At the end of August, I was asked to be on a panel for a Cheesemongers Workshop hosted by the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board. A cheesemonger is a person who is more than passionate about all things cheese. To actually be a cheesemonger you must pass a difficult exam. As experts, many of them sell cheese for a living.
Even though I was on the panel for this workshop instead of an attendee, I learned a lot from the cheesemongers. As you know, the milk at our farm is made into Sartori cheese, so I really value the opinions and feedback that the cheesemongers gave me.
One of the things we talked about were the different concerns and questions they hear in their stores. I was really surprised because there wasn’t a lot about animal welfare, which is constantly in the media. Instead, the questions were more about where the cheese in their stores comes from – organic farms, pasture or grass-fed farms, etc.
Sustainability was one of the topics that we talked about at length. I love getting into that one, because we do so much to be sustainable here on the farm. I usually break it down to a three-legged stool between social, environmental and economic sustainability. As farmers, we need to do all three to keep going.
Socially at Majestic Crossing Dairy, we are a leading advocate for third party animal welfare, making sure the animals are well-cared for and things are done properly. Environmentally, we follow the regulations that the government puts into place, put in the manure digester, and are constantly looking to improve our farm. Economically, we know that we are contributing to the well-being of our community. We feel good about the fact that our milk goes just seven miles down the road to be processed and turned into cheese.
The cheesemongers were from all over the country. Most were Millennials – they had great questions – they know what they’re asking and they want answers. In their line of work, it’s very important that they can connect with consumers. For them, attending workshops like this is a perfect opportunity to connect with the farmers, and bring the information they gain directly back to their customers. For me, attending this workshop gave me insight into what the consumers are thinking. I also love the opportunity to share all of the positive things we do on the farm.