Focus
on Coop Suppliers:
Palatine Cheese
by Suzanne Fisher
“Locally produced” are
two words we use a lot around here at
Honest Weight Food Co-op. When possible, our managers give preference
to
locally grown or manufactured goods over those that have to be shipped
in from
other places. Palatine Valley Dairy,
which has been selling its cheese to Honest Weight for five years, is a
wonderful example of local production — because their cheese is made in
our
region, and because they are committed to buying the milk they use from
small,
locally owned family farms.
Earl and Carol Spencer,
owners of Palatine Valley Dairy, have
been affiliated with the dairy farming community where they live for
years, and
personally know many of their milk providers. They no longer have their
own
dairy due to the demands of their cheese-making operation, which
employs six
full-time workers and, according to Earl, is more like one big family.
Earl and Carol became
involved with cheese making gradually,
starting in 1985 when the Amish community in their area asked them to
convert
milk produced by their farms into bulk milk, which the Amish farmers
then made
into Palatine cheese that was sold to the public. In 2002, these Amish
farmers
decided to withdraw from cheese making and approached the Spencers
about taking
over their business. After relocating and restoring a manufacturing
site and store,
the Spencers soon began making their own Palatine cheese. The cheese is
sold at
their store and through 150 to 200 small retailers.
Located in Nelliston, in
the heart of the Mohawk Valley 50 miles
west of Albany, Palatine’s
store and factory is open for sales and tours from 9 to 5, Monday
through
Saturday. Earl suggests that the best time for a tour is on Mondays in
the afternoon,
when the milk is being converted into the curds and whey, and then is
pressed
into molds or bagged as curds. Palatine Valley Dairy won first prize
last year
at the New York State Fair, in Syracuse, for
their smoked
cheddar. They make 40 varieties of cheddar, including flavors such as
horseradish; smoked horseradish; tomato basil; garlic dill; fennel;
plain mild,
sharp and extra sharp; horseradish curd; and garlic-dill curd. All of
these
flavors have been carried at Honest Weight, so check for them in the
cheese
section and ask for flavors that you might like.
By purchasing
milk from small family farms, the
Spencers have made it possible for these farms to stay in existence.
They bring
us a taste of upstate New
York
in a very concrete and delicious way, and provide jobs for people who
might
otherwise have to move somewhere else to make a living. Try some of
their
cheese this summer —and experience the meaning of “locally produced”
for
yourself!
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