Production of our Yoghurt
The soils on which the pastures grow are tested regularly and the minerals are carefully replenished to create an optimum chemical balance in the soils. Irrigated with pure and specially aerated water, this makes the soil porous and aerobic and unlocks the amazing biological activity which makes a soil truly alive. This allows the grasses and legumes to extract from the
soil the nutrients and capture from the sun the energy required for the building of the fibre, energy, proteins, minerals and enzymes which makes ideal food for cows. Raised on the farm, the cows run in a small herd and are always happy to go out and graze. They soon lie down in a clean spot to ruminate, a magical process which converts the grass to nutritious milk, capturing all the goodness. Twice a day the cows head back to the squeaky clean milking parlour, pleased to release the milk they have made and to receive a treat of grains, salt and minerals. The milk is cooled down quickly and carefully kept until it is time for the yoghurt to be made. Then, it is heated up slowly in a big vat to a steamy heat, kept that way for a while and then allowed to cool to body temperature, ideal for the addition of a teaspoon tip of special probiotic culture which will ferment for twelve hours and gently turn the milk into Yoghurt. All the goodness and nutrients are preserved, and are concentrated by straining the yoghurt in muslin bags. This releases the precious whey which is collected and stored for making into a protein drink. The yoghurt has a smooth, creamy texture, a clean, cool, balanced taste, only slightly tart, with a pleasing aftertaste which inspires another spoonful. In spite of having no stabilisers or preservatives added it improves in the refrigerator for at least three weeks. You can add sweet, savoury, salt, herbaceous and mild sour flavours like lemon juice and this yoghurt just reinvents itself every time. Just liquid enough for muesli, it happily replaces cream in any recipe from cakes to scrambled eggs, and is firm enough for a topping or a dollop on anything. It is a truly versatile yoghurt that can be used as a base for cooking or baking anything, as in the Middle East, as a nutritious snack, a dessert or a pre- or post- exercise food, hydrating the body, restoring minerals, replenishing energy and rebuilding proteins. In summary, produced
by the best, most natural possible, time honoured methods
with the utmost integrity
by a special farming community
in a very special place,
to the highest quality and safety standards,
Distributed and sold with pride and enthusiasm…
This is yoghurt
as it should be. The words “as it should be” hark back to small family farms, pasture based dairy, a time before industrial farming and food processing, and denote a wistful reaction and an effort to bring back that time. Eric Johnson
22 January 2015
“Hand made without preservatives, from fresh whole pasture milk on the Verlorenkloof dairy farm.