Exploring Local - Ideal Dairy and Argyle Cheese Farmer

June Dairy Month Celebration

One of our favorite parts of being a local retailer is the opportunity to partner with local producers and farmers. We love to learn more about them and showcase their operations as part of our commitment to education and transparency. June is Dairy Month, and we have the good fortune to be located near many dairy farms and milk processors. Their commitment to animal welfare, state-of-the-art food safety, and the creation of high quality, delicious dairy products support the health of our local food economy and critical food access for our communities. They also ensure those products are available in our stores for you and your family.

Our Market 32 team was invited to visit Ideal Dairy Farm and Argyle Cheese Farmer in Argyle NY, a unique partnership located in scenic Washington County. Jon and Ari, from our Marketing and Design teams, along with Registered Dietitian Ellie Wilson, made their way to the farm and cheese store that is building on generations of family farming and cheese production through partnership, precision science, and persistent pursuit of the highest quality.

Our day started with a tour of the farm – around the barns built for maximum comfort and protection for the 4,000 cows and calves they manage with multigenerational family members and trusted employees. These cows are outfitted with trackers that ensure the cows are living well – eating, moving and resting well, which ensures their health and maximized milk production and quality. They are milked in a large facility that ensures sanitation and comfort is always prioritized. The farm grows some of their food, using modern low tillage practices for crops that complement the feed prescribed by a cow nutrition specialist vet.

Dairy farmers apply science across their operations, and Ideal Dairy has set the bar quite high. Their cows produce milk that contains a specific protein type, termed A2 proteins, which enhance milk digestibility for many people. Most cows produce milk with both A1 and A2 proteins, which is well-liked and enjoyed by children and adults around the world. The discovery that A2 milk may be part of ensuring those that detected some challenges digesting milk could enjoy it without digestive issues is very recent, and research is ongoing.

From the farm we made our way to the Argyle Cheese Farmer store and production facility. This modern operation is based in a former small grocery store, where fourth generation cheesemaker Dave and his wife Margie use the 1,000-gallon vat pasteurizer to set up production of their own cheese varieties, such as the specialty cheeses sold in our stores.

They also produce cheese curd snacks that are part of local school nutrition programs, and whole milk Greek yogurt that supplies local food security organizations. These products, along with milk, flavored milks, yogurt, buttermilk and ricotta cheese, are all New York State Grown and Certified, an independent quality certification that shows their commitment to quality and value. Local farming producing foods that are part of multiple supply chains ensure community connections and food system resilience. Bonus – they have an education area set up to showcase the collaboration history, science, a window into the small plant, and a video station to show those processes to interested groups.

Reflecting after our visit, Ari and Jon shared some of their thoughts about the day. Neither had been to a large dairy farm or production facility before. For Jon, “farming” was a nebulous concept – he was intrigued with how much science went into caring for the cows, and how that directly impacted quality of their life, and the products made from milk. Ari has a little more family history with cows and horses, but found the whole experience of the day made him realize how highly educated farmers and their teams must be to ensure the cows and farm operations are always well-maintained. He also noted the connection between quality support and culinary applications for the farm products.

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Written by our friends at the American Dairy Association

National Dairy Month is celebrated annually during June to recognize the contributions of the dairy industry and the hardworking dairy farmers behind the milk and dairy products making it to your grocery store shelves every day. This year, we want to focus on real milk and yogurt tubs to make a delicious, filling smoothie. What better time for an ice cold drink than summertime?

A smoothie made with real, wholesome milk or yogurt is a delicious way to get high-quality protein and other essential nutrients that your body needs to help fuel your day.

Use Real Dairy as the base of the smoothie.

  • Milk makes an excellent base for any smoothie. Milk has a significant amount of protein as well as a powerful package of 13 essential nutrients including calcium, protein, phosphorus, vitamin D, vitamin A, and several B vitamins. Add more or less milk depending on how thick you like your smoothie.
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  • Yogurt also makes a great base for a smoothie. Yogurt is another excellent source of protein and 9 essential nutrients. Most yogurts are made with live and active cultures, and some also provide probiotics – or good bacteria – that may help maintain digestive health, boost immunity, fight infection and protect against diseases.

Are you a dairy lover interested in learning more about the history of Dairy Month? Check out more here

Where does your milk come from?

Click here to meet dairy farming families in the Northeast.

Click here to meet dairy farming families in New England.

Learn more about dairy farming in the Northeast at AmericanDairy.com and in New England at NewEnglandDairy.com

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Ellie Wilson

MS, RDN, CDN

June is National Dairy Month, and we have a lot of delicious and nutritious ways to celebrate with you all month long! As a registered dietitian-nutritionist, and a dairy lover, I am very sure dairy is the real deal – wholesome, versatile and a culinary champion used in an amazing variety of foods and recipes. To kick off this celebration, we have some great smoothie recipes to share! They are the perfect way to pack the benefits of Real Dairy into an easy-to-enjoy treat!

Fueling up with the full package of 13 nutrients milk adds to your glass is a great way to honor the hard work of the farmers that ensure it is available to you and your family every day. Those nutrients include calcium, phosphorous and B vitamins, which support bone strength and energy metabolism. Milk is a good source of high-quality protein, and contains Vitamin A, Vitamin D, and zinc. Together they help build immunity, support healing, and help grow and protect muscles. Traditional and Greek yogurt are made with live cultures and contain some probiotics, which improve gut health. So many benefits!   

Greek yogurt is thick and creamy, its satisfying texture delivered by straining some of the liquid whey, resulting in higher protein content and lower lactose and calcium. You can use milk and Greek yogurt in your Real Dairy Smoothie, and change the recipe amounts to taste if you like! 

We celebrate throughout National Dairy Month – add these ideas to your calendar and join in the fun all month long!

June 1 – World Milk Day – Lift your Glass!

June 4th – Cheese Day

June 7th – Choc Ice Cream Day

June 14th – Strawberry Shortcake Day

June 20th – Milkshake Day

June 20th – Ice Cream Soda Day

June 21 – Smoothie Day

June 25th – Strawberry Parfait Day – (could be a yogurt and strawberry parfait)

June 27th Ice Cream Cake Day

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PLANT1At Price Chopper and Market 32, we know one thing – making sure we have the best quality foods in our own brands brings value and enjoyment to our customers and communities. In business over 80 years, we also know that working with our local agricultural producers is a great way to deliver on that promise, and our PICS long process, naturally aged, award winning cheddar is a great example.   pics new york extra sharp cheddar cheese Did you know – the most popular cheese in America is cheddar? This spring, with friends from the American Dairy Association Northeast, I visited the cheese makers that create this wonderful cheese, and saw firsthand how hard they work to make it. We partner with Great Lakes Cheese Company, located in Adams, NY, in the heart of New York dairy country. They have been here over 40 years, and are committed to the New York North Country, so much so that they doubled production capacity in 2009. Experts that have crafted their process over time, they make several types here – mild, sharp, and extra sharp New York cheddar cheese to name a few. They also process the whey portion as part of sustainability efforts and for new product ingredient markets.   John Jennings, Plant Manager for over 40 years, and Nathan Pistner, Assistant Plant Manager, were proud to show us the inner workings of this modern facility, and most proud of their 122 employees. There is a lot of workmanship in this cheese – over 300 years of combined expertise on first shift alone!   cow1 By the numbers, they receive 2,500,000 pounds of high quality milk from local dairy farms like Murcrest Farms per day, which becomes over 87 million pounds of cheese per year. (Cheese heaven?!) The farms they work with must meet high standards for cow care. Like the farms, this is a 24- hour, 365 days per year operation – cows don’t take any days off. They use natural ingredients, and move the cheese through the process using air, to protect the curd integrity and texture. These steps ensure a premium, reliable, delicious cheese on your table every time! The tour showed us all of the work and time that goes into making this cheddar – there are quality tests built into every step, and they continue throughout the entire year of aging. Once they have the cheese in production, and process the whey, they turn the remaining liquid back into clean water that helps keep the plant clean – another sustainability process they are very committed to. Tradition and technology are part of making sure they are serving their own communities and partners well. You will be sure to enjoy these wonderful cheddars, as a great snack, or as part of a new recipe – check out the links below for some delicious ideas! https://www.pricechopper.com/recipes/7865/Jalapeno-Cheddar-Cheese-Corn-Muffins https://www.pricechopper.com/recipes/14338/Mini-Apple-Pies-with-Cheddar https://www.pricechopper.com/recipes/10988/Cheddar-Stuffed-Mini-Meatloaves-with-Chipotle-Glaze  – this would be a great stuffed burger, too! — Ellie Wilson, MS, RDN Senior Nutritionist   Ellie Wilson, MS, RDN  Senior Nutritionist Dairy farming is New York State’s primary agricultural industry. It is a tight knit community, and encompasses more than the farm families – dairy milk haulers, the tireless truckers that move milk from farm to plant, are also an integral and symbiotic part of this landscape. Husted Trucking, based a few miles from Terry’s farm, picks milk up from about 200 farms across a 50 mile radius. Thirty-two trucks and experienced drivers maintain this lifeline connection to plants and processors, with Chobani receiving a lion’s share of local milk. As part of our day, we met the company’s second generation owners, David and Penny. Their son, the third generation, is on the runway, working in the office while we learn more about their operation. milk cansDavid started working with his father hauling milk cans in 1953. Like farming, milk transportation gets no days off – no weekends, no weather can interrupt the schedule. Dairy farms are located on narrow, uneven back roads – drivers must be dedicated and very skilled, navigating through rain, sleet or snow. Drivers are also part of the quality and safety team – every milk load is tested. Drivers take samples from the farm holding tank, and the milk is tested again before it enters the plant to be sure there is no quality issue. The management team works with brokers to direct and deliver fresh milk orders that change daily. The trucks take milk to the plants, and the leftover whey back to the farms – a sustainable circle that promotes land and animal health. The truck are washed and sanitized after they deliver the milk to the plant. The whole system is regularly inspected– local, state and federal agencies all have a role. Regionally, farms collectively manage their food safety and must pass all inspections or they lose their market – their ability to sell their milk. All of these regulatory requirements ensure a safe supply chain from cow-to-cup. Commitment and collaboration rise like cream to the top of this discussion – David’s dedication to his team, longstanding working relationship and friendship with Terry, andTerryandDavid pride in their company’s heritage and role are evident. The boxes are always checked, the additional work done, the extra mile driven to protect their cargo and deliver it safely and efficiently to its destination. Three cups of milk make one cup of Greek yogurt. To highlight this part of our tour, we have some wonderful recipes to sip (or slurp!) and transform Greek yogurt into a delicious smoothie. Check them out, and tell us which one is your favorite! Pack a delicious, protein punch – substitute Greek yogurt in recipes and power up taste and nutrition. Check the blog next week for the rest of our Greek yogurt tour with Chobani! https://www.pricechopper.com/recipes/9177/Cranberry-Berry-Smoothie http://www.chobani.com/culture/recipes/berry-banana-smoothie/ http://www.chobani.com/culture/recipes/mango-liquados/ http://www.chobani.com/culture/recipes/pina-colada-simply-100-smoothie/ http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/pineapple_green_smoothie.html http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/strawberry_banana_protein_smoothie.html
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©Mitch Wojnarowicz Photographer Ives farm Bainbridge NY and Chobani plant tour, New Berlin NY for American Dairy Association (ADA) Client is solely responsible for securing any necessary releases, clearances or permissions prior to using this image. 20160517 Not a royalty free image. COPYRIGHT PROTECTED www.mitchw.com 518 843 0414_mitch@mitchw.com ANY USE REQUIRES A WRITTEN LICENSE

Ellie Wilson, MS, RDN  Senior Nutritionist Price Chopper and Market 32 are again partnering with Garelick Farms, American Dairy Association and Dairy Council, New England Dairy Council, Feeding America and regional food banks to promote the Great American Milk Drive. From June 1st through June 30th, you can help us bring delicious, nutritious milk to families and individuals in need in your community! It is so easy to make a difference – donate $1 or $5 at the register each time you check out – we will match all donations up to $10,000! Milk is a great way to make any meal or snack more nutritious, and is also easy and familiar – even picky kids like milk! The Great American Milk Drive helps us ensure children get easy access to milk over the summer and other times of the year – an easy, effective way to provide crucial nutrients in a natural, wholesome and familiar food. Win Win!! In New York, Pennsylvania and New England, we have the added benefit of promoting local food when we promote milk – it is only 48 hours from cow to cup. Local dairy farmers work hard to bring great quality and nutrition to the table, especially for our most vulnerable individuals. Join us and make this year’s Great American Milk Drive the best year yet!greatamericanmilkdrive_FB post_copy