Illinois Dairy is Udderly Delicious!

June is National Dairy month, and although dairy is worth celebrating every month, we use the month of June to highlight Illinois farms that are working hard to make local (and udderly delicious) dairy products available to consumers. 

From kefir to curds, cow milk to goat milk, Illinois dairy producers are making a name for themselves through their dedication to fresh, high quality dairy. If you’re looking to buy some of the most delicious dairy products around, look no further than these fabulous farms, many of which are located just down the road from where you live: Rocky Road Dairy, All Grass Farms, Rolling Lawns Farms, Ropp Jersey Cheese, and Prairie Fruits Farm and Creamery.

Rocky Road Dairy | Udderly delicious yogurt

The Snow Family of Mulberry Grove, located in the southern Illinois county of Bond, started with three Brown Swiss Cows in 1984, and have evolved over time to become a 312 acre certified organic farm featuring 100% grass fed cows. 

“At Rocky Road Dairy there is a relentless dedication to excellence that you can taste in our products!” is what their website says, and their customers agree. One customer shares they’re “hooked on the black raspberry yogurt” while another exclaimed “the kefir has helped with their inflammation”. No matter the product, the quality and care the Snow Family puts into their herd is obvious. If you’re not in southern Illinois, you can still enjoy the delicious cow-based dairy of Rocky Road Dairy. Their products are now available at Harvest Market in Springfield, the Local Products Expo in Springfield, and various farmers market appearances.

Learn more about Rocky Road Dairy products, and where you can go to purchase and enjoy them at their website.

All Grass Farms | Udderly delicious milk and yogurt

All Grass Farms, located in Dundee, is a diversified “pasture farm” that provides customers in the Chicagoland area with grass-fed yogurt, milk, meat, and so much more! The farms’ milk comes from their purebred Guernsey cows that are rotationally pasture grazed all day, every day, during the spring, summer, and fall months.

Be sure to check out their website and Buy Fresh Buy Local Illinois listing for more information!  Buy Fresh Buy Local Illinois listing for more information!

Rolling Lawns Farm | Udderly delicious dairy store

The Rolling Lawns Farm’s’ Milk House, located in the southwest Illinois community of Greenville, is a popular field trip destination for central school children in downstate Illinois, but the fun should not have to stop with the kids! If you’re looking for an in-state summer adventure, a roadtrip to the Milk House is a special treat! 

Michael Turley, the owner, is a fourth generation family farmer, investing their time and talents into their 111+ year old family farm. “Each cow is loved and cared for in such a way that only a small farm can truly achieve.” This is exactly what makes their product udderly delicious. The dairy store offers up everything from ice cream to (seasonal) eggnog, a variety of milk options, and other fun treats. Pro tip: try their chocolate milk or a scoop (or two or three!) of their super premium ice cream flavors.

Learn more about Rolling Lawns Farm by following them on Facebook and Instagram. 

Ropp Jersey Cheese | Udderly delicious cheese

Normal, Illinois is the home to Ropp Jersey Cheese, a delicious dairy that has been in business since 1967. Ropp’s high-quality cheeses are carefully crafted on-site by their talented cheesemakers, using a secret ingredient… their farm-fresh milk! Well, perhaps the ingredient isn’t so secret, as visitors to the farm are welcomed to take a stroll through their cow barn to visit some of their happy cows.

“At Ropp Jersey Cheese, we believe farm-to-fork is best for the environment and the consumer. As a family owned, seventh generation farm, we strive for excellence in both our process and our product.”

In addition to visiting the McClean County farm, customers can watch the cheesemakers through a viewing window that looks directly into the manufacturing plant! Then, they can move onto the store where all of their cheese is available for purchase, as well as other tasty treats. You can also order their products online, and ship them across the country to family and friends who aren’t lucky enough to live in Illinois to enjoy these udderly delicious cheeses on-site.

Learn more about Ropp Jersey Cheese at their website, and be sure to try their famous and delectably creamy natural white cheddar if you have the chance! It’s worth the drive to Normal!

Prairie Fruits Farm and Creamery | Udderly delicious goat cheese

You are what you eat… or at least that’s what the Prairie Fruits Farm and Creamery website says! The folks at this Champaign County award-winning creamery know a thing or two about quality, and that is directly reflected in their exceptional goat milk. Prairie Fruits Farm and Creamery raises a herd of La Mancha, Nubian, and Nubian X La Mancha, all according to the strict standards of Animal Welfare Approved by “A Greener World”. It is considered the “gold standard” certification for livestock production. 

The hard work put into their herd is what you can taste when you enjoy their cheese. Fleur de la Prairie, one of their award-winning cheeses, is a seasonal Geotrichum candidum rind bloomy rind. It’s decorated with beautiful dried herbs and edible flowers from the farm’s garden and a local flower farm. It’s ALMOST too pretty to eat. If you’re new to goat cheese, try the Chevre Fraise, another award-winning cheese that is available year-round and available in four udderly delicious flavors: plain, herbs de Provence, Everything Bagel Seasoning, and cracked pepper. These two cheeses, however, are just a sampling of the many offered at Prairie Fruits Farm and Creamery. And the fun doesn’t stop there! The farm also hosts farm-to-table dinners, numerous on-farm events, a farm club, and a CSA (community supported agriculture). 

Learn more about Prairie Fruits Farm and Creamery and if you can’t make it to central Illinois, find locations to purchase their cheese or have it shipped directly to your doorstep by visiting their online store.

Get Listed with Buy Fresh Buy Local Illinois

Are you a farm, farmers market, farm-to-table restaurant, or grocery store that sells local products purchased directly from local farms? Get listed in Illinois’ most trusted guide to local food. Your listing is absolutely free. Buy Fresh Buy Local Illinois is a local foods marketing project led by a coalition of organizations across the state working to promote local farms and food businesses like yours. Get listed and start reaching new customers today!