Modesto, California Fiscalini Cheese Farm Tour
This is Fiscalini Farmstead Purple Moon Wine Soaked Cheddar. And, yes, it is as delicious as it looks.
All of the cheese made at Fiscalini in Modesto qualifies as farmstead cheese, since all of the milk they use comes from their own cows.
The Fiscalini family has 540 acres dedicated to growing feed, raising cows and making cheese.
They have more cows than they currently need for cheese, so what isn’t needed for the cheese is sold as milk.
Fiscalini Farmstead Cheese Tour
By raising their own cows, they are able to maintain quality control from start to finish.
Each cow is tagged and individually monitored to make sure they are healthy and get proper nutrition.
They even have pedometers to track their movement.
If changes are noticed, they work to figure out why and adjust their diet or give the cows medical assistance when needed.
Cheese Making Process
Cheese is made by hand in batches in long, open vats.
It takes 2,000 gallons of milk to make 1400 pounds of cheese.
Previous generations of the family were cheese makers in Switzerland.
This branch of the family has been raising dairy cows for over a hundred years.
In the year 2000, they opened up the cheese making plant to expand the family business.
Cheese Storage and Aging
When the cheese is ready, it’s transferred to wood containers and stored in a cool aging room.
After that, the rounds are moved to another room, coated in wax and then aged until it’s ready for sale.
This hands on approach to cheese making results in absolutely delicious cheese.
It was heavenly to be in a room surrounded by all this cheese!
Dairy Management
The farm has made resource management a priority, both for financial and environmental issues.
Since the milk and corn that is used in the cow feed are produced next to the cheese plant, they have lower overall transportation impact.
They closely monitor their water usage to keep the cows healthy and the cheese plant running efficiently.
They also have a huge machine called a digester on site.
It turns cow poop into energy.
They produce enough energy to power the dairy and sell enough back to the power company to power an additional 250 homes.
Cow Barn
I had a great time touring Fiscalini Farms, and learned a lot about dairies and cheese production while talking with Mariano, their master cheesemaker.
Also, I took on the “difficult” task of tasting many of their cheeses.
Here are a few of my favorites:
- Purple Moon
- Smoked Cheddar
- Hopscotch Cheddar
- San Joaquin Gold
- Smoked Cheddar
Which California cheese would you like to try first?
Fiscalini Farms
4848 Jackson Rd.
Modesto, CA 95358
More from Mama Likes To Cook
Check out the rest of my vegetarian recipes, so you can get more great ideas for baking, cooking, blending and juicing.
California Farm Tours
- Sweet Potato Joe Farm Tour – Livingston, CA
- Fiscalini Farmstead Cheese and Dairy Farm Tour – Modesto, CA
- Walnut Farm – Modesto, California
- Charles Ahelm Dairy Ranch – Hilmar, CA
- Avocado Orchard – Irvine, CA
- Urban Produce Indoor Organic Microgreens – Irvine, CA
- Brokaw Avocado Nursery Tour – Ventura, CA
- Rancho Rodoro Avocado Grove – Santa Paula, CA
- Shield’s Date Garden – Indio, CA
- SeaView Ranch – Calipatria, CA
- Lawrence Cox Ranches – Brawley, CA
- Lester Farms Tour – Winters, CA
- Lucero Olive Oil Tour – Corning, CA
- Wil-Ker-Son Kiwi Farm Tour – Gridley, CA
- Lundberg Family Farms Tour – Richvale, CA
Breweries in California
- Dust Bowl Brewing in Turlock
- Peter B’s in Monterey
- Refuge Brewery in Temecula
- Kinetic Brewing in Lancaster
- Coachella Valley Brewing Company in Thousand Palms
- Karl Strauss in Anaheim
- Sierra Nevada in Chico
Wineries in California
- Guglielmo Winery – Santa Clara Wine Trail
- Fortino Winery – Santa Clara Wine Trail
- Longoria Winery – Lompoc, CA
- Acquiesce Winery and Vineyards – Acampo, CA
- Bokisch Vineyards – Lodi, CA
- Bernardus Vineyards and Winery – Carmel Valley, CA
- Holman Ranch Vineyards – Carmel Valley, CA
- Jarman – Carmel Valley, CA
- Herzog Winery – Oxnard, CA
- Akash Winery – Temecula
- Wilson Creek – Temecula
- Cambria Winery and Vineyards – Santa Maria
- Foxen Vineyard and Winery – Santa Maria
- Nagy Wines – Orcutt, CA
- Grevino – Orcutt, CA
- Ojai Vineyard – Ojai, CA
- Keller Estate Winery – Petaluma, CA
- Adobe Road – Petaluma, CA
Shopping Tips
For a beautiful assortment of kitchen necessities and food gifts for the whole family, check out the deals at these online stores.
- Great Jones pots, pans and baking dishes
- The California Wine Club
- Wine of The Month Club
- JoyJolt Glassware
- Seven Sisters Scones
- Southside Market
- Wildgrain
Are you ready to have some delicious fun in the kitchen?