Achadinha Cheese Co.
History: Owned by Jim and Donna Pacheco of Pacheco Family Dairy. Established in 1955 in Bodega Bay then relocated to Petaluma in 1969 by Jim’s father. Made first cheese in 2001.
Cheeses: Goat and goat/cow’s milk blend
Public tours: No
Where available: Petaluma Market, Big John’s Market and numerous farmers markets
Cheesemaker: Donna Pacheco
Website: achadinha.com
Interesting fact: Goats eat grains from local breweries
Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Co.
History: Dairyman Bob Giacomini began milking cows at his Point Reyes dairy in 1959. With the help of his wife and four daughters, they began producing blue cheese in 2000 on the family ranch.
Cheeses: Cow’s milk (blue cheese and toma); mozzarella in development
Public tours: By appointment
Where available: Widely available
Cheesemaker: Jakub “Kuba” Hemmerling
Website: http://pointreyescheese.com
Interesting fact: Manure from the dairy goes into a methane digester, which provides power back to the creamery and dairy
Barinaga Ranch
History: The Barinaga family has been sheep-ranching in America for more than a century. Cheesemaker Marcia Barinaga left a career as a science reporter to pursue cheesemaking when she and her husband, Corey Goodman, moved to Marshall.
Cheeses: Sheep’s milk
Public tours: No
Where available: Tomales Bay Foods (Point Reyes Station), Raymond and Co. (Glen Ellen) and the Cheese Shop (Healdsburg)
Cheesemaker: Marcia Barinaga
Website: http://barinagaranch.com
Interesting fact: Txiki, one of Barinaga’s two cheeses, means “little” in Basque
Weirauch Farm & Creamery
History: Joel and Carleen Weirauch began making cheese commercially last year. They make cow’s milk cheese, but will offer sheep’s milk cheese this summer.
Cheeses: Cow’s milk
Public tours: No
Where available: Sebastopol and San Rafael farmers markets, Oliver’s markets and the Epicurean Connection (Sonoma)
Cheesemaker: Joel Weirauch
Website: weirauchfarm.com
Interesting fact: The creamery was built out of a surplus portable classroom
Ramini Mozzarella
History: Software engineer Craig Ramini decided to become a cheesemaker and is currently tending a small but growing herd of water buffalo in Tomales
Cheeses: Buffalo’s milk mozzarella; available this summer in limited quantities
Public tours: No
Where available: Not yet available
Cheesemaker: Craig Ramini
Website: raminimozzarella.com
Interesting fact: The butterfat content of buffalo milk is about 9 percent; cow milk butterfat is about 4 percent
North Bay Curds & Whey
History: Cheesemaker Alissa Shethar learned to make cheese at Three SHepherds, and released her first cheese in 2011. She now makes cheese at Ramini Mozzarella’s quasi cooperative. Most hard cheeses are made from raw Jersey cow milk from Taverna Dairy in Petaluma or raw sheep milk from Black Oaks Sheep Dairy in Sebastopol. Fresh cheeses are made from Straus Family Creamery milk.
Cheeses: Cow, goat and sheep’s milk
Public tours: No
Where available: East Bay Farmers Markets, the Epicurean Connection
Cheesemaker: Alissa Shethar
Website: http://northbaycheese.net
Interesting fact: The hot air balloon on the label is inspired by the balloons that fly over Napa and Sonoma counties
Bodega Artisan Cheese
History: Founded by Patty Karlin in 1984, Bodega Artisan Cheese is one of Sonoma County’s oldest goat cheese makers
Cheeses: Goat’s milk
Public tours: By appointment
Where available: Laguna Farm, Bodega Country Store and the Valley Ford Store
Cheesemaker: Patty Karlin
Website: bodegaartisancheese.com
Interesting fact: Bodega Artisan Cheese’s goat ranch and creamery are for sale
Bleating Heart
History: Bleating Heart began in 2009 when there were only four licensed sheep dairies in the state
Cheeses: Sheep’s milk
Public tours: No
Where available: Tomales Bay Foods (Point Reyes Station), the Epicurean Connection (Sonoma) and the Cheese Shop (Healdsburg)
Cheesemaker: Sheana Doughty
Website: bleatingheart.com
Interesting fact: Bleating Heart’s 120-square-foot milk-processing facility is the smallest in the state
Cowgirl Creamery
History: Started by friends Sue Conley and Peggy Smith in 1997 in Point Reyes Station
Cheeses: Cow’s milk
Public tours: Wednesdays by appointment
Where available: Tomales Bay Foods, Whole Foods and online
Cheesemaker: Maureen Cunnie
Website: cowgirlcreamery.com
Interesting fact: Most cheeses are made with Straus Family Dairy milk
Epicurean Connection
History: Cheesemaker Sheana Davis mentored under the late Ig Vella, former cheesemaker for Sonoma’s Vella Cheese Co.
Cheeses: Cow’s milk
Public tours: No
Where available: The Epicurean Connection (Sonoma) and Sonoma Valley Farmers Market
Cheesemaker: Sheana Davis
Website: theepicureanconnection.com
Interesting fact: Ig Vella’s cheese knife hangs in Davis’ store
Marin French Cheese Co.
History: The Marin French Cheese Company has produced cheese in the same location in Petaluma since 1865. It began when the company produced fresh cheese for the San Francisco market. With the end of California’s Gold Rush, disillusioned would-be miners poured back in to San Francisco, which in turn created a shortage of eggs. Marin Cheese French Co. sold its cheese as an egg substitute. The company was sold to Rians, a French cheese conglomerate, in 2011.
Cheeses: Soft, ripened cow’s milk
Public tours: Yes
Where available: Widely available
Cheesemaker: Alex Borgo
Website: marinfrenchcheese.com
Interesting fact: America’s oldest cheesemaker
Valley Ford Cheese Co.
History: Owner Karen Bianchi-Moreda’s great-grandparents immigrated from Switzerland in the late 1890s and settled in Marin County. The other side of the family immigrated from Northern Italy. They bought the Jersey Dairy Ranch in Valley Ford.
Cheeses: Cow’s milk
Public tours: By appointment
Where available: Farmers markets (Petaluma, Cotati, Healdsburg), restaurants and Oliver’s Market, Pacific Market, Petaluma Market and other small stores
Cheesemaker: Joe Moreda Jr. (Karen Bianchi-Moreda’s son)
Website: valleyfordcheeseco.com
Interesting fact: Parts of the movie The Birds were filmed on the dairy. The scene in the movie where the guy’s eyes are poked out was filmed in what was Bianci-Moreda’s father’s bedroom before that.
Andante Dairy
History: Established in 1999 in Petaluma
Cheeses: Organic Jersey cow’s milk, goat and sheep’s milk
Public tours: Closed to the public
Where available: San Francisco Ferry Plaza, Oliver’s Market, Whole Foods (Mill Valley) and the Cheese Shop (Healdsburg). Restaurants include the French Laundry, Cyrus and Willie’s Wine Bar.
Cheesemaker: Souyoung Scanlan
Website: andantedairy.com
Interesting fact: All cheeses are named after classical music terms
Goat’s Leap
History: Rex and Barbara Backus moved from Los Angeles north to Napa Valley in 1972. They got tiny-eared La Mancha goats for grazing, milk and entertainment, and in 1992 became licensed cheesemakers.
Cheeses: Goat’s milk
Public tours: No
Where available: Terra Restaurant (St. Helena)
Cheesemakers: Rex and Barbara Backus
Website: goatsleap.com
Interesting fact: Only cheese manufacturer in Napa County.
Bellwether Farms
History: Former nurse Cindy Callahan founded Bellwether Farms in 1986
Cheeses: Cow and sheep’s milk
Public tours: No
Where available: Tomales Bay Foods (Point Reyes Station), Whole Foods, Pacific Market (Sebastopol and Santa Rosa) and Oliver’s Market
Cheesemaker: Liam Callahan
Website: bellwethercheese.com
Interesting fact: Callahan first got sheep as a way of keeping the weeds mowed
Bohemian Creamery
History: Bohemian Creamery is the creation of Lisa Gottreich and Miriam Block, who recently decided to break out of their midlife molds and fill new ones with innovative and compelling cheeses
Cheeses: Goat, cow and sheep’s milk
Public tours: No
Where available: The Cheese Shop (Healdsburg), Sonoma Wine Shop (Sebastopol), Paradise Foods (Corte Madera) and Whole Foods
Cheesemakers: Lisa Gottreich and Miriam Block
Website: bohemiancreamery.com
Interesting fact: The creamery makes a cheese covered in cacao nibs
Laura Chenel
History: Started in the late 1970s by Laura Chenel on a small Sebastopol farm. Its current home is the renovated Stornetta Dairy. Laura Chenel was sold in 2006 to Rian’s Group, a French cheese corporation.
Cheeses: Goat’s milk
Public tours: No
Where available: Widely available
Cheesemaker: Rians Group
Website: laurachenel.com
Interesting fact: Former owner Laura Chenel was once a waitress at a restaurant where Cowgirl Creamy co-owner Peggy Smith worked as cook
Matos Cheese Factory
History: The Matos family are fifth-generation Portuguese cheesemakers originally from the island of Sao Jorge in the Azores
Cheeses: Cow’s milk
Public tours: Yes
Where Available: Tomales Bay Foods (Point Reyes Station) and the creamery
Cheesemakers: Joe and Mary Matos and daughter Sylvia
Website: None
Interesting fact: St. George cheese is named after the island of Sao Jorge
Toluma Farms
History: Founded by Tamara Hicks and husband David Jablons in 2003
Cheeses: Goat’s milk
Public tours: Yes. Email in advance for reservations.
Where available: Plan to have first cheeses out spring 2012
Cheesemaker: Anne Marie Vanderdreissche
Website: tolumafarms.com
Interesting fact: The goat herd includes Nubians, Saanens, Alpines, La Manchas and Oberhaslis
Redwood Hill
History: In 1978, Jennifer Lynn Bice assumed ownership of Redwood Hill Farm and Creamery, the family farm and a goat dairy her parents started in Sonoma County in 1968. Along with her late husband, Steven Schack, she expanded the business to produce a greater variety of goat’s milk products and diversified the goat-breeding program.
Cheeses: Goat’s milk
Public tours: May 12–13 and June 9–10, 11am–3pm
Where available: Widely available
Cheesemaker: Jennifer Bice
Website: redwoodhill.com
Interesting fact: The creamery is solar powered
Nicasio Valley Cheese Company
History: The creamery is housed in a remodeled milking barn last used for that purpose in 1964
Cheeses: One hundred percent organic cow’s milk from Lafranchi Ranch
Public tours: Mini tours daily as time allows. The creamery store doubles as a viewing area of the cheesemaking operation.
Where available: Widely available
Cheesemaker: Scott Lafranchi
Website: nicasiocheese.com
Interesting fact: Cheeses are American versions of classic Swiss Italian varieties
Two Rock Valley Goat Cheese
History: In 2005, Bonnie DeBernardi was given a few goats to keep her dairy cows company. With more milk than the family could drink, they began making hard, raw goat cheese in the style of the Swiss Alps.
Cheeses: Goat’s milk
Public tours: Yes. Call ahead.
Where available: Santa Rosa and Petaluma farmers markets, and Pacific Market and Fircrest in Sebastopol
Cheesemaker: Don DeBernardi
Website: None
Interesting fact: Two Rock is named after a small community in West Sonoma County
Vella Cheese
History: Founded in 1931 by Gaetano “Tom” Vella
Cheeses: Cow’s milk from Merten’s dairy
Public tours: No
Where Available: Widely available
Cheesemakers: Vella family
Website: vellacheese.com
Interesting fact: First solar-powered business in Sonoma County
Petaluma Creamery/Spring Hill Creamery
History: Founded in 1913
Cheeses: Cow’s milk
Public tours: Make reservations
Where available: Widely available
Cheesemaker: Larry Peters
Website: None
Interesting fact: The Petaluma Creamery store sells 25 varieties of local and imported cheese
