Ocooch Mountain

Hidden Springs Farm perches atop a beautiful green ridge in the heart of the Coulee on the patchwork terrain of Wisconsin's "Driftless Area" (the area that the glacier skipped). Brenda and Dean Jensen milk a herd of about 100 Lacaune and East Friesian sheep. In keeping with their sustainable financial and environmental vision, they employ Amish neighbors for milking and construction, use Percheron draft horses - not tractors - to plow their fields and use donkeys to keep coyotes and other predators away from their lambs.

This mountain style raw sheep milk cheese is named after the range on which the animals graze seasonally. Aged 3-4 months, it has a natural rind that is washed during aging to promote an intense flavor and a firm, tight texture with tiny eyes. It is slightly granular on the pallet with a nutty flavor that lingers.

2nd Place - Washed Rind Cheeses - Open Category Made from Sheep's Milk or Mixed Milks - 2010 ACS competition

Farm / Company: Hidden Springs

Cheesemaker: Brenda Jensen

Proprietor:

Affineur:

City, State: Westby, Wisconsin

Region: Midwest

Country:

Milk Type: Sheep

Milk Treatment:

Rennet: Vegetarian

Rind: Washed