Jack, Margaret, Clare, Denis, Joseph Junior and Joseph Hetherington
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Jack, Margaret, Clare, Denis, Joseph Junior and Joseph Hetherington

The 190-cow dairy herd forms the backbone of the business at Blue Dial Farm, near Maryport. There is also a caravan park, four on-site vending machines and a beef enterprise. The business model helps to...

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