Voyage of Discovery to meet Martin at the Burgrain organic cheese dairy
Our seventh journey takes us to the Erlebnishof Agrovision Burgrain AG educational farm in Alberswil in the canton of Lucerne, where visitors can experience the entire value chain for organic foods at close hand. Promoting rural and artisan occupations is an important part of the ethos here.
Grass-fed dairy cows and winter calving
The cows on the Burgrain organic farm are entirely grass-fed and calve seasonally. In late autumn they are dried off ready for calving early in the year. In winter their diet consists entirely of hay, then from April onwards they graze on pasture. No supplementary feed is provided, except hay in times of drought. To ensure a year-round supply of milk for processing, a group of 20 cows are dried off earlier in the season for calving in December.
While purely grass-fed cows may not produce exceptionally high milk yields, this method of feeding is very natural, simple and low-cost. No additional concentrates are supplied which can be used much more efficiently for direct human consumption, such as cereal or soy. Smaller Holstein cows efficiently convert pasture grass to milk with a high fat and protein content.
Dora, born 2014
In the milking parlour is a list of the names of the cows, and their sires, dams and granddams, along with their birth year and number of lactations. What is particularly noticeable is that half the cows at Burgrain have four or more lactations. Top of the leader board is Dora with nine lactations to her name. Extensive rearing means that the cows here live much longer. A typical Swiss dairy cow has a lifespan of five or six years on average and produces 3.5 lactations in this time before being removed from the production process. The average number of lactations is even lower in some countries. Yet cows can live for up to twenty years (Source: bio-aktuell).
Another striking aspect of the milking parlour is the level of professionalism. Strict routines are in place to ensure that the high standards of hygiene that apply to milk used to make raw-milk cheese are scrupulously maintained. So it comes as no surprise that routine monitoring in the cheese dairy confirms the high microbiological quality of the milk.
Large variations in content and quantity
During the different stages of the lactation cycle, the quantity of milk generally decreases while the fat and protein content increases. Since all the Burgrain cows calve in late winter, this means that considerably less milk is produced in winter, they are ‘awash with milk’ in spring and the milk content is usually at its highest in autumn.
Forage quantity and quality are also an important factor – in the case of a fully grass-fed herd, this of course means the quantity and quality of the grass and hay. And here, the weather plays a key part, as the following example shows: during the last four years, the milk content (fat + protein) in August on the Burgrain farm has fluctuated between 8.52% (2021) and 7.38% (2023).
The annual milk yield is around 350,000 litres. After milking, milk fresh from the cows is transported via the electrically driven milk tank straight to the cheese dairy. The evening milk is cooled to 6°C overnight, warmed up again the next morning and then added to the freshly milked morning milk for processing
High degree of flexibility and expertise
Cheese dairy manager Martin Stadelmann and his team have plenty to contend with: large variations in the milk (quantity and content) on the one hand, and in sales on the other. The growing popularity of raclette and fondue have significantly boosted demand for cheese in the cold season
It takes a great deal of experience to determine which type of cheese to produce when to ensure that they always have cheese for sale at the optimum level of maturity. And due to the variations in milk content, great skill is needed to get the coagulation and fermentation just right. An important control parameter at this stage is the milk pre-maturation process – the duration and temperature between the addition of starter cultures and renneting. Pre-maturation controls the lactic acid fermentation process and largely determines the coagulation properties. Both factors influence subsequent syneresis – the process of curd-particle contraction and whey expulsion. Here too, temperature and duration can have a major bearing on cheese characteristics.
Spectators welcome
At Burgrain the production of organic dairy products has been turned into a fascinating visitor experience. So there are no secrets here, and visitors are allowed to look at (almost) everything – on the pastures, in and around the cow shed, and of course in the organic cheese dairy.
Although it was built ten years ago, the dairy still looks brand new. Everything is on one level, and the focus is very much on functionality and practicality. The organic cheese dairy at Burgrain is spotlessly clean. Thorough cleanliness is an intrinsic part of raw milk product manufacture.
Spoilt for choice
Visitors can experience at close quarters how some dozen different organic cheeses, a fondue mix, butter and an assortment of yoghurts, yoghurt drinks and quark (a type of curd cheese) are made mostly by hand using artisan methods. A conscious effort is made to use the gentlest possible manufacturing processes and regional raw materials wherever possible. Working in harmony with nature and forging connections with rural culture clearly lie at the heart of everything they do. For example, milk from Jersey cows from a neighbouring farm is used specifically for yoghurt production. This very rich milk produces a deliciously creamy yoghurt without the need to add industrially manufactured milk powder.
Dairy products from Burgrain are served in the farm restaurant and sold in their own farm shops as well as in organic shops and supermarkets throughout German-speaking Switzerland through their distribution platform.
A keen eye for detail
Martin and his team are eager to further enhance the quality of their products. Currently, they are trying to make the texture of the cheese a little creamier and the flavour a little richer. A keen eye for detail makes all the difference, as impressively demonstrated by the precision with which a pre-pressed block of cheese is cut into eleven cheeses of equal weight.
A microbial coagulating agent is used in place of calf rennet to enable the cheese to be labelled ‘vegetarian’ – another area where a great deal of specialist knowledge and expertise is required.
Spot the difference
We chose three semi-hard cheeses and one hard cheese for the tasting – all made from 100% raw milk, as you would expect. The four cheeses have very distinct characters. You can easily spot the influence of variations in the milk composition. The Burgrain farm has taken a bold and commendable stance by refusing to make any concessions to their grass-fed dairy system which would enable them to produce cheese of more uniform quality. On the contrary, they clearly demonstrate that high-quality dairy products can be made from any milk and accept that seasonal variations are simply part of the process. To make this happen, they need highly skilled cheese makers, and consumers who clearly understand what working very closely with nature means at Burgrain.
- The Mutschli (aged for two months) was made in mid-November, at a time when the cows are coming to the end of their lactation period. And it’s not just the experts who can spot this influence. The flavours are altogether tarter and more rustic. Yet the Mutschli has a pleasingly fresh acidity, a buttery note and pleasantly sweet hints of caramel and vanilla. The cheese melts deliciously on the tongue and has a slightly sticky, floury finish that is not at all unpleasant.
- The mild Bläsi (aged for four months) has a pronounced oniony flavour which is quite unexpected, very spicy notes and a fresh, palate-cleansing acidity.
- The stronger Bläsi (aged for nine months) wowed us with its cornucopia of flavours: floral, grassy, citrussy notes, bouillon (umami) and even dried fruit (plums). The presence of a few crystals creates a delicious crunch that adds to the delight.
- The mountain cheese (a twelve-month-old hard cheese) is at peace with itself. The flavours are less intense than we expected, but so much more eclectic. Every bite unearthed a new flavour, including ones not normally associated with cheese, such as cooked vegetables, morels and forest floors. This treasure trove of flavours adds up to a delicate and beautifully balanced triumph.
For the pairings, we decided on a selection of home-made jams and jellies that can be bought in the farm shop.
- The dandelion jelly has rather a hard time competing with the cheeses, and its delicate flavour is soon overpowered. But interestingly, the dandelion jelly makes the cheese taste slightly more mellow and mature.
- The spruce tip jelly intensifies the Mutschli’s rustic notes to great effect, in fact we could feel the flavours of the spruce tips and Mutschli dancing around the mouth!
- The elderflower jelly pairs wonderfully with all the cheeses. Its distinctive flavour shines through, but never dominates the cheese flavours, creating a deliciously harmonious effect. The sweetness of the jelly and the acidity of the cheese complement each other perfectly. Children of all ages will be delighted by the taste-bud-tickling gummy bears that form on the palate when the elderflower is combined with the stronger Bläsi.
- The quince jelly is not picky either. It pairs well with every cheese, adding plenty of freshness and a lovely harmony.
- The damson jelly pairs beautifully with the stronger Bläsi. It tempers the sharpness, seduces you with its oriental flavours and is reminiscent of a walk in the autumn sunshine. Then comes the finish – and the finish is simply ‘awesome’: very fruity (not just damsons) with freshly-baked notes (e.g. muffins or biscuits) and unbelievably long, without losing any of its magic.