Kauffman cheese making is a family affair

Few area residents are aware that there has been a local cheese farm in this area of Missouri for the last six years.

The business is the Oak Ridge Goat Dairy and Creamery: Family Farmstead goat Products. The cheese is produced at the Stoddard County farm of Ennos and Jo Ann Kauffman and their six children. They are one of 23 families who are a part of the Crowley's Ridge Mennonite Community.

The farm operation is truly a family business.

"My wife and I had a dream that we could choose a way of life where we could work together as a family," Ennos Kauffman explained. "We would raise our children with solid Christian principles and family values that would guide them through the rest of their lives."

Jo Ann Kauffman once lived on a family dairy farm, so she was familiar with the process. However, goats were chosen, rather than cattle, for several reasons.

"Goats are very people-friendly animals and easier to manage," said Ennos Kauffman. "This is important to us, because we are raising our children around them. Goat's milk offers many health benefits we have personally experienced. Goat's milk is more easily digested than cow's milk, and people with lactose intolerance can enjoy goat milk products."

Ennos Kauffman admits that their six-year experience in goat-raising has been "tough," because they have been doing it all--running the dairy and milking the goats, processing the milk into cheese, and doing all the marketing.

"My original idea was to sell milk and yogurt," Kauffman explained. "I soon learned that I had to get into cheese-making in order to use my milk."

In the beginning, the Kauffmans made several different types of cheese, but after several unprofitable years, they have determined that the shelf life of many varieties is too short.

"Now we make only cheddar cheese," the Crowley's Ridge farmer said. "Cheddar is much more forgiving and can last several years, if vacuum sealed."

Unfortunately for the local customers who have enjoyed the Kauffman goat cheese, the product will be difficult to buy in the future.

Kauffman relates how he made a crucial business decision.

"After six years with no profits, I was so discouraged. Bills were due. I was driving down from St. Louis, and I prayed, 'Dear Lord, what do I do? Should I give up?' Five minutes later, a person's name came to me. When I got home, I made some phone calls and was able to reach the owner of Milton Creamery in Milton, Iowa. I told him my dilemma, and in three days, he was here. He looked at my operation and gave me ideas on how to 'tweak' the product."

Milton Creamery is a part of a large Mennonite community that extends from Minnesota to Tennessee. The business perspective and morals are in keeping with Kauffman family values.

Since that time, Kauffman has taken all his cheese to Iowa, where Milton Creamery has handled the final aging and distribution to a large area in the northeast. The demand is so great that Kauffman has increased his goat herd and is even considering cutting back on the farmer's markets in this area.

In the past, the family has considered the farmer's markets in Cape Girardeau, Jackson, Sikeston, and Poplar Bluff as their "stay alive" source of income. They broadened their offerings into homemade donuts (to die for!). They cook these delectable delicacies on site and serve them fresh.

"We have a name for our business," reports Jo Ann Kauffman. "It's called 'Grandma's Old-fashioned Donuts.' These days, though, the milking of the goats and cheese-making is keeping us so busy that we'd like to sell the donut business."

The Kauffman children are a big help in the family business, getting up at 6 a.m. and helping with the chores, which they do before breakfast.

The children range in age from age 16 to 3. Micah, the oldest, is 16 and has gone to work off the farm for another business within the Mennonite community. The 15-year old twins, Joshua and Josiah also work off the farm. Katrina, the only girl, is ten and a valuable part of the farmer's market project. Brian, who just turned ten, enjoys taking care of the goats and helping with the milking. Derek is three years old.

The Kauffman goat herd has been increased to 110 in recent years, and Ennos Kauffman expects to increase it to 150-175 eventually, in order to keep up with the demand for the family's "Country Queen" cheddar cheese.

All the Kauffman goats are antibiotic-free and raised naturally.

"We graze them when we can," added Kauffman.

"If we expand any more, we'll have to invite another family in to help us," said Kauffman, who has learned a key business lesson from his goat enterprise:

"I was once told that, if you set your mind to what you want to do, you'll fail. You have to be flexible and make a product that has a demand. You have to sell what the public wants."

In spite of the family's move into what Ennos Kauffman calls a "corporate distribution pattern," they remain true to their faith. Worship is an important part of each day.

After a 7:30 a.m. breakfast, the family has worship and Bible study.

"Derek likes it when we sing!" added Katrina.

"He likes the motion songs," said Ennos.

Though the cheese-making process is hard work, Ennos and Jo Ann Kauffman have remained true to their original plan--to raise their children with "solid Christian principles and family values that would guide them through the rest of their lives."