Using Milk From Their Own Grass-Fed Cows Sets Little Qualicum Cheeseworks Apart
The family behind Little Qualicum Cheeseworks, from left: Rory, Albert Gorter, Chelsea Enns and Willa
PARKSVILLE – Happy cows make better milk, and the owners of Little Qualicum Cheeseworks do everything possible to make sure their cows are the happiest.
Milk produced by their own herd of cows on the Parksville property is what is used in making the distinct, unique and fresh taste of their 16 different types of cheeses that are sold throughout B.C., notes Chelsea Enns, who purchased the operation with partner Albert Gorter in September, 2021.
“Our cows are grass-fed, which makes a difference in the taste of the milk, and we take really good care of our cows,” says Chelsea. “We have a smaller herd, so it’s easier to pay attention to the individual animals. We take very good care of them, we’re very specific about what we feed them, and we grow the grass that they eat, so we control the quality of that as well.”
Little Qualicum Cheeseworks has Jersey, Holstein and Brown Swiss cows in their herd, and they produce a high butter fat.
Little Qualicum Cheeseworks whole milk from their grass-fed cows
“The milk we get from them is really creamy and delicious,” she points out. “Milk at the store is a standard 3.25%, but depending on the weather, our butterfat is from 4.4 to 5% so you can really taste that difference. And when we process the milk, all we do is pasteurize. We don’t take any cream off or add anything to it, and it’s just good, whole milk.”
Gorter and Enns were dairy farmers in Manitoba and wanted to get into cheese making, and while on vacation, visited Little Qualicum Cheeseworks, they heard it was for sale, and jumped at the opportunity.
A charcuterie box featuring Little Qualicum Cheeseworks products
“We wanted to show people what good quality milk tastes like, and customers can buy it here at the farm, as opposed to buying it at the store,” she states. “The milk makes the biggest difference in the flavour of the cheese.”
Little Qualicum Cheeseworks Island Brie is their most popular product, followed closely by Mt. Moriarty, a unique raw-milk cheese, and their Hot Jill, which contains chilies.
“We make everything by hand and in small batches, so there’s a lot of love in what we do,” she says, adding their operation runs seven days a week. “Each wheel of Brie is wrapped and packaged by hand.”
Little Qualicum Cheeseworks produces 16 different types of cheese
Chelsea adds that customers are welcome to tour the farm, meet the cows, and can see the processing facility for themselves.
“We have a milking robot they can watch as well, so it’s neat that they can come to see us and buy the products they see us make,” she adds. “People are in awe, as a lot of them have never come to a farm before. They are curious and interested and that’s what we love the most – educating people about where their food comes to them and explain to them what we do and why, so they know how the cheese they’re eating gets to the table.”