About Us

Ludwig Farmstead Creamery is a European-style, farmstead creamery located in Fithian, Illinois. It sits on Feathercreek Farm, a 150-acre, fifth-generation family farm originally settled in 1866. The Ludwig family's primary business is the care and breeding of high pedigree, purebred Holstein dairy cattle.

The Creamery was the vision of Jacob ("Jake") V. Ludwig, a University of Illinois graduate with a chemistry degree and a passion for cheese making. He recognized the synergy and great potential of using the morning-fresh milk from his father's blue-ribbon cows to handcraft traditional artisan cheeses right on the farm. Upon graduating in 2009, Jake studied for a year as a cheese making intern in Pennsylvania, developing his own specialized Havarti-style cheese seasoned with habanero peppers. He then returned to Fithian where he designed and built the cheese making facility. Sadly, Jake lost his life before the cheese production came to fruition.

In October 2010 the Ludwigs hired Fons Smits to continue Jake's dream. Fons is a dairy technologist and highly respected cheese maker with several award-winning products to his credit. As Creamery manager, Smits brings extensive technical knowledge and practical experience in small-scale creamery operation. He has developed a line of European-style, raw milk cheeses which became available in June 2011. They include:

~ Traditional Dutch Farmstead Gouda

~ Feather Ridge, an Alpine-style cheese

~Jake's Wheel, a Havarti-type cheese available in Habanero, Dutch Garden Herb, Italian Garden, Bacon, Fenugreek, and Asian Spice

~ Kickapoo, a German-style cheese reminiscent of Buterkase

The cheeses are sold regionally through Farmers Markets, through select supermarkets, gourmet shops and cheese shops, and can be ordered directly from our Buy Cheese page.



Our Farm

Photo Gallery: Our Farm at a Glance