Local Dairy and Artisan Cheese Vendors

Meet some of the folks behind some of your favorite local dairy products! Minnesota is in the heart of dairy land so there’s no shortage of cheese, milk, and butter producers to choose from. Priority is given to local dairy makers and processors who share our dedication to farmers, livestock, and the planet.

Carr Valley Cheese

La Valle, WI

Since 1902, Carr Valley has been making cheese like their award-winning Applewood Smoked Cheddar. Resident cheese master Sid Cook is the most awarded master cheese master in North America.

Deer Creek Cheese

Sheboygan, WI

The first thing you’ll notice about these cheeses are the eye-catching designs on the packaging. The second thing is the incredible taste! From the warm and buttery Colby-style Robin to the peppery Rattlesnake flavored with tequila and habanero, Deer Creek crafts bold, distinctive cheeses you’ll love.

Hope Creamery

Hope, MN

Hope has been making butter in the same building since the 1920s. Using the same small-batch methods today as they did back then, Hope butter is made from cream sourced from local Plainview Creamery Co-op.

Kalona Supernatural

Kalona, IA

Always grass-fed and pasture raised, Kalona’s dairy products come from very happy cows. The 60+ farms who provide Kalona’s milk and cream are dedicated to rebuilding soil health, protecting vital watersheds, and storing carbon.

LaClare Creamery

Malone, WI

Sourced from goat farms located within 10 miles of the creamery, LaClare chevre is always made fresh. The goats are fed a diverse diet of grains and forage, ensuring great-tasting milk every time. From salads to cheese boards and everything in between, LaClare has a chevre to fit every occasion.

Marieke Gouda

Thorp, WI

Marieke Penterman grew up on a dairy farm in Holland and after moving to Wisconsin found herself missing the authentic Gouda of her home country. That inspired her to create this award-winning Dutch cheese. To ensure her cheese tastes just right, the Penterman farm lovingly raises dairy cows to ensure their lifestyle imparts the right flavor to the milk.

Milton Creamery

Milton, IA

The award-winning cheddar and artisanal cheese from Milton Creamery are made in small batches from milk sourced from small Amish and Mennonite farms. Whether you’re building a cheese board for the holidays or assembling the world’s best grilled cheese, Milton has you covered.

Organic Valley

La Farge, WI

This thriving dairy cooperative began in 1988 with a group of dairy farmers who were upset by the trend toward industrial, chemical farming. By joining together, they were able to survive and eventually thrive against their big agribusiness competitors. Organic Valley ensures that small farms have a channel for selling their milk at fair prices while encouraging farming practices that are better for people, cows, and the planet.

Red Head Creamery

Brooten, MN

Owner Alice Sjostrom knew that the only way to continue to make her parent’s dairy farm profitable was to find new ways to make money. So, after studying with cheese makers around the world, she built cheese making facilities on the family farm and Red Head Creamery was born.

Rochdale Farms

Bonduel, WI

This small dairy processing co-op is one of the participating members of the Red Barn Family Farms group (see above). Their butter is rolled by hand and never overworked so it maintains its delicate and savory flavor.

Shepherd’s Way

Nerstrand, MN

Shepherd’s Way is made by hand using ewe’s milk from the Read family’s own flock of sheep. A true farmstead cheese, every step of the process is done on site. Their popular Big Woods Blue Cheese received top honors from the American Cheese Society.

Stony Creek Dairy

Melrose, MN

The Schoenberg family have been farming in the Melrose area for over seven generations. They use a low temperature vat pasteurization method that preserves the full flavor of their antibiotic- and growth hormone-free milk.

Widmer Cheese

Theresa, WI

Master Cheese Maker Joe is the third-generation Widmer to oversee the family business. They’re best known for their classic Wisconsin brick cheese, particularly the award-winning aged cheddar.

Want to meet more regional makers? Check out some the folks at our local meat farms.