Frank’s Journey to Kyrgyzstan: Bridging Cultures Through Mare’s Milk

Frank has just returned from a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Kyrgyzstan — a country he’s dreamed of visiting for years. As one of the world’s heartlands of mare’s milk, alongside Mongolia, Kyrgyzstan is known for its deep-rooted traditions in horse milk production. For Frank, who’s pioneering the mare’s milk movement here in the UK, the experience of seeing these traditions first-hand was nothing short of inspiring.

The journey came about in a rather unexpected and heart-warming way. A woman from Kyrgyzstan, now living in the UK, reached out to Frank after using our mare’s milk to help cure her husband’s ongoing stomach issues. Grateful and intrigued, she contacted the press, highlighting that Frank was the only person milking horses commercially in the UK. That sparked even more interest — and soon, a trip was organised to tour Kyrgyzstan and meet their local horse milk producers.

Flying into Kazakhstan and travelling overland into Kyrgyzstan, Frank and the team travelled across the country. Kyrgyzstan, along with neighbouring Kazakhstan, is widely recognised as the historical birthplace of mares milk production and consumption,  known as ‘kumis’. The traditional product remains a part of their cultural identity. Frank and the team met traditional herders, tasted fresh kumis, and exchanged knowledge on milking practices, sustainability, and the growing global market for mare’s milk.

The local news were fascinated by Frank’s story — especially how he’s championing mare’s milk in the UK. So much so, that they’re planning a visit here to Cromwell Farm this August, returning the favour by documenting how this niche product is gaining momentum over here. It’s a true cultural exchange, and a testament to how food, health, and tradition can bring people together across continents.

Here are some behind-the-scenes insights from the trip: