AN organic dairy has produced its first totally green pint of milk thanks to a wind turbine which is now powering the farm.

Acorn Dairy, of Archdeacon Newton, near Darlington, produces almost six million bottles of milk a year for doorstep deliveries and businesses, from Northumberland to Yorkshire.

As part ofits greenbeliefs it commissioned a 67m high wind turbine which provides all the power the processing and bottling plant needs and saves 1,000 litres of diesel a week.

Owners Caroline Bell and her brother Graham Tweddle also hope to replace their fleet of diesel delivery vans with electric versions that will be charged by electricity generated by the turbine.

On Wednesday Coun Paul Baldwin, Mayor of Darlington, officially switched on the turbine before Friends of the Earth presented the dairy with a Clean British Energy award.

The Dutch-built 500KW turbine stands 40m high to the hub with 27m blades. It is believed to be one of the first in the region to be installed to power a tenant farm – the land is owned by the Church Commissioners.

Itisproving tobe successfulinvery low wind speeds and will generate 1m KW a year.

Mr Tweddle said: “We became organic 15 years ago and the turbine builds on this ecological ethos by providing the bottling and pasteurising plant with green energy.

“Other farmers have given over land to wind turbines but we are among the first to use one to power the farm. Our steam generator uses diesel at an alarming rate andcannow be replaced by an electric one.”

Matthew Snedker, vice-chairman of Friends of the Earth, said: “Acorn Dairy is a successful local, organic farm with a commitment to the local community. Employing 34 people, it demonstrates perfectly the potential for the green economy to provide employment in Britain.

“This is why Friends oftheEarth are calling for increased investment by government in sustainable businesses and infrastructure as part of the economic recovery programme.”

Acorn Dairy has a farm in Spennithorne, Wensleydale, and at Archdeacon Newton, and processes organic milk from Newcastle University’s farm at Nafferton in Northumberland, as well as milk from two other local organic dairy farms.

It delivers organic milk to more than 4,000 doorsteps across the North and also supplies Morrisons, Waitrose, hotels, restaurants, schools and leisure centres.

An increasing number of cafés and restaurants use the milk, including FlatcapsCoffee in Newcastle whichhas just won the Northern heat for Best Cappuccino in the UK’s Barista Championships. It will represent the region in London and potentially the UK in Australia later this year.