A sample of the milk products being sold and distributed in parts of Northern Indiana. Photo provided.

News Release

SHIPSHEWANA — Four Amish dairy farmers from northern Indiana have opened a farmstead bottling plant near Shipshewana and are marketing their own brand of all natural, premium milk.

Their company, Amish Country Dairy LLC, began operations last fall in a facility located on Harry Stutzman Jr.’s farm. All of the grade A pasteurized milk is currently sourced from Stutzman’s herd of Holsteins.

Stutzman and three other Amish farmers — Leon Miller, Goshen; Lamar Kuhn and John Schwarz, both of Bremen, manage the business operations. They balance their time between the milk processing enterprise and their own dairy farms back home.

Miller said the farmers, backed by a group of 30 investors, decided to start with a small-scale operation at first, using it as a test case to determine if the business has the potential to grow and include other farmers. If it succeeds, more investors will be added and someday the group would like to open a retail location. The goal is to create a sustainable income source for small dairy farms in the area.

Right now, the farmers are producing about 4,000 bottles per week. Each of the four farmers work the production line, help with packing and sales. They also have two employees.

Milk flavors include a coffee and maple syrup blend, strawberry, peach, blueberry, maple syrup and traditional white. The first sip from the strawberry milk is convincing and compares to a fruit smoothie. The product comes in two sizes, 16 ounces and 59 ounces. A 16 ounce drink costs between $3.29 and $3.49 in stores.

Among the 35 retail locations are: Woodie’s Supermarket, Bremen; Sav-A-Lot, Rochester; J&J Meats, Bourbon; Culinary Mill, Daily Bread Market, Rite Choice, UNL Trading and Main Street Roasters, Nappanee; E&S Sales and The Landing, Shipshewana; Double R Grocery, Millersburg and Rise’n Roll Bakery in Warsaw, Elkhart, Middlebury and Nappanee. Other locations are in LaPorte, Michigan City, South Bend, North Liberty, Plymouth, Mishawaka, Wabash, Roann, Wolcottville, Howe and LaGrange. The farmers are working with a distributor to expand.

As Miller pointed out, Amish Country Milk tastes better because the farmers use quality ingredients like whole milk and real fruit. Another key is the high temperature, short time pasteurization method that preserves the rich, creamy flavor. Also, the product is not homogenized and doesn’t contain carrageenan, a thickening agent made from seaweed. Unlike most other commercial dairy drinks, the cream in Amish Country’s milk rises to the top. The label advises consumers to shake the bottle before opening.

Amish Country Milk does have a Facebook page @acdairy and hope to unveil a website in the near future.