Charlie Westhead was one of the earliest employees of Neal's Yard Dairy until he took on the ownership of Neal's Yard Creamery in the late 1980s. The relationship between the two companies remains close. Charlie's son Conan managed our production team for several years and continues to work within the world of cheese.
Ragstone is one of the first cheeses developed by Charlie Westhead for Neal's Yard Dairy, and now made by the team at Neal's Yard Creamery. After setting overnight, the curds are hand-ladled into log-shaped moulds – a slower, gentler process that contributes to the cheese's smooth texture and rounded flavour. Though it is named for the Ragstone ridge near Sevenoaks where it was first created, this popular goat's cheese log has been produced in the Golden Valley in Herefordshire since the Westheads moved there in 1996. Neal's Yard Creamery have made efforts to limit the environmental impact of their production process by putting in windmills and solar panels to generate most of their energy. Waste water from the cheesemaking facility is purified through a wetland system of willows and reeds.
Arriving at a week old, Ragstone lives in our warmer rooms to help encourage the growth of its bloomy-white rind. After about a week it normally has a full rind coverage and can be sold - or held onto longer for a deeper and sometimes spicier flavour.