A fun and unique way to get to know Southern Idaho is by exploring local territory. Agriculture is a huge part of Idaho’s identity, especially dairies. The southern Idaho region is ranked #3 in the country in dairy production! So, dive into agritourism and learn how the locals live and supply Idaho with their goods. One of our favorite dairy farms to tour is Ballard Cheese! Ballard Cheese is a located in Gooding, where they make artisan cheese right on the farm. Enjoy a day at Ballard Family Dairy & Cheese!
History
Ballard Cheese began its journey as a small dairy in 1995 with only a few calves. They produced award winning milk for years that was rich in taste. After finding success with milk Ballard decided to research cheesemaking. In 2003, they designed and built a cheese facility that you can now tour today. Because of their local success of milk, by 2004 they were producing delicious cheese for the Magic Valley. Currently, you can find their cheese at local stores as well as at Farmer Markets.
Cheese, Please!
The delicious cheese is handmade with 100% Jersey milk. A milk from Jersey cows has a rich butter fat content, resulting in an exceptional flavor and high cheese yield. This is precisely why their cheese is so great! There are no artificial hormones given to the cattle, just a healthy diet and most importantly, love. Cows are treated with the ‘utter’ most respect here because of the Ballard Family. You can even take a selfie with them! They are extremely comfortable with humans, even the baby calves.
Take a tour on the farm to explore the in and outs of how cheese is made. Enjoy watching gallons of cheese curds float around in tubs, and visit the stock room to see all the different kinds of cheeses they make. In their visitor’s room find a variety of locally made goods, and t-shirts with cheese puns! Cheese tasting will be available in the summer of 2021, as well as the perfect partnership between two dairies; Ballard Cheese and Cloverleaf Creamy. Indulge in Cloverleaf’s homemade ice cream at Ballard Family Farm!
“I’ll Take One of Each”
So just how many cheeses does Ballard make? A few of their award winning cheeses are Idaho White Cheddar, How Cow Swiss, Truffle Salt Cheddar, Grilling Cheese, and 6 flavors of cheese curds. They have dozens of other choices all special in their own way, and because of this, Ballard Cheese was the 2013 winner of the U.S Dairy Sustainability Award for Outstanding Achievement in Energy Efficiency. The farm is special in many ways, and we absolutely recommend supporting this kind family.
You can book your tour with Ballard cheese by reaching out to them via phone. 208-420-1576 or email at ballardcheese4u@yahoo.com. Their website is www.ballardcheese.com
Why Visit Gooding?
Gooding, Idaho is a quaint town located about 40 minutes from Twin Falls. The town is full of history, and by driving just a few minutes north you will see just how incredible the area is. There are lava fields all around, sporting tunnels and caves to explore. The Little City of Rocks is an area filled with geological wonders like arches and hoodoos. Gooding is also the gateway to Fairfield where the mountains stand tall and where hot springs can be found. Enjoy your time touring Ballard Family Dairy & Cheese plus exploring the great outdoors of Southern Idaho.
