Get an inside-out grilled cheese at the Indiana State Fair

Blog

Grilled Cheese You Say? Yes, Please!

Perfectly browned crispy cheddar cheese on the outside of two pieces of buttered garlic toast filled with hot gooey gouda cheese. YUM! I was finally getting to try the winning grilled cheese sandwich at the Indiana State Fair dubbed the “inside out grilled cheese” and it was worth the wait. Better yet, the cheese comes straight from Heritage Ridge Creamery.

For the last three years, the American Dairy Association of Indiana has hosted the Ultimate Grilled Cheese Contest during the State Fair. The winning entry joins the other grilled cheese options at the Main Street Dairy Bar the following year. Other menu options offered at the Main Street Dairy Bar are milk shakes, yogurt, ice cream, mozzarella sticks, white and chocolate milk, pretzel bites, applesauce and cottage cheese. It’s not hard to get your “3-A-Day” of dairy at the Indiana State Fair!

Each day at the Dairy Bar provides a chance for fair goers to get a meal at a great price. For only $6, they receive a grilled cheese sandwich and a milkshake. The Dairy Bar even offers 50 cent cups of milk with only 25 cent refills and sippy cups or bottles are filled for free.

“I appreciate a healthy option for meals while at the fair. We always look forward to visiting the Dairy Bar for sandwiches and milkshakes every year,” said fairgoer Jeanie.

The best part of the Main Street Dairy Bar is they use Indiana’s own Heritage Ridge Creamery cheese to make the grilled cheese sandwiches. After the Indiana State Fair, come visit Heritage Ridge Creamery in Middlebury to purchase cheese to make your favorite grilled cheese or even create a fun, new combination to enter in the 2019 Ultimate Grilled Cheese Contest using lots of cheese and butter.

–Krista Schrock

Meet our Farmers: JC Jerseys

Blog, Farmers

JC Jerseys  |  Goshen, Indiana

Starting his own dairy farm on October 25, 2014, Jesse fulfilled his dream of milking cows of his own. He gained experience from working on two local dairy farms and jumped at the chance to purchase a herd of 19 cows and rent a facility when it was offered. Fast forward to the present, Jesse and Chelsea have expanded the milking herd to 50 cows and have added a daughter to their dream.

With their milk travelling only 22 miles to Heritage Ridge Creamery, the young couple milk twice a day in a stanchion barn and have 15 acres of hay and pasture for the cows with the help of family when needed. “We are a first-generation farm starting from scratch and learning a lot as we go. We strive to take care of our cows just like they take care of us. Each cow has a name and a job to do. It is such a blessing to see all that we have accomplished so far and can’t wait to see what is in our farm’s future,” said Chelsea.

“In my opinion, the best way to describe the life of a dairy farmer is a person with never ending tasks,” shared Jesse. “Even with lots to do, we love our cows and taking care of them best we know how.”

–Krista Schrock

Meet our Farmers: MyBrook Farms

Blog, Farmers
Mybrook Farm | Middlebury, Indiana

Mike Oesch and daughter, Laura Yoder work like a well-oiled machine together on their family dairy: MyBrook Farms. Along side of them are Mike’s wife Judy, who is in charge of the bookkeeping, Laura’s husband Ryan,who teaches at the local middle school, and Laura’s three children.

Laura’s daughter Hadley said, “My favorite part is the cows. I’ve been growing up with cows my whole life and I just love the cows! My calf that grew up to be a cow is about to have a baby. I can’t wait!”

MyBrook Farms is a multigenerational family farm just four miles from Heritage Ridge Creamery. They milk 120 Holstein, Jersey and Brown Swiss cows twice a day in their parlor. To feed their cows and young stock, they farm 375 acres of corn, soybeans and hay. Everyone works hard to make sure the animals and land are well taken care of. The Oesch’s have been dairy farmers in Middlebury since 1896 and have been focusing on being good neighbors in their community, environmental stewards of the land and of course, treating their cows with lots of TLC.

“I have always loved the farm and the cows since I was a little girl! When I was really young, I spent most of my time with my dad outside. When my mom would tell me that it was time to come inside, I would go inside, stand at the back door and watch the cows, waiting to go back out to the farm. When my mom would go to a different room in the house, I would sneak back out to help my dad and see my cows. Now I’m seeing Hadley doing the same thing. I love to watch her eat her meals quickly in order to get back out to the cows and get back to work! Dairy farming is truly not just a job to us, it is a lifestyle,” said Laura.

–Krista Schrock

Toasting World Milk Day with our farmers

Blog

While cheese may be our favorite dairy product, on June 1 at Heritage Ridge Creamery we are drinking milk in celebration of World Milk Day. Today is a great time to raise a glass to the farmers who work hard 365 days a year to provide fresh, high quality milk! Heritage Ridge Creamery is proud to be owned by dairy farmers who are so passionate about their farms and supplying us with healthy and delicious milk.

Let’s celebrate! Pour yourself a glass of milk and toast it with us!

Learn more about our farmers » 

 

Pepper-jack tops Championship Cheese Contest

Blog
Heritage Ridge Grand Champions

Pepper-jack cheese produced under the Heritage Ridge Creamery brand at Michigan Milk Producers Association’s Middlebury, Indiana cheese plant was recently named Grand Champion Cheese. The award was presented by the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) last week at the federation’s annual meeting in California.

The annual contest includes cheese made by dairy cooperatives belonging to NMPF. A record 194 entries totaling 3,070 pounds of cheese products were submitted in the 2017 contest. Heritage Ridge pepper-jack placed first in the hot or spicy cheese category and then went on to win the overall best cheese prize. This is the first year MMPA has entered a product in the cheese contest.

“We are honored our product was recognized nationally, a testament to high quality milk from our farms and the craftsmanship of our cheesemakers,” said Jim Feeney, senior director of sales for the MMPA. “We strive to exceed our customers’ expectations everyday with the quality products in our portfolio.”

The Heritage Ridge Creamery brand markets cheese produced at the Middlebury, Indiana plant and sold in the on-site retail store. The cheese plant produces Colby cheese, a softer, milder flavored cheddar cheese, in addition to cheddar, pepper-jack, Amish Creamery cheese and other flavors.

Heritage Ridge Creamery is a brand of Middlebury Cheese Company, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of MMPA. The farmer-owned cooperative acquired the facility in 2016 and is currently reviewing options to increase capacity and expand product offerings.

1,250 cups of ice cream served at Customer Appreciation Day

Blog
Customer Appreciation Day at Heritage Ridge Creamery

Over 2,000 customers visited the Heritage Ridge Creamery store during the community event, enjoying free ice cream made with a steam powered engine, activities for children and store specials. In total, 1,250 cups of ice cream were served throughout the day. One lucky attendee won free cheese for a year in the annual raffle.

 

Introducing Heritage Ridge Creamery

Blog
Contact the Heritage Ridge Creamery

Slice it. Break it. Cube it. Pair it with grapes. Or apples. Or summer sausage. Cheese is what we’re talking about and at the Michigan Milk Producers Association’s recently acquired cheese plant, we’re taking the reins to put our own mark on the delicious varieties produced from our farmers’ high-quality milk.

From Colby to cheddar to Amish Creamery and more, the cheeses will welcome a label marked “Heritage Ridge Creamery,” as MMPA markets the farmer-owned product for lovers of classic cheeses.

MMPA’s Indiana cheese plant launched the Heritage Ridge Creamery brand on June 24 during a community Customer Appreciation Day event. The name has been in development since MMPA assumed ownership of the plant in fall 2016. The new brand reflects both the heritage of the plant in its Amish community and the robust history of MMPA as a farmer-owned cooperative.

“With our acquisition of the Indiana cheese plant last fall, we were enthused by the opportunity to diversify our product portfolio and develop a brand owned by our dairy farmer members,” Joe Diglio, MMPA general manager, said. “Our new Heritage Ridge Creamery brand demonstrates our commitment in expanding our presence within the dairy industry while embracing the legacy of the community.”

Today customers visited the Heritage Ridge Creamery store, enjoying free ice cream made with a steam powered engine, activities for children and store specials during the Customer Appreciation Event.

The Heritage Ridge Creamery brand will market cheese produced at the Middlebury plant and sold in the on-site retail store. An online store is currently in development and expected to go live later this year at heritageridgecreamery.com. The facility produces Colby cheese, a softer, milder flavored cheddar cheese, in addition to Colby-Jack, Cheddar, Pepper-Jack cheese and other flavors.

The acquisition last year positions MMPA to further explore expansion opportunities at the Middlebury plant location in the future, starting with the launch of this new brand and internal improvements in plant operations. The facility currently processes approximately 400,000 pounds of milk per day into longhorn and deli horn cheeses, and is operated by MMPA’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Middlebury Cheese Company, LLC.

Save