Our Cheese

The secret to making really good cheese is excellent milk quality. I milk twice a day and pasteurize the milk immediately after milking, then quickly cool it. My cheese is very mild with no "goaty" flavor because of this process. Also I keep my barn and the milking parlor very clean which contributes to better flavor. The goats are milked in a heated and air conditioned milking parlor (okay, this is for me, but it helps keep the air and the room itself much cleaner.)

CHEESES

CHEVRE is sold in 4 oz. packages (also available in 8 oz. cartons at Des Moines Downtown Farmer's Market or from the farm)

* Plain - fresh, creamy soft cheese with a very mild flavor. This cheese won 3rd place in its category in the 2007 American Dairy Goat Association Cheese competition.

* Roasted Red Pepper - pureed roasted red peppers, fresh garlic and spices combine to make a delicious spread. This is one of the most popular flavors and is available all season long.

* Sun Dried Tomato and Basil - this is a seasonal flavor when basil is available. I combine sun dried tomatoes, fresh garlic, and fresh basil with classic chevre. A very popular flavor and attractive for entertaining.

* Chive - simple and comforting. Fresh garlic chives are mixed with classic chevre to make my favorite flavor.

* Chipoltle - slightly spicy with a smokey finish, this chevre is a nice change of pace.

* Pesto - homemade pesto mixed with classic chevre, a seasonal treat redolent of garlic, basil and a fruity olive oil. This is Ben's favorite flavor! Available when I have enough basil!

* Cranberry Pecan - Cranberry sauce, dried cranberries and toasted pecans make for a salty sweet treat! I eat WAY too much of this when I make it!

FETA is sold in 4 oz. packages. It is sold in a dry slice, not in a brine, which when young is moist with an almost cheddar like consistency. After several weeks, it will gradually become drier and more crumbly for use in salads.

* Classic Feta - 2nd prize winner in the 2007 American Dairy Goat Association Cheese competition in its class. I dry salt the cheese instead of using a brine, so it is less salty than most fetas. It is great eaten out of hand or crumbled on salads.

* Basil Feta - Classic feta with fresh basil added to the curd as it is ladled into the bags. A customer favorite! Available when fresh basil is in season.

* Chive Feta - Classic feta with fresh chives added to the curd as it is ladled into the bags. Subtle chive flavor infuses the cheese and becomes an addictive snack!