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What makes a good cheese? A masterclass from four Devon cheesemakers

Name: What makes a good cheese? A masterclass from four Devon cheesemakers
Start: 2026-10-24T16:00:00+01:00
End: 2026-10-24T16:50:00+01:00
Location: Food Matters Tent, Royal Avenue Gardens

Sat 24 Oct 2026 · 4:00 pm – 4:50 pm · Food Matters Tent, Royal Avenue Gardens

Food Matters

Ian Wellens (The Cheese Shed) in conversation with Helen Boyd (Stone Tree Dairy), Ben Harris (Ticklemore Cheese), Greg Parsons (Sharpham Dairy) & Jane Quicke (Quicke’s).

Please note: Well-behaved dogs and children welcome.

FreeNo ticket needed

Date

Saturday 24 October 2026

Time

4:00 pm – 4:50 pm

Venue

Food Matters Tent, Royal Avenue Gardens Dartmouth, United Kingdom

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Meet the presenters

Helen Boyd

Food Producer

Helen and her husband Martin bought their first goats in 2023 and set up Stone Tree Dairy in 2024. They are now tending and milking a herd of 200 goats here in Dartmouth and producing a variety of award-winning cheese. Helen is also on the Board of Rowcroft Hospice.

Greg Parsons

Expert

Greg Parsons is a leading figure in the South West food and drink sector, with extensive experience in artisan food production, business development, regional food strategy, and collaborative supply chains. He is currently Director of Food Drink Devon, an membership organisation representing one of the UK's most vibrant food and drink regions, and has played a key role in strengthening relationships between producers, retailers, hospitality businesses, and consumers across Devon.

Greg & his wofe Nicky are also owners of Sharpham Dairy, an internationally recognised cheesemaker based in South Devon, where he leadsbusiness growth, innovation, and market development. Throughout his career, he has worked across a wide range of food and farming businesses, developing expertise in branding, marketing, route-to-market strategies, customer engagement, and sustainable business practices.

Passionate about creating resilient local food systems, Greg has been instrumental in several collaborative initiatives including the South Devon Food Hub and the Dartmoor Food Plan, helping connect farmers, producers, public bodies, and communities. His work focuses on strengthening local supply chains, improving access to regional food, and ensuring that food businesses can thrive while delivering environmental and social benefits.

A regular speaker, facilitator, and advocate for the South West food economy, Greg is known for bringing people together to create practical solutions and shared opportunities. Whether championing artisan cheesemakers, supporting rural enterprises, or shaping regional food strategies, he is committed to building a stronger, more sustainable future for food and farming in Devon and beyond.

Ben Harris

Cheese Maker

Director Ticklemore Chesse Ltd, head cheese maker for 24 years. Maker of Devon Blue, Beenleigh Blue and Harbourne Blue.

Ian Wellens

Cheese Retailer

Ian Wellens is a Director and co-founder of The Cheese Shed in Bovey Tracey, which has now been selling Westcountry cheese for twenty years. It started as an online-only venture before adding a ‘bricks and mortar’ shop and – most recently, – a cafe in its courtyard offering exceptional cheese toasties with an optional glass of something.

Its range of around 130 regional cheese is unrivalled, while the displays and floor-to-ceiling shelves of whole cheeses in its chilled shop offer customers a cheese experience hard to find outside cities like London and Edinburgh.

Previously Ian was a cabinetmaker, which was followed by work in music and in education – before the cheese called in 2006. His second book “A History Of Palestine In Five Fruits” was published this year.

Book: A History Of Palestine In Five Fruits

Jane Quicke

Cheesemaker

Jane has recently taken on the day-to-day running of the farming and cheesemaking operation at Quicke's from her mother Mary. She is the 15th generation of her family to farm their land in Devon, England. On the farm, Quicke's make a variety of award-winning handmade clothbound cheddars and cheeses using the milk from their mixed dairy herd. Jane is interested in the science and social history that underpins farming and cheesemaking and how to make a delicious product in balance with nature.

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