Orkney’s lush grass in pastures near the sea provides a natural stress-free environment for dairy cows that enjoy freedom in the fields in the summer months.  And stress-free cows mean good milk and dairy products in a tradition that goes back across the centuries.

It was during World War Two when Orkney farmers turned to dairy farming in a big way to satisfy the needs of 60,000 servicemen and women and civilians who were based here.  When they left in 1946, they left a surplus of milking cows and so Orkney’s dairy products industry was created.

Cheese is produced at the Orkney Cheese Company factory in Hatston which uses the cheddar process.  The factory recently expanded and Orkney cheese can be found across Britain.  The Island Smokery takes Orkney's traditional cheddar and smokes it, with award-winning results. Farm cheeses were a tradition here but legislation sadly stopped most farmhouse production.  However, Grimbister Farm Cheese in Finstown is still made and there are plain and flavoured types.  This cheese is popular breaded and deep fried as a starter in local restaurants.  Veira Russell’s Orkney squeaky cheese is another farmhouse survivor which is highly prized.  Farmhouses cheeses are widely available in independent shops.

The Orkney Creamery at Crantit Farm in St Ola is a family-owned business, producing the most widely sold milk in Orkney, available everywhere.  The firm is also famous for Orkney Ice Cream, introduced to use up surplus cream when semi-skimmed milk boomed in popularity.  This quality, full cream ice cream comes in a delicious range of flavours, including original, apple crumble, marmalade cheesecake and the hugely popular Orkney fudge flavour, and is sold across Orkney and further afield.

Walliwall Farm in St Ola prides itself on its low intensity farming and long-lived Ayrshire cattle and produces milk, cream and pasteurised and non-pasteurised butter which is rich and a deep yellow colour.

Orkney had a huge egg industry until a hurricane in 1952 destroyed 7,000 hen houses and the hens.  Although egg production never recovered to its former extent, free range local eggs are available in the shops.