Natural Way Cheese kitchen and store opened last fall on Beaverton Road north of Clare. The facility makes approximately 30 flavors of cheese, including popular ones like Monterrey Jack, Gouda and Cheddar, all the way to flavored cheeses, such as Green Onion Monterrey Jack (my favorite), Horseradish, Maple Syrup and Green Jalapeno Colby, and includes a store where one can sample and purchase blocks or bite-size packages of cheese. There is even a viewing area where one can watch the cheese makers at work.
According to an article in The Morning Sun, the facility is an Amish “off-the-grid,” facility, which means it does not use municipal electric or water source. To power everything there are propane furnaces and two diesel engines, the later power an hydraulic system and air compressor.
Despite not using conventional power, the facility is licensed and meets all government health standards. Currently, the shop receives its milk from from 24 different Amish farms; however, their overall goal is to utilize 90 to 100 sources. That translates into about 60,000 pounds of milk a day–a lot of cheese.
None of that low-fat cheese, by the way. A sign in the store states that removing the fat, degrades the cheese. That means those watching their diets and cholesterol levels need to eat in moderation, although there are conflicting studies on whether cheese does or does not raise LDL (bad cholesterol) levels.
Natural Way Cheese is located at 6060 E. Beaverton Road about three miles east of Old 27, and is open Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. The store has refrigerated cases and most cheeses retail for $4.55 to $6.55 a pound, but smaller amounts can be purchased and there are samples of most if not all the cheeses they sell. Add this store to your Amish tour list. It’s an interesting and delicious place to visit. “Say cheese.”
