Holland’s Family Cheese: Local & World Class!

The Thorp Courier (Thorp, WI)
April 9, 2008
Transcribed by Dolores Mohr Kenyon

Not possible to be cheesy and world class?  It is if you are an 18-pound wheel of award winning Foenegreek Gouda from Holland’s Family Cheese LLC.

Smile & Say “Cheese”
Pictured are: (L-R) Owner Marieke Penterman and apprentice cheesemaker
David Zakrzewicz of Holland’s Family Cheese LLC holding an
18-pound wheel of award-winning Gouda

The local dairy farm, creamery, and retail store located just outside of Thorp at N13851 Gorman Avenue, was recently awarded with two silver medals in the 2008 World Cheese Championship that took place in Madison.  They competed among 19 other countries, nearly 2000 entries, and some of the large and famous dairy/cheese companies from Holland  that invest millions in their operations. 

Holland’s Family Cheese owner Marieke Penterman compared some of these big companies in Holland to the Land O’ Lakes Company in size.  In the Gouda category, there were 65 different categories.  In the flavored Gouda category, Marieke’s Foenegreek Gouda took silver.  In the aged Gouda category, in which the premium old cheeses to be judged were required to be aged over at least one year, her aged Gouda (that came from the 7th batch) also won silver.

Marieke described her father’s reaction when he realized just how big the World Cheese Championship was from seeing advertisements and news stories in Holland.  “He called me back and said, ‘Yup…you did pretty well!’”

In addition, Holland’s Family Cheese was recently among 20 finalists in the Gallo Golden Medal Awards in New York and are anxiously awaiting the results of this latest competition.  In the past couple weeks; they have been featured on both Channel 13 (Eau Claire) and Channel 9 (Wausau) news.

This is not the first time, though, that this local dairy operation has been in national and world competitions.  In 2007, their Foenegreek Gouda earned a gold medal in the 14th Biennial U. S. Championship Cheese Contest in the Best of Class-Open Class Flavored Semi-soft Cheeses.

Another certificate is mounted in the retail shop at Holland’s Family Cheese.  Surrounded by many cheeses including award-winning Foenegreek and traditional Dutch items and delicacies, is a Certificate of Excellence from the Wisconsin Dairy Industry, which Marieke was presented with on May 22, 2007.

How did a world-class farmhouse creamery that specializes in Old World Dutch cheese, using a Gouda recipe Marieke learned while making cheese in Holland at a “boerenkass” (farmhouse cheese plant), get started in this region of Wisconsin?

She and her husband Rolf came from a 60-cow dairy farm in Holland.  “We knew what farming was, but we didn’t know about the product or marketing end of it,” described Marieke.  Rolf’s brother, Sander, had previously come to the United States in 1999 and worked for a dairy farm near Baldwin, Wisconsin.  When Rolf came over in 2002, he and Sander discovered the dairy farm that now surrounds the cheese creamery, and he and his brother (now partners) went from operating the farm with 380 dairy cows to about 750 cows, at last count.

Marieke came in 2003, and described the motivation and origins of her creamery and retail store.  “After our twin girls were born in February, 2004, we wanted to continue to farm but to also have time with our children,” she explained.  Some one told her about the Dairy Business Innovation Center, an organization that stimulates farmstead products.  She and Rolf got approved, and then Marieke started finding out about how to get a cheese-making license.  “Wisconsin is the only place, over the whole world I think, that requires a cheese-makers license,” she said.

After 1 ½ years taking five courses and an apprenticeship of 240 hours; Marieke earned her Wisconsin cheesemaker’s license.

She also described that upon turning 30, she wanted to do something in her life, a sort of milestone for that time in her life.  Some might start a new exercise routine, take a trip, or change their hairstyle, but Marieke decided to open the creamery and retail store.  “We were also missing the Gouda cheese from home that we grew up with,” she said.  Then days after my birthday on December 18, 2006, we opened Holland’s Family Cheese.  We made our very first batch of Gouda cheese at 3:00 a.m. on November 22, 2006.”  She keeps these milestones in her heart and remembers the exact date and time that they occurred.

Since starting out, their family business has grown and has developed a team of dedicated employees including general manager and salesperson, Connie Szak and at least three apprentice cheesemakers.  “We sell our cheese to distributors throughout the Midwest and are beginning to get nationwide.  “We never expected to grow so quickly,” said Marieke.

Meanwhile, Rolf and Sander are themselves very busy operating the large dairy operation, Penterman Farm.  “Sander is especially busy because is recently engaged to Amy Christman, and they are getting ready for their wedding in May,” Marieke cheerfully stated.

Their dairy operation and creamery are integral family businesses that work hand-in-hand.  Marieke described how Holland’s Family Cheese is one of the only places she is aware of that uses the milk within five hours after it leaves the cow’s body in making their award-winning cheeses.  “The milk travels immediately from the cow through an under-ground pipeline that is connected form the milk house tanks to the cheese plant,” she explained.  “This way, the molecules in the milk are not damaged like they can be when transported in milk trucks.  And, since the milk is used right from the cow and is still warm when we use it, this ensures our cheeses are the freshest, creamiest, and best quality.”

If you would like to visit Holland’s Family Cheese for yourself and try some award-winning, world-class Gouda in 13 different flavors, the store is open Monday-Friday from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. and Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.