Meet Our Farmers: Prairie Pure Cheese

The People. Prairie Pure Cheese was formed as a partnership in 2004 between a dairy farm family and their herd veterinarian’s family. They began the partnership to improve the profitability of small dairies in the suburban area. In 2015 the Hildebrandt family of Hustisford, WI joined the partnership.

Todd and Brenda Aves, along with their children Allison, Hayden, and Madeline, and Bryson milk approximately 100 cows on the family farm south of Belvidere. The farm has been in the Aves family for more than 100 years, with the hope that it will remain for many years and generations yet to come.

Hildebrandt Family Farm milks approximately 100 cows near Hustisford, WI. Their cows are housed in tie stalls and fed primarily home grown forages and grains, including pasture in the summer. The farm is in the 3 rd generation at the current location, established in 1964 after the grandparents moved from a farm near Woodstock, IL. Brian and Carole Gerloff, along with their sons Bob and Joe, of Woodstock, are the other partners. Brian was the herd veterinarian for the Aves dairy, and also grew up on a dairy farm that is a centennial farm. He is the nutritionist for the Hildebrandt Dairy. The Cows. Content and well cared for, the cows producing the milk for Prairie Pure Cheese are housed in state of the art comfort, with great care taken to provide excellent feed and an excellent environment. They are fed a well balanced diet relying mostly on home grown grains and forages, and the dairy and its care are “Certified Humane” by the American Humane Association. No artificial growth hormone is used on these cows.