Rentown Welcomes 2,000-lb. Block of Cheese
The largest block of cheese to ever be delivered to the area arrived at Rentown Country Stores in Nappanee yesterday. Shown are Leah Hochstetler, right, holding onto the first round of mild cheddar as Dennis Hochstetler slices it into smaller chunks so it’s easier to handle and slice into smaller pieces for customers. Rentown Country Stores hopes the 2,000-pound block, which was ordered from Hennings Cheese Wisconsin, lasts about 6 to 8 weeks. The large wheel is on display in the store and is put in the cooler every two days. (Photo by Lauren Zeugner)
Using a large piece of wire and a lot of muscle, Hochstetler, along with help from his wife, Leah, and a customer, pulled the wire through the cheese. The Hochstetlers then sliced the first round into large chunks so it could be sliced into smaller pieces for customer purchase.
The 2,000-pound block of mild cheddar was ordered from Hennings Cheese Wisconsin in February and is the largest to be delivered in the area. Previously Rentown Country Stores have had 1,100 pound blocks of cheese, which usually last 4 to 6 weeks. The Hochstetlers hope the 2,000 pound wheel lasts 6 to 8 weeks.
The larger wheel was ordered when an 1,100-pound wheel didn’t last through the Christmas holidays last year. The Hochstetlers decided they needed the larger size with graduations, family reunions and parties coming up this summer.
“This is something kids will remember,” Leah Hochstetler said. “They’ll talk about this for years.”
Hennings Cheese uses the milk from Jersey, Gurnsey and Holstein cows to make the mild cheddar. It took 20,000 pounds of milk or 2,320 gallons from 405 cows to make the 2,000 pound wheel. Hennings Cheese Wisconsin is capable of making wheels of cheese weighing up to 12,000 pounds.
