FAQ

• September – May: Monday – Saturday, 10 am to 6 pm
• June – August:  Monday – Saturday, 10 am to 8 pm

We offer daily tours of our robotic milk barn enjoy a hayride to our farm, stop and visit our baby cows then continue to meet the “ladies”.  For an entry fee of $16 per adult, $8 per child (4-12), and $12 for seniors, learn about our dairy farm and ask questions. Following the tour, you’ll have the opportunity to purchase cheese, ice cream or other locally made items (jam, fudge, salsa). To take tour please book onlineonline farm storeor call our creamery (435-654-0291) walk-ins welcome. Reservations are not required.

Selections & Varieties vary per location:

Farm Stores:
Rowley's Red Barn
Petersen Family Farm
Real Foods Market

Retailers:
Harmons
Whole Foods
Lee's Marketplace
Smith's
Associated Food Stores

Distributors:
Nicholas and Company
US. Foods
Sysco
DPI Specialty Foods

We are not certified organic, however, we are as natural as possible on our dairy and in the cheesemaking process. We do not feel it would be beneficial to certify in order to charge our customers more for our wonderful cheeses.

Milk in the dairy industry is typically measured in pounds not gallons. It takes approximately 10 pounds of milk to create 1 pound of cheese. That means it take a little more than a gallon of milk to produce one pound of cheese.

Rennet is the enzyme used to curdle milk to create cheese.  There are three types of rennet, animal rennet, vegetable rennet and microbial rennet.  Animal rennet is harvested from the stomach of a baby mammal, typically a calf. This is the original type of rennet used to create cheese.  Vegetable rennet is made from plants, but tends to yield bitter flavors as cheese ages.

Microbial rennet is identical to animal rennet except it uses yeast or bacteria to create the enzyme through a fermentation process rather than harvesting it from an animal.  We use a microbial rennet also known as Fermentation-produced Chymosin.  This rennet is used by the vast majority of cheesemakers across the world.

At Heber Valley Artisan Cheese, we want to make sure you receive your products in the BEST possible condition. Because cheese is a perishable item, our shipping costs include insulated packing and ice packs, which in turn adds a bit more weight to your package (jams excluded). Keep in mind that ordering more than one (6 oz) cheese will be more cost effective. We recommend ordering at least three to five cheeses per order.

During WARM SUMMER MONTHS we recommend investing in faster shipping to ensure your cheese arrives in good condition.

Cheese, specifically drier cheeses like Cheddar and Parmesan, can last for years and years in the fridge if handled properly. Cheese will not go bad as it gets older, however it changes. For example age time is the difference between a mild cheddar and a sharp cheddar. However, higher moisture cheeses like our Jacks and Queso Frescos have a shorter shelf life because their flavor will turn bitter and sour if it ages too long. Check the best by date on each type of cheese to see when it should be eaten by.

There are two major differences between cheese curds (squeaky cheese) and cheddar cheese. First to turn cheese curds into cheddar they are loaded in to a cheese hoop or mold that is lined with cheese cloth.  These hoops are put into a press overnight which dispels excess whey and presses the individual curds together to form a cheese wheel.

This changes the texture and density of the curd to that of cheddar cheese.  Second, the cheddar wheel is taken to our Cave or aging room to age for at least 2 months for our mild cheddar or at least 4 years for our extra sharp cheddar.  The curd is intended to be eaten as fresh as possible.  Ideally they will be eaten the day they are made before even being refrigerated.