The Wedge is proud to be one of the first co-ops to sell a new line of local cheese and butter produced under the label Rochdale Farms.*

K&K Creamery of Cashton,Wisconsin, a winner of numerous American Cheese Society Award ribbons, produces these cheeses with milk from over 325 Minnesota- and Wisconsin-based Amish farms. The average herd at each farm comprises twenty hand-milked and traditionally pastured cows.

Rochdale Farms is the brainchild of Mary Bess Michaletz and Bentley Lein, who wanted to strengthen the market for small, local dairy producers by creating a top-quality brand of dairy products exclusive to co-ops.

Rochdale Farms is producing two categories of specialty cheese: organic and rbgh-free. The Wedge currently stocks three of their organic cheeses: mild white cheddar, medium white cheddar and marbled cojack.

Rochdale Farms recently launched their first Artisan line products, proving once again that American cheese-makers can make a world-class product. These include:

Reserve Alpine, a grass based robust alpine style cheese that faithfully recreates the taste of Swiss Emmentaler

Artisan Aged Goat, a semi firm aged cheese made from milk from Amish goat dairies in and around Vernon County.

Seasonal Cellar-Aged Gouda, another grass based cheese from milk produced by the Edelweiss Graziers in Wisconsin.

Artisan Cave Aged Blue, made in partnership with PastureLand Co-operative this blue is made from raw grass based organic milk and is aged in the famous caves in Faribault, MN.

Rochdale Farms Hand Rolled Butter comes from Richland Center, Wisconsin. This small-churn, lightly salted butter is made fresh to order. Whey cream is added to each batch to impart a tangy, cultured flavor. This butter is produced at Alcam, a third-generation, family-run facility established in 1946 by brothers-in-law Al and Cam.

We are proud to bring you the products of dairy cooperatives - from Coop to Coop to your table.

* The Rochdale Farms label is named in honor of the Rochdale Society of Equitable Pioneers from Rochdale, England. In 1844, the Pioneers launched a member-owned co-op selling butter, sugar, flour, oatmeal and candles. Within a short time the idea of cooperation took hold; today every food cooperative can trace its roots back to the Rochdale Pioneers.