Cheese-loving locavores will be glad to know that a variety of artisan cheeses are handcrafted and available throughout California. You can even pick up your favorite cheese from local creameries, have it delivered to your doorstep or take a tour of some operations. The California Cheese Trail connects people to more than 70 artisan cheesemakers and family farmers through cheesetrail.org. The site offers a map of cheesemaker locations, links to online cheese sales and retail outlets, and suggestions for driving tours. The nine driving tours cover scenic regions around the state, describing points of interest along the routes. You’ll want to call ahead to make sure your destination is open for sales, tours or a peek at cheesemaking operations. cheese tr il Hit the
John Taylor applies his technology background throughout the dairy, including the milking barn, above, where milking begins at 2 a.m. daily.
with the fog that rolls off Tomales Bay, create exceptional conditions for pasture grazing. “Grass grows well here,” John said. “Grass is the herd’s least expensive and most nutritious food source. The pastures are our future, and we take care of them.” Pasture management techniques include sampling soils and creating seed mixes to suit growing conditions. Pastures are aerated to promote water absorption and downward root growth, while no-till seeding helps reduce erosion and hold soil nutrients in place. The farmers employ several methods to produce healthy feed, limit water usage and reduce the farm’s carbon footprint. To sustain the health of the land, the Taylors use a rotational grazing system that moves the cows to new pastures every time they leave the barn. The couple works with a nutritionist to create custom feeds that help the cows efficiently digest the native forages. “The quality of the pastures, hay and silage on our three ranches helps the cows produce consistent, high-quality milk components, including solids and milk fat,” John said.
Artisan cheese and butter Since 2010, Bivalve Dairy has partnered with artisan cheesemakers at nearby Cowgirl Creamery, a producer known for locally produced, pasture-based organic cheeses. Bivalve Dairy supplies raw milk used to make Cowgirl Creamery’s popular triple-cream Red Hawk cheese, as well as some of its fresh and seasonal cheeses. “We caught their attention because our milk components are so consistent. Cheesemakers love that,” John said. “Bivalve Dairy makes some of the most beautifully rich milk,” said Amanda Parker, managing director of Cowgirl Creamery. “Ingredients mean everything to the end result of the cheese. Good cheese comes from good milk, which in turn is a product of healthy soils and animals.” In addition to supplying their dairy’s milk to Cowgirl Creamery, the Taylors recently beganmaking their own artisan cheeses and European-style butter. Bivalve Dairy makes a total of 11 products in small lots: two types of cultured butter and a number of fresh and aged cheeses with names such as Haystack Jack, Seahaven and Aftershock, as nods to their locale.
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