About Ropp Jersey Cheese

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For nearly as long as there has been a fair state of Illinois, the Ropp family has known to cherish the land’s fruitful agriculture and nurture it into wholesome products. Ever-dedicated to maintaining the integrity of the local landscape, our operations continue to seek ways to make the most of our resources with the greatest respect, minimal waste, and the highest quality product.

The family’s seventh generation continues to refine its craft from a small multiple-commodity operation, to an expanded dairy operation featuring heralded Jersey Cows, to an on-site cheese production facility.

Consistent throughout the Ropp farming history is a vision for making the most of the family resources.

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Ropp  Jersey Cows

The romance of a butterscotch-coated calf suckling in an alfalfa field full of purple blooms could be enough to endear even the most uninformed observer to the beauty of the breed. More practically, the Ropp Family has embraced the breed from a responsible production and sustainability strategy. The Jersey cow is quite small, ranging from only 800 to 1,200 pounds. Jerseys give us the ability to carry a larger number of effective milking cows per unit area due to lower body weight.

What makes this species particularly intriguing is that, while small in stature, this breed provides:

• A higher ratio dairy yield of 4.84% butterfat and 3.95% protein

• The ability to thrive on locally produced feed

“The sole office of the Jersey cow, broadly speaking, is to produce the largest possible amount of rich and highly colored cream from a given amount of food.” – Jersey Herd Register Vol 1, 1871

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About some of the cheeses:

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BLUE: The blue cheese has a piquant, full, earthy flavor and a firm, crumbly texture.

 

CHEDDAR: Cheddar is the hallmark item. It is a relatively hard, pale yellow to off-white, and sometimes sharp-tasting natural cheese. In addition to our signature white, we offer a wide array of cheddar varieties. The most popular flavors include bacon horseradish, dill, green onion, and tomato basil garlic.

 

COLBY: Colby is a soft, lacy textured cheese with high moisture content and mild flavor similar to a young cheddar.

 

CURDS: Cheese curds are the squeaky, salty nuggets born early in the cheese process. They are the perfect snack raw or deep-fried to golden perfection.

 

GOUDA: Rich and buttery with a slightly sweet flavor, our Gouda has a smooth, creamy texture and develops a complex caramel flavor and a firmer texture when aged or smoked.

 

PEPPERJACK: A perfect creamy melting cheese, our pepperjack is studded with bits of jalapeño and habanero.

 

SPREAD: This top seller begins with a mild Colby and is enhanced with a hint of garlic and horseradish in a smooth blend.

 

SWISS: A medium-hard salty cheese, Ropp Swiss cheese is a favorite among our culinary friends.