Remarkable by Nature: The Guernsey Way at Eby Manor
The first thing that struck us when we visited Eby Manor wasn’t the cows or the rolling farmland but how spotless everything felt.
The air was clean and fresh, the herd calm and playful, and there was a quiet humility in the way Jim walked us through each step of their production. At Fairies’ Cuisine, we’ve known about the golden, naturally sweet, and gentle quality of Guernsey milk for a while now, and that’s what drew us to the farm. Still, standing there, it felt even more remarkable to finally connect that extraordinary milk to the care and dedication behind it. It’s the same milk that makes our sütlaç, puddings, pochas, sauces, and soups so unforgettable…Reminding us why real quality matters.
What’s so special about Guernsey milk?
Guernsey milk is prized for its golden hue, thanks to unusually high levels of beta-carotene that carry through into its rich flavour and nutrition. Compared to many commercial (often Holstein-based) milks, studies and breed associations report that it contains more protein and fat, up to three times more omega-3 fatty acids, 15% more calcium, and 33% more vitamin D. It also has a high proportion of A2 β-casein, which some people find easier to digest. While it still contains lactose, many people who experience discomfort with standard milk report fewer issues when drinking Guernsey, which may be linked to its A2 β-casein profile.
Jim notes that his herd produces only A2 milk. He explained that Guernseys naturally carry unusually high levels of beta-carotene, which gives their milk its distinctive golden colour. As he told us, “We do have a lot of customers that initially start to buy our milk because of that, because they haven’t been able to drink other milk without having a tummy upset or inflammation in their joints.”
Why we love it
Guernsey milk is first and foremost about flavour, texture, and trust. The difference shows up in our kitchen every time. Pudding sets more smoothly, savoury pastries carry a richer aroma, and even scrambled eggs or a morning smoothie taste better with it. In coffee, the foam holds dense and creamy, and a simple sauce or soup feels silkier.
Jim sees this connection, too: “Local baristas seek out our milk because it foams so nicely and creates such a dense foam. Customers say they no longer need sugar in their coffee because they taste the sweetness from the milk.”
We wanted to share this story because we appreciate the rare dedication it takes to produce milk of this caliber. Supporting Eby feels like a commitment to high-quality local food that nourishes in every sense.
A Brief History of Eby Manor
That commitment begins with Jim Eby, who started Eby Manor milk retail business at an age when most people would be slowing down. At sixty, he seized the chance to revive Guernsey milk after decades of “milk is milk” policies had pushed breed-specific dairies aside.
“I started this business when I was 60, when my wife said I should have been retired,” Jim recalls with a chuckle. “And I just love it. I enjoy everything we do.”
Today, the whole family is involved in running the farm, tending to the herd with clean, well-structured routines, humane care, and values that always put quality before quantity. Their milk is processed in ways that preserve its natural taste, and the dairy shop beside their home gives customers a chance to share in that same wholesome, local farm-to-table experience.
“It’s certainly kept us close because we’re all so involved in it,” Jim reflects. “I think it’s been a very positive thing for the family.”
What customers seek and find at Eby
For customers, Eby Manor’s milk is often the closest they’ve found in North America to the latte di fattoria of their childhoods (or “köy sütü” as we call it in Turkish).
This is real, wholesome milk with flavour and richness that holds up both cold in a glass and in traditional recipes. Some travel long distances for it. Baristas swear by it because it foams beautifully. Others have shared that they find it gentler on their digestion than supermarket milk. In every case, the common thread is delight at rediscovering what milk can be.
Part of what makes this milk so special is also what makes it more costly: Guernseys naturally produce only about 2/3 of the milk that Holsteins (conventional dairy cows) do, which is why their milk is prized for quality rather than quantity.
Jim told us that his philosophy is simple: “When we bring a product to market, our goal is to have the best product on the grocery shelf. I don’t say that braggingly, but it’s one thing that we really want to do—to have a product that will stand out and be different.”
The difference in price is relatively modest when you consider the cost of raising Guernseys and the benefits of their milk, but the real challenge is simply getting people to try it once.
“The main challenge,” Jim admitted, “is getting people to try it once.”
For loyal customers, the taste speaks for itself. For small cafés and baristas, though, higher-quality milk can be a harder sell when it looks like “just milk” but costs more than the alternatives.
Spread the word!
We’re writing about Eby Manor not just because we enjoy their milk, but because we want more people to know about the kind of top-notch quality local food producers deliver in the Waterloo Region of Ontario (and we only discovered Eby by pure luck after living here for years!). With limited resources, Jim and his family do their best to spread the word, but awareness still grows slowly.
As Jim put it, “We find that our customer base is very loyal, very committed. Just knowing that we have customers regularly say, ‘I’m so glad I found this milk—now I can drink milk and feel fine’—it’s very rewarding.”
At Fairies’ Cuisine, an indispensable part of our mission is to be a reliable source of information for conscious consumers who feel responsible for the impact of their purchases on their community, animal welfare, the people who produce their food and the greater environment. On that note, it matters to us that small, local, values-driven farms thrive. Supporting Eby Manor and others like them is one way of keeping traditions alive, rewarding dedication to quality, and ensuring that food remains something we can trust. Credit is due as well to the Dairy Farmers of Canada and Ontario for opening the doors to this kind of farm-to-table connection.
Sources
Primary Source: Eby, J. (2025, September). Personal interview. Eby Manor Ltd., Ontario, Canada.
Industry and Research Sources:
Borș, A., Borş, S.-I., Floriştean, V.-C. (2024). Health-related outcomes and molecular methods for the differences between A1 and A2 milk. Vet. Sci., 11(4). MDPI. doi: 10.3390/vetsci11040172
eDairy News. (2023, June 16). 8 differences between Holstein and Guernsey. https://en.edairynews.com/holsteins-guernseys/?utm
English Guernsey Cattle Society. (2025). Unique properties of Guernsey milk and milk products. https://guernseycattle.com/products-producers/products/?utm
Smith, S. A. (1998). HPLC analysis of beta-carotene and vitamin A in milk from Guernsey, Holstein, and Guernsey-Holstein hybrid cows (Honors Project). Bridgewater College. https://digitalcommons.bridgewater.edu/honors_projects/525/?utm
University of Minnesota. (2022). A2 milk and A2 genetics. University of Minnesota Extension. https://extension.umn.edu/dairy-milking-cows/a2-milk-and-a2-genetics?utm
Upper Canada Cheese Company. (n.d.). A2 Guernsey milk benefits. https://www.uppercanadacheese.com/a2-guernsey-milk-benefits?utm
World Guernsey Cattle Federation. (n.d.). The advantages of the Guernsey. World Guernsey Cattle Federation. https://www.worldguernseys.org/advantages.html?utm
Eby’s Golden Guernsey milk is the ‘secret’ ingredient that makes our sütlaç, puddings, pochas, sauces, and soups unforgettable…Reminding us why real quality matters.