Over the Moon with Organic Cheese

Swish the Swiss Brown

Every now and then you have an experience that is just magical. For me visiting the home of Juliet Bateman and David Schober, halfway between the southwest towns of Albany and Denmark, was one of those special moments.

Funnily enough Tony and I knew Juliet, well before any of us were in the Organics industry. In fact we met because of our common occupations, as Physiotherapists. Years had passed without us seeing one another and then at the WA Food Industry Awards, we met again. Juliet gave us some of her cheese and I have to say, I have never been satisfied with anything else since that day. The company is Over the Moon Organics and let me tell you the name is apt.

After visiting The Over the Moon, farm, milking station and cheese factory, I can see why this is simply the best cheese you will ever taste. Every single component of this operation has been thoroughly researched and planned. There is no short cuts and certainly no cost cuts. What there is a huge amount of is LOVE, for cows, for family and of course, for cheese.

Over the Moon are one of only four cheesmakers in Australia that keep and milk their own herd exclusively for the purpose of making there cheeses. The paddock is only metres away from the milking station (there probably is a more technical term for this!!) and the cheese factory is in the same building, so the milk goes straight from the cow, into the factory, and so the process starts.

But the passion for cheese and cows goes further still. Most cheeses these days seem to be made from any old milk, usually from the cheapest and most productive cows. This isn't always optimal, for many reasons. Different fat and protein contents make certain cows preferable for producing hard cheese and others for soft cheeses.

Juliet and David, decided they wanted to use only the milk that was optimal to produce the best possible cheese. So their hard cheese are made from the milk from Swiss browns, and the soft cheeses from the Jersey cows. All is takes to understand this is to taste the triple Brie. I have been known to finsish a block myself!

Juliet Bateman

It is so wonderful to see a company that has taken every possible avenue to ensure the best tasting cheese but also the best animal welfare and environmental standards. Let me tell you these organic cows seemed pretty happy with their lot and I was absoltutely 'over the moon' while eating far too much of their organic cheese!

Visit www.overthemoonorganics.com.au for more information.