The most important part of cleanliness is fresh pasture and clean bedding! During milking, the cows' udders are cleansed with iodine before the milking unit goes on. The milk travels through sanitized stainless steel pipes and into the milk tank where the milk is cooled to 35 F degrees. On cheese making days, the milk is pumped into the cheese vat. After the cheese is made, it is placed in our new, underground aging room where we care for the cheeses until they are aged to perfection!

Jesse has dreamed of having an underground aging room for years, and his dreams came true in 2022. Refrigeration has been around for such a short time compared to cheese. So how did cheese makers age cheese before refrigeration was invented? Underground or in caves! God has set in place ways to preserve milk and its amazing, nutritious properties for our benefit. Did you know that you can read about cheese and curds in the Old Testament? That was written thousands of years ago!

We are making cheese for a hobby. This means Underground Cheese can be obtained by family, friends and herd share members via an optional, suggested contribution. You will not find it online, in restaurants, or stores. Come on out to the farm so we can be friends! We are inspected by lots of people who want to be healthier because of the products we offer.

We love showing people around our farm and teaching them about cheese making. A farm tour includes watching cheese making, seeing the calves and milking facility, a pasture walk in season, and tasting fresh cheese curds. Wednesdays and Saturdays are the best days for cheese making. It takes about 1 hour or more. Email Betsy at migreenpastures@gmail.com to schedule one today! $3 per person.

Because of the acidity of aged cheese, it is extremely difficult for pathogens to survive IF they were somehow introduced to the milk . That is why aged, raw milk cheese is aged a minimum of 60 days before selling, per the FDA. We also test the raw milk monthly for pathogens, such as Campylobacter, Salmonella, E. coli and Listeria.