Farming for Four Generations
St. Isidore’s Dairy was started in 2006 by farmer and cheese maker Inga Witscher-Orth. Inga is a fourth generation dairy farmer, who fell in love with cows on her family’s dairy farm near Seattle. Inga is also the host of the PBS series Around the Farm Table, which celebrates Midwestern farmers and local food.
Farming as Nature Intended
During the grazing season, the cows are moved twice a day to fresh pasture, where they graze on native Wisconsin grasses, clovers, and wild flowers. This allows the cows to live natural life outdoors, while also providing important habitat for grass land birds, and pollinators.
The grass fed diet also provides a unique color and flavor to each truckle of our cheese.
In the winter months the cows enjoy dry hay baled from the farm.
Farmstead Milking
The girls are milked twice a day using a bucket milking system. By handling the milk gently, the milk maintains its integrity. The milk is poured by hand into our bulk tank where it is cooled and stored until its ready to be transformed into cheese.