High in Protein
Sheep milk is high in total solids, and especially high in protein. This means our Verano is a higher protein, lower fat cheese. In fact it is the equivalent in fat content to low-fat cheddar.
Easy to Digest
Because sheep's milk is naturally hom*ogenized it does not separate into milk and cream. With a very different protein and fat structure than cow's milk, our cheese is often acceptable to people who have trouble digesting cow's milk cheese. Many of our customers order our cheese because they have allergies or have gone through Lyme's Disease or other illnesses that have made it difficult for them to consume cow milk cheeses.
Good for Cholestrol
Our sheep only produce milk when they are grazing on pasture. This means their milk and cheese is much higher in cholesterol lowering fats than if they were eating processed or preserved feed. In particular, the sheep milk and cheese is high in omega 3 fatty acids (beneficial fatty acids) - similar to the fatty acids found in fish. Also, the cheese has a high level of vitamins A. E and antioxidants, as well as high levels of CLA's (conjugated linolenic acids).
Health of the Environment
We use a practice called "intensive rotational grazing." This means that we move our sheep to a new pasture very frequently. For the milkers we move them every twelve hours - that is every time we milk them. The lambs we move once a day. This practice is beneficial to the sheep and to the environment. The sheep are always getting the "grass that is greener on the other side of the fence" - that is, the grass that is fresh and not soiled by manure. And for the environment, rotational grazing creates a thick sod, builds soil fertility, and eliminates erosion that can be caused by over grazing. A few years ago researchers came to our farm from the US Agricultural Research Station in Beltsville Maryland. They identified all the pasture species in just one ten foot by ten foot square, and they found 65 different species - grasses, clovers, and herbs.
We also use solar panels to power our farm. The 28 KW solar system we have on our farm provides all the electricity we need - for milking, cheesemaking, the office, and the houses.
In 2002 and 2006 our farm won awards for its work towards environmental conservation.
