Tom Torkelson makes artisan cheeses at his small cheese plant in Hustler, near the heart of Wisconsin's Driftless area. The grasses are clean and green in these rolling hills, and this is some of the most beautiful land in Wisconsin.
Tom's father was a dairy farmer in New Glarus, and two of his cousins have cheese plants, so his roots in Wisconsin dairy are deep.
Nearby Amish dairy farmers supply the milk from their pasture-fed goats and cows. They bring it to Tom's cheese plant in tiny Hustler, population 112 — in traditional milk cans that have been cold-water cooled.
About 80 Amish dairy farmers, along with 16 dairy goat farmers (eight are certified organic), supply milk to Natural Valley Cheese.
The farmers all graze their goats and cows on pasture during the milking season, so that the animals consume a greater variety of minerals than animals who eat feeds.
Also, Tom only pumps the milk once. That also keeps the quality of the milk high, because repeated pumping (as is done in larger plants) breaks down butterfat molecules, allowing bacteria to grow more rapidly and thus affecting the flavor.
Tom makes a range of cheeses from the cow milk, but he is creatively exploring the dairy goat milk.
Artisan goat cheeses are usually at the top of the list among cheese connoisseurs, particularly those that are aged or affinaged in some way. Goat milk has a unique and delicate flavor that careful handling transforms into delicious cheeses.
Tom took three prizes at the 2006 American Cheese Society meeting in Portland, Oregon: for their Twin Bluff Select, Lundina cheese, and Feta, all made from dairy goat milk.
He is working on affinaging his goat cheeses, which means finishing them either with a surface treatment or cave-aging or both. This is an art in Europe, and it is a process that brings out the absolute best in a high quality cheese. He plans to have his own cave soon.
Although some of Natural Valley's cheese is marketed locally, the majority finds its way to such places as El Paso, Texas; New York; Denver; and Los Angeles. In distant cities, it's likely to be found at many times the price it's sold for in the little Hustler plant's store.
Mr. Torkelson's goal is to become a master cheesemaker. He has been a licensed cheesemaker for 25 years. He also co-owns Ashe County Cheese in North Carolina with Mike Everhart, a cheesemaker formerly from Westby.
Tom is a longstanding, licensed Wisconsin cheesemaker who has been dedicated to the art of cheesemaking since his teens, making the traditional cheeses the state is famous for Cheddar, Colby, Brick, and Muenster. He is currently working toward his Master Cheesemaker Certification and wants to be the first to earn this prestigious cheesemaking award in the goat cheese category. In the past decade he has devoted his skills to specialty and artisan cheesemaking, creating his own recipes and techniques to craft Hispanic cheese as well as the American Originals.
Tom was awarded prizes for 3 of his cheeses (Twin Bluff Select, Lindina, and Feta) at the 2006 American Cheese Society meeting in Portland Oregon. At this year's ACS conference in Burlington, VT, Tom came home with 2 prizes for completely different cheeses. This time is was the mixed milk cheese called CowBilly and a flavored cheese called Juusto with Peppers. With an already established ability to make a variety of award winning cheeses, next year's ACS conference in Chicago could see significant recognition going Tom's way.
What's his secret? Many things factor into why Tom's cheeses are extraordinary. The animals graze on clean, green pastures during the milking season. These pastures are not simply any old fields; these are located in the Lemonweir Valley near the heart of Wisconsin's Driftless area, known as some of the most beautiful land in WI. The animals are tended to by about 80 Amish dairy farmers, along with 16 dairy goat farmers (8 of which are certified organic). The milk is brought to the plant in Hustler, WI in traditional milk cans cooled by cold water. Tom is therefore able to limit pumping the milk to just one time. Repeated pumping breaks down butterfat molecules, allowing bacteria to grow more rapidly and thus affect the flavor. And with plans to own his own cave and continued work on rind washing, Tom continues to pay the greatest attention to the key factors (often missed) in great artisan cheesemaking.
Classic Provisions proudly carries the following cheeses from Natural Valley:
Lemonweir Gold Formed in a ten pound wheel, this semi soft cheese has a smooth, firm texture and a mild flavor with a hint of Swiss nuttiness and a citrusy tang. 100% goats milk
NV60 1-10 lb $8.70 lb
NV65 24/8 oz $58.80 cs
Lindina Mild, sweet and earthy, Lindina is cave aged for a minimum of 60 days. It boasts a dark, wrinkled natural rind and a distinctive aroma. 100% raw goats milk.
NV10 1-6 lb $8.70 lb
Petenwell Reserve This cave aged semi soft cheese won 2nd place in its category at the World Cheese Championship this year! The texture is firm and silky, the flavor nutty and tangy. Petenwell has a natural rusty red rind, formed by the wild mold in the Trade Lake caves where it is aged. 100% goats milk.
NV20 1-10 lb $10.90 lb
Redstone Robust Rind washed and cellar aged for 60 days, this semi soft cheese has a creamy white paste with a hearty, robust flavor and aroma. 100% goats milk.
NV40 1-6 lb $8.70 lb
Castle Rock Reserve Made in the cheddar style , cloth wrapped and cave aged for a minimum of 90 days, Castle Rock Reserve has firm texture and full, nicely rounded flavor. 100% goats milk.
NV30 1-12 lb $10.90 lb
Gouvarti Similar in texture to creamy havarti, Gouvarti is aged a minimum of 6 months. Tangy and slightly sweet with smooth mouth feel. 100 % goats milk.
NV70 1-10 lb $8.70
Cave Aged Farmhouse Cheddar This cheese is made from the milk from a farmhouse herd of Jersey cows in North Carolina and aged for three months in Wisconsin caves. Jersey milk is extra rich and creamy, and this cheese reflects that with its lovely golden color and rich tangy flavor. 100% cows milk.
NV50 1-12 lb $6.90/lb
Cowbilly Made from 50/50 cow and goat blend, Cowbilly is firm and rich, with a subtle goaty tang.
NV80 1-6 lb $8.93 lb
Natural Valley Goat Cheddar Seasonal Spring Mild
NV110 12/8 oz 55.00 cs
Natural Valley Goat Cheddar Seasonal Spring Medium
NV111 12/8 oz 56.65 cs
Natural Valley Goat Cheddar Seasonal Summer Mild
NV112 12/8 oz 55.00 cs
Natural Valley Goat Cheddar Seasonal Summer Medium
NV113 12/8 oz 56.65 cs
Natural Valley Goat Cheddar Mild
NV120 40# 5.75 lb
NV121 12/8 oz 46.75 cs
NV122 5# 6.00 lb
Natural Valley Goat Cheddar Medium
NV130 40# 5.90 lb
NV131 12/8 oz 47.50 lb
NV132 5# 6.15 lb
Natural Valley Goat Cheddar Sharp
NV140 40# 6.05 lb
NV141 12/8 oz 48.30 cs
NV142 5# 6.30 lb
Natural Valley Goat Muenster
NV150 12/8 oz 46.75 cs
Natural Valley Goat Colby-Jack
NV160 12/8 oz 46.75
Natural Valley Goat Feta
NV170 12/8 oz 48.80