Mass-produced, processed cheese is partially not even cheese at all. Nearly half of it is cut with salt, food dyes, preservatives, emulsifiers, and other artificial ingredients to extend its shelf-life, change its texture, and significantly cut its cost. On top of that, the milk often comes from factory farms, where dairy cows are mistreated and given growth hormones to increase milk production, which ultimately requires higher levels of antibiotics.
Chaseholm Farm is a working dairy farm with an on-site creamery in the Hudson Valley. They're a third-generation, sibling-run family farm – Sarah manages the dairy herd and their grazing lands, while Rory turns the milk the cows produce into delicious cheeses. They work to create active and healthy soil microbiology so that soil can support healthy plants that can be grazed by cows. Their increasing understanding of soil biology gives us hope that agriculture can be regenerative, instead of merely sustainable.
Local Roots meat is handled with care and you can taste it. There are no preservatives, nitrates or funky chemicals. It's super fresh.
Jenn de la Vega.
Chef & Cookbook author