This week at Oliver’s Market, we are taking a moment to honor an animal that many of us see daily as we drive the roads of Sonoma County and might take just a little bit for granted – the cow! Unless you have a child who loves to wave at them and look for baby calves every time they spot them from a car window (as I did!), they can easily become part of the backdrop of this beautiful place we call home.

As a matter of fact, our local cows are far from average and should be given their due: the cows of Sonoma County create some of the highest quality milk and cheese in the world, and a couple of our family owned local producers are leaders in organic milk production, innovation and sustainability, charting the course for the future of the industry.

Over 25 years ago, Albert Straus converted his family farm to organic and founded Straus Family Creamery, the first 100% certified organic creamery in the country. These bold actions effectively created the first pasture-to-bottle infrastructure for organic milk. All their certified organic products are processed as little as possible for the best taste and culinary performance. Never ultra-pasteurized, and no preservatives, fillers, artificial ingredients, or coloring agents, ever. They also lead the way in sustainable practices, including being one of the first dairies in the world using all electric trucks at their facility.

And then we have Clover Sonoma, a locally based, third generation family owned and operated company, which was the first dairy company to be American Humane certified. They are also a certified B-Corp, using their business as a force for good. This century old Sonoma County brand works with 30 local family farms and donates five percent of their profits each year to worthy non-profit organizations through their Clover Cares program. Their witty billboards keep us entertained, and we see their support as a constant at community events.

Sonoma County cheesemaking has never been as robust as it is now, with many new cheesemakers taking advantage of our outstanding milk to craft their world class cheeses! Check out this week’s ad to learn more about Valley Ford, Bellwether Farms, Bohemian Creamery and William Cofield, and Spring Hill (Deli). These are exceptional producers, and this week, you will find them at featured pricing.

Watch for great pricing this week on some of our favorite items from Straus Family Creamery, Clover Sonoma, and St. Benoit Creamery.

So join us this week in honoring our local cows, dairies, and cheese producers at Oliver’s Market. You will be udderly happy that you did!