Cheese and Spotted Cow

Growing up in Dallas then moving to Nashville, I consider myself to be a semi-expert on Southern big city life. You can always ask me where’s the nearest Chick-fil-a, who’s at the top of the country charts, or what’s up with the current shake-up of SEC football. When I learned I would be accompanying North Star on a community branding trip to Green County, Wisconsin, my first ever visit to the Midwest, I had no idea what to expect.

Arriving in Chicago, I still felt relatively at home. I mean, it’s a big city just like Dallas or Nashville. But as we drove, the buildings and sidewalks slowly lessened to just the occasional gas station or pit stop, then long green fields, then majestic rolling hills. Farmhouses and barns dotted the panoramic views as cows grazed casually on the way-side. I found myself gazing wide-eyed and mouth agape; I had never seen land this green before. We stepped out of the car to fresh, crisp air without a hint of smog or pollution. As I began speaking with people, the experience only improved. People praise Southern hospitality, but Midwestern kindness may give it a run for its money. Strangers on the street say “hi” and wave as you walk by. A couple of boys, probably 11 or 12, tossed me the football they were playing catch with as I strolled in front of their yard. My accent could not be more different than theirs, but no one ever treated me like I did not belong.

While I could gush about the people for hours, I would be remiss to not discuss my favorite experience: the food and drink. Everyone we spoke to absolutely praised the cheese from Green County. They would go so far as to say that Green County had the best cheese in all of Wisconsin, the cheese capital of the U.S. Don’t tell my newfound Green County friends this, but I do not actually like cheese. I learned quickly, though, that while I may detest cheese singles or string cheese, I LOVE real cheese. Let me tell you, eating gruyere cheese aged 18 months at the Emmi-Roth Kase cheese factory will alter your taste buds forever. (You should have seen our CEO Don’s face when they told him the gruyere cheese wheels were not for sale. Crestfallen does not begin to describe it.) We rode “the roller coaster,” which included a bite of cheese, then apricot, then walnut, then a sip of wine. It was, quite literally, life changing. I have the pounds of cheese I bought to prove it.

You need a good beverage to wash down some good cheese, and Green County has just the fix with Spotted Cow. If you know Spotted Cow already, you’re probably planning your next trip to Wisconsin right now. If you’re an amateur like I was, let me explain. New Glarus Brewery crafts all their beer in Green County and distributes only in the state of Wisconsin. A travesty for the other 49 states, but the strategy works wonders for them. It leads people to find creative ways to bring it back home a la Smokey and the Bandit, including a certain community branding firm that shall remain nameless.

Those four in-market days required a lot of hard work, but they were also a lot of fun and very informative. I may not be ready to uproot and leave for Green County, Wisconsin, but I certainly understand why people reside there. I can guarantee I’ll be back for some good beer, great cheese, and fantastic company.

Locally made products, food, produce and beverages are all the rage right now. How does your community show local love? Do you have the equivalent of Spotted Cow beer or gruyere cheese? Are you leveraging that advantage in your identity?

~ Ian