Knoxville, IA

Miles to the Co-op: 71.1

Reichert's Dairy Air, Iowa's first licensed "micro-dairy", is located in rural Knoxville. The dairy achieves it mission to create premium quality handmade farmstead goat cheese as proved by several national cheese awards for their fetas and chevre. To ensure the best texture, flavor and appearance, Lois makes her cheeses in small batches by hand. She pays great attention to the details of ladling the curds, draining and salting. Because Lois uses fresh herbs for a clean, pure flavor, some of the most popular flavors are seasonal.

In November 2008 Lois learned the traditional methods used to make Robiola, an ancient Italian cheese and she may be the only American to make this variety! Robiola, a fresh cheese is often used to top pizzas, in fondues or is served as a table cheese, alone or with oil, salt and pepper. Store it wrapped in it's own crust or in paper. Robiola di mia Nonna can be eaten from 3 - 10 days old when its mild, rich flavor brings to mind a denser, more flavorful cream cheese. As it ages, it become a more complex assertive cheese with a thin edible rind.

Reichert's Dairy Air is committed to good environmental practices from maintaining clean barns, offering daily exercise and grazing opportunities for the goats.

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