great lakes dairy sheep symposium - the Department of Animal ...

Summary
ARTISAN SHEEP MILK CHEESE
Jodi Ohlsen Read
Shepherd’s Way Farms
Nerstrand, Minnesota, USA
Shepherd’s Way Farms, Sheep Dairy/Farmstead Cheese – Steven Read & Jodi Ohlsen Read
Farming since 1994; Cheesemaking since 1998
Products: 5 artisan sheep milk cheeses (two fresh, three aged – waxed and washed rind)
Labor: Currently primarily family run; Designed to operate with 10-15 employees – 3-5 fulltime,
7+ part-time.
Background
Shepherd’s Way Farms is located just outside Northfield, Minnesota, approximately one hour
south of Minneapolis. Currently, we have 450 ewes, and this season will milk 350-400. Prior to
2005, the flock was at 800 ewes and 500+ were milked.
Shepherd’s Way Farms’ objective is to be a profitable family-based, value-added farm
combining innovative technology, sustainable animal and land stewardship, holistic integration
and community outreach. We use sustainable farming methods with cheese production on site.
Dairy sheep and cheesemaking are the primary enterprises of Shepherd’s Way Farms. We have
been making cheese since 1998 and have been at the current farm since 2001.
Initially, we began Shepherd’s Way Farms to produce sheep milk to be sold through the
Wisconsin Dairy Sheep Co-operative. After our milk production increased beyond the pace of
contract fluid milk sales, we began our cheese market research. Through the research, we
determined which styles of sheep milk cheese were in demand, which cheeses would directly
compete, and how wholesale and retail pricing was structured. During this process we also
established some early retailer relationships. After defining our audience and selecting the first
cheese we wanted to make, we identified the necessary expertise and facilities to create an
appropriate recipe and process.
Friesago, an aged, waxed sheep milk cheese, was quickly well-received in the
Minneapolis/St. Paul retail and restaurant circles. We carefully paced our sales not to outrun our
supply. Our second cheese, a fresh cheese – Shepherd’s Hope (originally called Queso Fresco),
was introduced to complement the Friesago and also did well. Each type of cheese we have
added was chosen to balance the variety of cheeses we offer and to make best use of the milk,
equipment and facilities, and cheesemaking skills available.
91