George Crave, like his father and brothers with whom he built the family's showplace 600-cow dairy farm in south central Wisconsin, is a salt-of-the-earth kind of guy. He's direct, smart, humble and has a wry sense of humor that shines through when bantering with his wife and business partner, Debbie. He's not, at first blush, the kind of guy you'd take to be a risk-taking visionary, nor one you'd expect to catch waxing poetic about the beauty of a piece of cheese.

 

But Crave, who spearheaded his family's entry into farmstead cheesemaking four years ago, had a clear vision of specialty cheese as the best way to add value to the farm's premium -quality milk and to further grow the family's dairy enterprise. He and Debbie did extensive research, evaluated the significant risks involved in on-farm cheesemaking, and made the personal and financial investments to bring the dream to life. Today, milk from the farm is pumped directly into the cheese plant on the other side of the main driveway via underground pipes. It's that ultra fresh, sweet milk that makes the cheese so good, according to George.

 

In the process of building a viable business, Crave found he'd also developed great appreciation and respect for fine artisan cheeses. He committed his business to producing a small but top-quality selection with strong market potential. Since beginning regular production in the summer of 2002, Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese has won domestic and international awards for its Farmstead Classics, including Mascarpone, Oaxaca, Farmer's Rope, Fresh Mozzarella, String Cheese and Les Frères (French for "the brothers") and Petit Frère. Les Frères is an American original washed-rind cheese made in small wheels and cellar-cured to develop a soft rind, buttery texture and complex flavor with notes of apple cider, mushrooms and toasted sesame. Recently, the company made available a smaller version of Les Frères, appropriately called "Petite Frère."

 

"Les Frères is really our signature artisan product," says Debbie. "It's a European-style cheese that we selected to reflect the Crave family's Irish-French heritage. To better nurture this specialty and have full control over its affinage, the Craves recently expanded their operation to include specially designed aging cellars. Eventually, the cellars may be used for curing other types of signature, artisan cheeses, as well, according to Debbie.

 

With George, now a licensed cheesemaker himself, and veteran cheesemakers Kurt Premo and Craig Straseske heading up production and Debbie, a former Alice in Dairyland and Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board employee, handling marketing, Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese is poised to become one of the nation's premier farmstead cheese factories.

 

For more information on Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese, visit www.cravecheese.com.

 

Profile and photo courtesy of the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board