Cream of the Crop
Rock House Creamery gained its current name in 2016 when Rock House Farm purchased a 100-acre dairy in Newborn, Georgia that had been operated by the Johnston family since the 1940s. Today the Kelly family continues to take the same old-fashioned approach to dairy farming, making their delicious creamline milks, ice cream, and artisanal cheeses.
“We are focused on flavor as well as nutrition,” says owner Keith Kelly. Creamline milk is a very natural form of milk. It is pasteurized, but not homogenized. We feel this leads to the best flavor and most nutritional value, and for this reason our milk has a rich creamline top that we’re proud of. But you’ll need to give it a shake before drinking.”
Run by a group of skilled cheese makers and dairy farmers, the creamery specializes in an innovative approach to dairy production that makes their products easily digestible and also gives them a higher nutritional value. But it all begins with the cows themselves.
"The milk they produce goes from the cow to the bottle in 48 hours or less."
If you drive by Rock House Creamery, you’ll likely catch a glimpse of their Jersey-Holstein herd grazing in the pasture. The cows are milked for only 30 minutes per day thanks to modern production conveniences, and spend the rest of their time eating, resting, socializing and drinking plenty of fresh water. The milk they produce goes from the cow to the bottle in 48 hours or less, and can be purchased in their Madison Farmview Market location.
A customer favorite is the gourmet European-style chocolate milk, which has a much more sophisticated flavor than the typical chocolate milk found in grocery stores and gets rave reviews from children and adults alike.
Besides offering whole milks and buttermilk, the creamery also specializes in delicious artisan cheeses endearingly named after family members and popular sites around the area. The Clack’s Chapel is a popular cheddar, along with Nanny Moon’s Gouda and Concord Tomme.
Visit Rock House Creamery!
Rock House Creamery recently partnered with Calyroad, a local micro-creamery started by two sisters trained at the Vermont Institute of Artisan Cheese. Calyroad’s founder Robin Schick has been producing award-winning cow and goat milk cheeses since 2009. Her focus is fresh and semi-fresh cheeses based on traditional French and Italian recipes. With Calyroad joining the family, Rock House Creamery will add goats milk products to their brand of fine cheeses.
Visitors can tour Rock House Creamery for an opportunity to meet the cows and learn about how their milks and cheeses are made, and see first-hand their commitment to carrying on the traditions of sustainable dairy farming to create healthy and inspired products for you to enjoy.