With an appetite for adventure, a passion for the environment and a little yellow digger, Anthony and Anne Willis embarked on a Scottish farming adventure. They fell in love with this little corner of Aberdeenshire and transformed it into Scotland's first organic dairy farm.
With a little help from their friends, they ditched the sprays, planted hedges and worked with nature to create a sustainable farm that thrives year after year.
Today, our organic farm and dairy is managed by Anne, her sons and their fabulous team. If you visit you'll be able hear the clink of glass milk bottles, taste some delicious gelato, enjoy a handmade pizza and see our happy herd of organic cows.
Learn about
Our History
Farming for generations
Where it all began
For generations, our family has been deeply rooted in the traditions of sustainable farming, cultivating a legacy of care and connection to the land. Our great grandparents and grandparents farmed in Wiltshire and supplied fresh milk in churns to London. Today you can see these churns displayed in front of our gelateria.
Our organic dairy farm is more than just a business - it’s a way of life passed down through the years, blending time-honoured practices with modern organic methods.
1989
Aberdeenshire calling
Our grandparents had to sell the family farm in Wiltshire. Mum & Dad (Anne & Anthony Willis) had a dream of owning their own farm and travelled all over the UK looking for somewhere to call home.
They fell in love with Aberdeenshire and managed to buy the farm - formally known as Glasgoforest Farm in 1989.
They relocated to the North East of Scotland with two young boys, William and Angus in tow. The arrival of Sandy completed the family.
1998
Scotland's first organic dairy farm
Our parents' passion for animal welfare and the environment led them to convert our farm to Scotland's first organic dairy in 1998. They became pioneers in the dairy industry in Scotland and the farm has since won many awards in recognition of best and organic practice.
2004
Remembering the kindest men
Sadly, our wonderful Dad lost his battle with cancer in 2004, leaving us all heartbroken. A number of years later, we also lost our wonderful and skilled dairyman, Jim Mclean, who had been part of the farm for over 40 years.
The loss of both men was devasting for us, but left us determined to continue growing the farm in their memory.
2015
Young Farmer of the Year
After Dad died, William stepped up to run the family farm in partnership with Mum and with lots of amazing help from our friends and neighbours.
The farm went from strength to strength and won UK Dairy Farm of the Year. William also won the prestigious Farmer's Weekly - Young Farmer of the Year award in 2015.
2017
Forest Farm Dairy is Born
Middle brother Angus left life as a solicitor to focus on growing the business with William and Mum. Together, we started our diversification journey and installed Scotland's first milk vending machine, supported wonderfully by our local community.
Today, our youngest brother, Sandy, has an exciting career in London but stays true to his roots, often swapping his suede shoes for wellies!
2019
Tubs of joy
We imported our first specialist equipment from Italy and began producing handmade gelato in small batches. Our talented team of gelato chefs and bakers were soon winning awards, which gave us the confidence to grow the business.
2021
Our gelateria and garden opens
Our on-farm gelateria serves up gelato, speciality coffee and homemade cakes. We now have a wonderful team of 30 and welcome over 250,000 visitors each year.
2023
Stretching our skills to pizza
We built our little pizzeria and bought an oven from Naples. We learned how to make Neapolitan-style dough and our fantastic pizza chefs serve up the perfect starter to gelato!
2025
Serving up big plans
Forest Farm will be growing this year - follow us on social media to find our more!
