Producer Profiles—Cheese & Spirits

Melvyn and Sue Brown began Amaltheia Dairy on Thanksgiving Day 2000. In the spring of 2002 the Browns decided to develop and operate their own cheese facility. They milk about 280 goats and produce 150 gallons of goat milk each day. It takes five pounds of goat milk to make one pound of cheese. The chevre takes about three days to make, and the other cheeses vary, but all are made in small batches and shipped or delivered promptly. Amaltheia Dairy produces chevre (plain and flavored), feta and ricotta cheeses. Amaltheia Dairy sells 17 different products and has the capacity to produce 2,000 pounds of goat cheese a week.

The herbs used to flavor the cheeses are locally grown and organic whenever possible; and the goat cheese product is entirely natural. Amaltheia Dairy uses vegetarian-friendly vegetable rennet only. Amaltheia Dairy is a family run operation. Their son Nathan assists in Sue and Melvyn’s endeavors. The name Amaltheia comes from Greek mythology, referring to the goat that nursed Zeus.