In 1989, Dave and Florence Minar made the decision to grass feed the cows on their dairy farm. Three years later, the Minars began bottling organic milk. Now, Cedar Summit Dairy in New Prague, Minn., is a highly successful, on-farm creamery that offers a variety of organic products. To celebrate their 10th anniversary, Cedar Summit will host a Milkapalooza from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. on June 23 at the farm at 25830 Drexel Avenue in New Prague.
“Ten years ago we knew a lot about farming and grazing, and we learned quickly about bottling milk. What we didn’t realize was what an impact we would have on our community and the environment around us,” Cedar Summit says in its announcement of the event. “[Our customers] told us over and over – this is how milk should taste – and this is what makes us eager to jump out of bed early every morning.”
Over the years, Cedar Summit has turned to the Agricultural Utilization Research Institute (AURI) for a variety of assistance in the development of their value-added products, such as nutritional analysis and labeling as well as some funding for product development.
Cedar Summit sells its organic, grass-fed milk and cream products on their farm and in about 50 food cooperatives and natural food stores. Their organic milk is known for their high levels of Omega 3 and Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA), which are considered beneficial essential fatty acids.
For more information on Cedar Summit or the Milkapalooza, visit www.cedarsummit.com.