Yesterday my husband and I ventured just a few miles from our home in Rogue River, Ore., to visit a treasure in our valley: Pholia Farm. Named after Vern and Gianaclis Caldwell’s two daughters, Phoebe and Amelia, the farm is home to a herd of Nigerian dwarf dairy goats who produce the milk which goes into Gianaclis’ amazing handcrafted raw-milk aged cheeses.

 It was a chilly but bright, sunny morning as we were greeted by Gianaclis’ mother in the tasting room, housed in the large building which also encompasses the indoor pens, milking parlor, cheesemaking production and aging rooms. The land on which the farm sits has been in the family for three generations, but the Caldwells have only been selling their cheese for the last three years or so. We were introduced to 15-year-old Amelia, a delightful young lady who gave us a tour of the operation and information about the goats and the cheesemaking process. It was Amelia’s 4-H project begun several years ago that has led the entire family to today’s production of artisanal cheeses.

The farm operates entirely off-grid, with electricity provided by solar panels and a micro-hydro turbine powered by the seasonal creek that runs through the property. Clearly the Caldwells have made deliberate choices to develop a sustainable business and lifestyle. The goats browse on natural forage daily supplemented by locally grown hay; and the milking does eat wet brewers grain, procured from Wild River Brewery just up the road in Grants Pass (which also provides ales used in the production of some of the cheeses). Elk, deer, foxes, wild turkeys and the occasional bear or cougar wander through the property, but the herd is ably protected by three beautiful Anatolian shepherds, a breed developed over the centuries to serve as livestock guardians living day and night alongside their charges. Retired milkers and kids that won’t be used to sustain the herd are adopted out as pets. In addition to producing fantastic cheeses (and goat-milk soaps), Gianaclis offers cheesemaking classes, and the farm’s Web site provides a wealth of information on cheesemaking and goat-raising.

All of the attention to detail and love and care showered on the goats is manifest in the cheeses Pholia Farm produces. Nigerian dwarfs provide milk that is higher in butterfat and protein than other goat milks (more akin to sheep’s milk), resulting in cheeses that may be aged without developing a strong “goaty” flavor. Because this breed does not breed seasonally, there is a constant supply of milk, providing for year-round cheese production of under 200 pounds per month. Different cheeses are produced during each season, however, influenced by the natural foods available to the goats and conditions such as humidity and temperature during the aging process.

We tasted the Evans Creek Greek, a creamy feta, and the Hillis Peak, a semi-firm cheese aged six to eight months whose rind was rubbed with olive oil and Spanish paprika. It has a pleasing taste that lingers long on the tongue. Later in the day we picked up Pholia’s Elk Mountain (currently sold out at the farm but available at Rogue Creamery–another great cheese producer), a dry, aged cheese whose strong, nutty flavor also carries notes of Wild River Brewery’s Honey Wheat Ale used to wash the rind during aging. This cheese was deservedly named to Wine Spectator’s 2008 list of ”100 Great Cheeses.”  We look forward to trying Pholia’s other offerings–Wimer Winter (later this winter) and Covered Bridge (summer).

For those who are concerned with “green living” and supporting producers who follow sustainable practices, Pholia Farm and the Caldwell family certainly meet that criteria while offering suberb cheeses. Living as I do just a few miles from the farm, whenever I bite into those lovely morsels I can also know that I am supporting a local farmer. It can’t get much better than that!

Patty Vanikiotis, proofreader