Always on the search for the best cheese curds lead to the Metz’s Hart-Land Creamery in Hart, Minn. Cheese curds so delicious, large, and squeaky that their garlic and herb curds won second place in the 2015 American Cheese Society annual competition. The award-winning cheese curds are the result of the family’s commitment to their herd and production.
The business began in 1983 when Jeff Metz started dairy farming with 24 cows. In 1985 Jeff married his wife, Mariann, and they moved to their present location just 10 minutes north of Rushford. Their website, metzhartland.com, states that as the family began to grow, so did their business.
Metz’s four children, along with their families, are involved in the family business in one way or another. Mariann guesses that they all have a love of farming and family. She explains, “They love living in the country and being a part of the rural community. Our daughter Alicia and her husband Ben take care of our calves, herd health, reproduction, and miscellaneous stuff! Our daughter Courtney works in the creamery packaging, making, and delivering cheese. Courtney’s husband Jordan works at Kwik Trip. Our daughter Brittany is a nurse at Mayo. Brittany’s husband Nick, works on the farm with milking, herd health, crops, and miscellaneous. Our son Nathan works on the farm milking, mixing feed, crops, and other miscellaneous tasks! His wife Shelby is a dental assistant in La Crosse. Because of our children’s involvement, this is why we started Metz’s Hart-Land Creamery. The creamery allowed us to diversify and allows all our children to be part of the operation that they have a passion for.”
The patriarch’s passion for farming came from spending time with his grandparents, aunts, and uncles, who were all farmers when he was a child. He also worked for area farmers during high school, and his father cropped farm and raised beef cattle. No doubt, farming is in his DNA.
Mariann grew up on a dairy farm near Ridgeway, Minn., and was an FFA member. She also has an accounting degree, which, as she explains, helps with all the bookkeeping.
When the Metz’s realized that all their children were interested in farming, the father and mother team had to figure out whether the farm could financially support the extended families.
The concept of producing value-added products, such as string cheese and cheese curds, has always appealed to the senior Metz, and now was the time to take a serious look into the feasibility of building a creamery. The decision was made to open a cheese plant on the farm by August 2014. The family is known for their fresh cheddar cheese curds, 14 types of flavored curds, hand-pulled string cheese, and 24 varieties of block cheese. The company’s website also makes mention of a mouth-watering milk chocolate candy bar. The perfect summer treat is gelato, and the creamery makes 10 different flavors. Consumers can purchase gelato on the farm, or it is available at stores throughout southeast Minnesota.
Now six years later, additional storage is being added to the creamery, and the farm store is being enlarged to accommodate an ever-expanding line of products. The store will also carry a selection of food items produced locally.
The next sustainable business strategy the family invested in was to diversify its business portfolio. In 2013, the family purchased a neighbor’s honey-processing business. According to the company’s website, the family now bottles raw and processed honey to sell in southeastern Minnesota stores.
Other activities at the farm include special events. In the past three years, the Metz family hosted Christmas on the farm featuring photos with Christmas Cow and the Holiday Heifers. In past years, the family hosted pizza on the farm, which will not be held this year due to COVID-19. A farm favorite with children and adults are the calves as they love being petted and having their photos taken.
What does the future hold for the Metz family? The business is currently in a growth mode, evident by the current construction project. The family is focused on building a stronger brand presence. On the farm side, the family is utilizing more up to date technology and focused on increasing the size of their herd size.
Leave a Reply