Building JAGOs website

The Cows

Not a JAGO cow

Last week Jake (11) asked what I was doing with all these pictures of cows. I explained about the JAGOs web site and the need to tell everyone about our amazing cows and the fresh cream they produce. He seemed satisfied and wandered off. I came home from work tonight to find these on my laptop, Jake said '...they're for your project, I thought it would help you..' I'm sort of lost for words.

The Carnell Herd 1950

  click image to enlarge

G & R Templeton

JAGOs fresh cream comes from a collection of farms in the Scottish Lowlands. We source from a range of herds featuring Frisian, Holstein and Ayrshire cows. The Ayrshire's have the highest butterfat % which means fantastic cream.

One of these Ayrshire herds is owned by G & R Templeton. The herd was founded in 1915 by George Templeton with stock from the family farm at Willoxton, Mauchline. In 1923 the herd was moved to Carnell and in 1941 the neighbouring farm of Pocknave was acquired and the father and son partnership of George and Robert Templeton was formed. All the cows pictured on the right were photographed at Pocknave, Hurlford, Kilmarnock.

The records for this farm show the export of stock across the world. Animals from this herd went onto to become champions in America, Canada and South Africa.

Download canadian_ayrshire1920.pdf

Download carnell_herds_1950.pdf

Download carnell_pedigree_herd_1962.pdf

Meet the Cows, part2

Spent the day (Thursday) with one of the Ayrshire herds that provide the fresh cream for JAGOs. A full report coming later. A few pictures for the moment.

Meet the cows

Finally getting a chance to meet some of the herds on Thursday. Some of the others have already been, but this will be my first trip amongst the Ayrshires. Found this rather charming old post card during some recent research.

The Cows

Jago's we have found is really special as it has only 3 main ingredients, Vodka, Vanilla and fresh cream. Its the latter we are using as the theme to our new web site.

What we find interesting so far is the Ayrshire Cows have some pretty amazing characteristics. (Ours all live in herds of about 150 in the Borders/Southern Highlands.) They get up around 5am, play in groups, , When they go in for milking the maternal female goes first with the others all having there place behind -any new cow must  earn it place by consensus, oh and they like gentle handling, mmm living in a town that last one does sound odd. Maybe its a country thing.

The people who actually make JAGO's (Blackwood Distillers) are not what you would expect, If you ever get the chance its worth having a chat with them. The words 'eager' and 'passionate' don't do them justice.

Looking at cows

  Brown cow eye 
  Originally uploaded by JuicyLucy.

It can all get a bit weird the more you stare at cows. Not just in a Gary Larson sort of way, but more of the 'whats really going on in there head?' at least we now know they moo in accents.

Cool Cows

A key part of this project is linking the brand: JAGO's with the cows who produce the amazing fresh cream its made from. The farms are all roughly in the area of Perthshire, I'm going there next week so full details and pictures then. In the mean time here is some really cool cows to be getting on with.