Inside an Amish Blue Cheese Creamery | Wisconsin Foodie

Some of the most complex cheese flavors in the country start with quiet, intentional farming. In this episode of Wisconsin Foodie, Luke visits Kingston Co-op Creamery, an Amish-owned creamery producing award-winning blue cheese using regenerative farming practices, hand-milked cows, and centuries-old tradition. Luke spends the day with second-generation cheesemaker Nelson Schrock, learning how small family farms, healthy soil, and seasonal forage translate directly into flavor. From milk delivered daily in ten-gallon cans to hand-packed blue cheese wheels aging for up to 90 days, this episode dives deep into the craft of blue cheese making, including curd cutting, brining, and cellar aging. The tasting reveals why Kingston’s mixed-milk blue cheeses offer unexpected depth, creaminess, and balance that challenge everything people think they know about blue cheese. The journey continues at the Owl Farm, where Luke collaborates with chef Justin Aprahamian of Sanford in Milwaukee to build a multi-course dinner celebrating Wisconsin dairy farmers, Amish producers, and regional ingredients. Featuring housemade focaccia, Crave Brothers mozzarella, Kingston blue cheese cream, pork schnitzel, and prairie-raised beef, the meal becomes a reflection of community, sustainability, and storytelling through food. This episode is for anyone interested in artisan cheese, Amish food culture, regenerative agriculture, and why Wisconsin remains a global dairy powerhouse. 00:00 Welcome to Wisconsin Foodie 00:10 Inside Kingston Co-op Creamery 00:40 Meeting Amish cheesemaker Nelson Schrock 01:06 Regenerative farming and hand-milked cows 01:47 How seasonal forage shapes blue cheese flavor 01:59 Milk delivered daily in traditional cans 02:21 Making Amish blue cheese at scale 02:58 America’s only Amish blue cheese creamery 03:44 Inside the blue cheese vats 04:12 Cutting curds and separating whey 04:39 Amish tradition meets modern cheesemaking 05:11 Reading milk through butterfat and cream 05:39 From milk to brine 06:07 Piercing blue cheese for veining 07:00 Aging blue cheese and Gorgonzola 07:24 Why blue cheese is misunderstood 08:18 Tasting Breezy Blue 09:03 Breaking down flavor and texture 09:56 Smoked blue cheese tasting 10:34 Why Kingston cheese is world class 11:15 How food connects culture and community 11:32 Packing cheese for the café 12:24 Arrival at The Owl Farm 12:51 Radical hospitality and storytelling through food 13:13 Cooking with chef Justin Jamison 14:00 Foraged mushrooms and broth 14:46 Honoring Wisconsin dairy farmers 15:44 Housemade focaccia and butter 16:25 A four-generation Gouda tasting 17:12 Crave Brothers mozzarella panzanella 18:09 Pork schnitzel with Kingston blue cheese 19:00 Prairie-raised beef and sustainability 20:36 Dessert with maple and mascarpone 21:20 Reflections on farmers and food 21:53 Closing moments Visit Kingston Creamery Co-op: https://www.kingstoncoop.org/