LA FARGE, Wis.- Organic Valley, the nation’s largest cooperative of organic farmers and a leading organic brand, recently announced the launch of Organic Valley Grassmilk™ Raw Cheddar: unique, artisanal raw milk cheese made from the organic milk produced from cows that are 100% grass-fed. Grassmilk Cheddar is a limited edition specialty cheese to celebrate Organic Valley’s 25th anniversary—25 years of cultivating goodness and commitment to organic food and farming.
Organic Valley Grassmilk is sourced from pasture-raised cows grazing the lush pastures of northern California’s Humboldt County. There, the cows eat only fresh grasses and dried forages, like hay. They do not eat supplemental grains or soybeans. The Grassmilk used to make this rich and buttery cheddar is produced on Californian farms like the Reglis’, where Jim, his wife Susan and their seven children farm about 300 acres in the redwood region of Humboldt County.
“It’s a simple truth that cows naturally love to eat grass,” said Organic Valley Grassmilk farmerowner Jim Regli. “We pasture-raise our cows to feed them what already grows here in the beautiful north coast of California. Rye grass, white clover and orchard grass are the components of our diverse, nutrient-dense pastures. When our cows eat well, we do, too.”
Organic Valley Grassmilk Cheese is handcrafted and aged in small batches to retain the layers of Grassmilk’s flavor. It comes in eight-ounce wedges in two varieties: Raw Cheddar and Raw Sharp Cheddar.
Organic Valley Grassmilk Raw Cheddar is a mild, balanced cheddar with hints of pasture and butter. Aged a minimum of 60 days, it has a smooth texture and a slightly earthy taste. It’s a highly versatile cheese that is delicious served as a snack with Granny Smith apples and rustic crackers and paired with cider or a light-bodied white wine.
Organic Valley Grassmilk Raw Sharp Cheddar is a stronger, more complex cheddar that is tangy with a buttery finish. Aged a minimum of 8 months, it has a more granular texture and stands up to horseradish, toasted nuts and mustard, and is also great as a dessert cheese. The Raw Sharp Cheddar goes well with a hearty stout or ale, a buttery chardonnay or even an apple brandy.
Nutritionally, Grassmilk is flowing with naturally-occurring calcium, omega-3s and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), a good fat that is the best indicator that a cow’s diet includes plenty of pasture. It all starts with the soil—organically-managed soils support diverse forages and the highest quality pasture grasses, which the cows eat.
Organic Valley Grassmilk farmers, like all Organic Valley farmer-owners across the country, work in harmony with nature—they never use antibiotics, synthetic hormones, toxic pesticides or GMO feed.
This March, the cooperative will celebrate the 25th anniversary of its founding with a renewed commitment to organic education and keeping farmers on the land. Organic Valley began in 1988 with a group of Wisconsin farmers who shared a love of the land and a belief that a new, sustainable approach to agriculture was needed in order for family farms and rural communities to survive.
Organic Valley Grassmilk Raw Cheddar has a SRP of $8.39 and Raw Sharp Cheddar has a SRP of $8.89. The cheeses will be available in natural food stores, food cooperatives and major grocery chains in May 2013.
Organic Valley: Independent and Farmer-Owned
Organic Valley is America’s largest cooperative of organic farmers and one of the nation’s leading organic brands. Organized in 1988, it represents 1,814 farmers in 35 states and three Canadian provinces, and achieved $860 million in 2012 sales. Focused on its founding mission of saving family farms through organic farming, Organic Valley produces a variety of organic foods, including organic milk, soy, cheese, butter, spreads, creams, eggs, produce and juice, which are sold in supermarkets, natural foods stores and food cooperatives nationwide. With its regional model, milk is produced, bottled and distributed right in the region where it is farmed to ensure fewer miles from farm to table and to support our local economies. For further information and to learn about Organic Valley’s 25 years of sustainable agriculture as it celebrates its anniversary in 2013, visit www.organicvalley.coop. Organic Valley is also on Twitter @OrganicValley and Facebook www.facebook.com/OrganicValley.
Source: Organic Valley