Petaluma Dairy Farm Tour

The Philosophy of Saint Benoit Yogurt

Doing things right

We have always been located in Sonoma, but initially were unable to produce the yogurt on the farm which meant we had to haul the milk a short distance to make the yogurt. In July of 2008, we began transforming an old milking parlor on the Mattos farm into our new creamery. With a little help from people like Whole Foods and John Mattos (dairy partner) who believed in us, some ingenuity, many months of planning and forethought, our seeds have grown into a thriving and sustainable creamery. Uncle Bill helped bring the project to fruition, making sure the creamery reflected our mission and philosophy of respecting the land and food shed we cherish. He helped us design a system that reuses water from yogurt production for irrigation and reduces energy costs. He repurposed old materials from building sites such as doors and windows that he hand fitted into the existing building. Together we chose a new type of wall covering that is not only state of the art, it also just happens to be made from recycled plastic milk bottles. We kept the old cement walls that conserve the cool air, which will help us save energy when we install our new walk-in cooler. And best yet, the milk is right there… the girls are creating it from those lush organic pastures beneath our very eyes, every day, right outside the new-old windows of our new-old creamery.

The Four Seasons 

The cows’ milk naturally varies according to the season. For example, at some points of the year the cows’ milk contains more carotene and therefore the cream layer is a buttery yellow color. At other times of the year, the cream is whiter. Because the lovely ladies are pasture-fed, this greatly affects their milk. In the hot summer months, the girls get quite thirsty and drink more. This means their milk may also contain more water and make the yogurt slightly thinner. January also brings this about, but it’s because the grass in the fields is so rich, green, and waterlogged that they get more water from the grass itself. The same processes can affect the cream content. Because we do not remove the fat and re-inject it into the yogurt (as most companies do) and do not add milk powder to thicken it, our yogurt has a seasonal quality to it. Two benefits are that you have a product that is closer to the original state of the ingredient, and that delightful new mixtures occur. For example, when the milk contains more water and the bees are buzzing away in heavy-pollen season, all the factors align to give a whole new twist to our honey yogurt. The milk flavor is slightly less prominent, the rich honey comes through even more, and you can even find a slight dusting of pollen on the cream layer!

Achadinha Cheese Company

Achadinha Cheese Company is owned by Jim and Donna Pacheco of Pacheco Family Dairy. Established in 1955 in Bodega Bay then relocated to Petaluma in 1969 by Jim's father. Jim and Donna reside on the ranch with their four children to carry on his family legacy.

In 1997, Jim and Donna sold their cows and bought dairy goats. They now have close to 1600 goats. The girls are able to eat pasture all year long on 290 acres and eat all of the brewer’s grain from the local breweries they want. When it rains and they refuse to go out, then they are supplemented with alfalfa hay. Along with the goats, Jim and Donna have dogs, horses, beef cows, pigs, sheep, and chickens .

All cheeses are handmade by Donna Pacheco.

Capricious (Ca-pree-shus) ~ won "Best in Show" at the American Cheese Society event in 2002 and named one of Saveurs "50 favorite cheeses in the United States" in 2005. Capricious is an aged cheese hand rolled in an old european style. A truly unique artisan cheese made with attention to detail and naturally aged in the fresh Pacific Ocean air. Savor the flavors as this cheese travels through the palate. Capricious is $ 27.00 per pound retail. $19.00 per pound wholesale with a full wheel minimum. 

Broncha (Bron-ka) ~ Inspired by a Portuguese family recipe and infused with the subtle flavors of the brewers grains fed to our goats Broncha is a gentle table cheese. Try shaving it over your best veggie recipes to add the special flavors that only goats milk can provide. Broncha is $22.00 per pound retail. $14.00 per pound wholesale with a full wheel minimum.

Feta ~ Pacheco Dairy's pasteurized goat's milk Feta is a fresh style Feta, that is soaked in a sea salt brine and delivered to market within four weeks. The Feta has a sweet creamy taste and texture with a fresh brine finish. $17.00 per pound retail.

Smoked Summer Goat Sausage ~ made with our own goat's meat, sea salt, spices, garlic, mustard seed, jalapeno peppers, sugar and the minimum amount of sodium nitrate to preserve the sausage. The Achadinha Smoked Summer Goat Sausage may be served as an accompaniment to goat cheese, with fresh or preserved fruit, fresh baked breads and wine. In addition The Smoked Summer Goat Sausage may be used a main course any season. Add $9.00 per 8oz. link.

Achadinha Cheese Company is dedicated to education and knowledge of where our food comes from as well as sustaining a family farm.