June 3, 2016
CapitalPress.com
11
Small SE Idaho dairy sees
steady demand for products
STRENGTH SIMPLICITY DEPENDABILITY
By DIANNA TROYER
For the Capital Press
NEW
NEW
Dianna Troyer/For the Capital Press
Phil Christensen fills a returnable glass bottle at the Old Almo
Creamery, a small niche dairy he and his wife, Stephanie, own in
southeastern Idaho.
fresh products.”
The Christensens also sell
raw milk to health food stores
NourishMe in Ketchum and
Nature’s Pantry in Salmon.
“To me, the raw milk tastes
richer and more robust than
what’s sold in a grocery store,”
says Amber Pace, an employee
at Nature’s Pantry. “Customers
say they like the nutritive val-
ue and cream layer because it’s
not homogenized.”
Besides selling their dairy
products, the Christensens
give tours of their business for
field trips, family reunions and
Boy Scout troops.
“People tell us they want
their kids to know where
their food comes from and
want them to see the food
production process from the
cow to the final product,”
Phil says.
As they talk about their
dairy, milk streams steadily
into glass containers that were
once used by Stephanie’s fa-
ther, Kent Durfee.
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Despite rejections from
lenders, Phil and Stephanie
Christensen never gave up
hope of running a small niche
dairy in southeastern Idaho.
“Lenders told us our busi-
ness model wasn’t a proven
market, and it was too risky for
them financially,” says Phil,
while milking Dinner Belle
and 10 other cows at the dairy
where his wife, Stephanie,
grew up near Almo, Idaho.
“We had to come up with
the initial investment our-
selves,” says Phil, “so we
farmed a year with Stephanie’s
dad when hay prices were
strong and put some of that
profit into the dairy.”
They
invested
about
$50,000 to expand the farm’s
original milk parlor. They also
bought cows with Jersey and
Holstein bloodlines, a new
stainless steel storage vat, re-
turnable half-gallon glass bot-
tles and other equipment.
Since opening the Old
Almo Creamery in August
2012 they have cultivated loy-
al customers. With a yield of
400 gallons of milk per week,
the Christensens make and sell
cheeses, ice cream, pasteurized
milk and raw milk at farmers’
markets, restaurants, grocery
stores and health food stores.
“We’ve proven the bankers
wrong because there’s a steady
demand for our products,” Phil
says. “We won’t get rich do-
ing this, but it’s gratifying to
provide quality food and to be
able to raise our family here.”
Justin Kay, manager at
Papa Kelsey’s in Burley, buys
the dairy’s mozzarella, ched-
dar, provolone blend and pep-
per jack cheeses.
“Phil’s cheeses have a
dense texture and rich taste
that gives our sandwiches and
pizza a distinctive flavor,” Kay
says. “We like to support lo-
cal farmers who give us great