Oxford County family crafts homegrown cheese from the udder to plate

From the udder to the cheese platter, the Zeldenrijk family is continuing a tradition of cheese making that goes back generations, all the way to their home country of the Netherlands. 

"It's a big honour," said Kimmely Zeldenrijk. "It's exciting to do what my family members have done in Holland, in Canada."

Kimmely's great-grandfather, Nicolaas, first purchased two cows named Galis and Marie in the Netherlands in the 1950s. When her parents, Nicolaas and Wilma Zeldenrijk, immigrated to Canada in 2001, those cows became the namesake for their farm, New Galma Dairy in Mount Elgin in Oxford County.

The farm is just one stop on the Oxford County Cheese Trail, a self-guided culinary tour of local dairy producers, food hotspots and boutique shops across the county that prides itself as Canada's dairy capital. 

The trail, which runs through Ingersoll, Woodstock, Tillsonburg and beyond, was launched in 2015 and has gone on to win two provincial awards for culinary tourism.

"The Cheese Trail has really allowed us to shine a light on Oxford County, and it's a chance for people to get out and explore what the gems are in rural Ontario," said Meredith Maywood, tourism specialist with Oxford County.

"You get to meet local entrepreneurs. You're supporting the community. You're meeting the business people and hearing their stories."

New Galma Dairy is home to 300 cows

One of the tasty treats along the trail is the Zeldenrijks' specialty, Dutch-style Gouda cheese, which they produce all the way from the cow to the plate in a facility. 

Their farm is currently home to 300 cows, whose milk is the primary source for their cheese.

The milk is piped directly into the family's pristine cheese-making facility where it is pasteurized and converted into cheese. After it's had a chance to cool and separate, the makers will press the cheese before dipping it into a salt bath, draining it and wrapping it. The cheese is then aged for a few weeks or months depending on the type.

Nicolaas, founder of New Galma Dairy, is proud to be able to show customers exactly where the final product comes from as well as the process for making it.

"If people come to the store, they can see the cheese, and if you go along the [production] line back, you end up with the cows that produce the product," he said. 

"It's such a short line without any fancy things, and that's what we want to show the people," he said. "There's the cows, there's the cheese and there's a short line in between."