June is National Dairy Month, and today is National Cheese Day!! We’d be remiss if we didn’t use today as a springboard to take a little trip over the state border into our neighbouring state of Wisconsin.
What do Cars and Wisconsin Cheese have in common? Glad you asked!
Except for Switzerland, Wisconsin is also home to the only Master Cheesemaker program in the world, and is the only state in which you need a license to make cheese. Steve Bulhozer is a local Master Cheesemaker in Monroe, Wisconsin at the Klondike Cheese Company. He and his family have been crafting feta, havarti, munster, and brick Cheese for five generations! But cheesemaking isn’t the only skill that The Bulhozer brothers have perfected, they’re also interested in car racing! In fact, they have their own unofficial racing team representing the family name and their passion for their family business.
But that’s not all! Did you know that someone in Wisconsin built their very own motorized, jet-powered cheese wedge? Wild, we know, but it’s true! Wisconsin Native Dieter Sturm, inventor and cheese loveer, created The Cheese-n-ator. Check it out here on Youtube:
In just a moment we’re going to take a little trip across Wisconsin to some dairy farms you’ll be able to visit in person and tour, but first we have some fun facts. Save them for your long car trip and impress your family and friends with your Expert Dairy Knowledge! You might think it’s cheesy, but we’re really excited to share these super fun facts with you about Wisconsin and it’s Dairy + Cheese production:
- Wisconsin produces more flavors, varieties, and styles of cheese than anywhere else; over 600 different cheeses are made from Wisconsin dairies.
- There are an estimated 100 cheese production factories in Wisconsin.
- 47% of all specialty cheeses have Wisconsin origins (Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin)
- Wisconsin produces the most Cheddar Cheese in the United States
- Wisconsin has been manufacturing many varieties of cheese for more than 150 years.
- Cheese production in Wisconsin has been attributed to the arrival of Swiss Settlers migrating with their cattle from Ohio to New Glarus, WI in the mid-1840s.
- As of 2020, the average consumer in the US eats about 40 pounds of cheese a year, which is up by 5 pounds in the last decade; the United States as a whole ate a whopping estimated total of 6 million metric tons of cheese, accounting for 24% of worldwide cheese consumption.
Check out this great video from PBS Food on the history and origins of Wisconsin Dairy:
Ready to get up close and personal with some dairy farmers and the cheesemaking process? Here are some great dairy themed events happening in Wisconsin this month that are worth a little road trip to experience:
- The Milk Merchant of Wausau is hosting a Rose & Cheese tasting on Thursday June 9th at 1PM.
- The New Glarus Beer, Bacon and Cheese Festival is rolling into New Glarus on June 11th.
- Clayton’s Cheese Days Craft and Vendor event runs from 10AM to 3PM on June 18th in Clayton.
- The Cheese Curd Festival of Ellsworth takes place on June 24th and June 25th from 10AM to 7PM.
After reading our fun facts and making plans to attend some of those fun events, we wouldn't blame you if your taste for cheese can no longer be satiated! That’s why we’ve created a fun little road trip around to some of Wisconsin’s dairy farms that welcome public visitors. It’s a great way to spend the summer in your new car from Classic Auto Group. Let’s hit the road and see where our favourite snack comes from:
We’ve even mapped it out on google maps for you!
- DeVoe Family Farm Tours
- Wegmueller Dairy Farm
- Hinchley’s Dairy Farm Tours
- Blue Star Dairy Farms
- Knigge Farms
- Brickstead Dairy Farm
- Cozy Nook Farm
Once you’re familiar with the dairy farmers and process of raising, caring for, and milking cattle, you’ll want to head out to see how the greatest snack in the world is made, of course! Here are some fantastic “roadtrippable” Cheese factories and tours you can take across the great state of Wisconsin:
- The Mars Cheese Castle in Kenosha is a cheese lovers paradise, and has everything you want from bricks to curds to even chocolate cheese fudge (don’t knock it til you try it!)
- Door Artisan Cheese Company ages their award-winning cheese on site, and you can take a tour of the Door County Creamery and find out where cheese comes from and how it’s made.
- Fromagination Cheese Shop has artisanal local cheeses and hosts special events and even Workshops and Classes!
- The Dane County Farmers Market is home to multiple Wisconsin creameries!
- The LaClare Family Creamery is a goat cheese manufacturing farm and family run business that allows you to enjoy a visit to the goat farm, sample and purchase specialty products, and even go on a self-guided tour.
Warranties include 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain and 5-year/60,000-mile basic. All warranties and roadside assistance are limited. See retailer for warranty details.