Imagine a young couple, more than 60 years ago, traveling the roads of Grantsville talking about their future and the difference they could make in their communities.
Ruth and Olen Beitzel raised a family, welcomed grandchildren into the world and embarked on careers and business, yet they never lost that dream and desire to make a change.
“When we were just 16, I was riding with him in a milk truck to the creamery and while he was unloading the milk, Olen said to me, ‘Someone ought to make cheese in this area with all of the farmers we have.’ I must have heard him say that to me over a 100 of times since that day,” Ruth said. “Then a few years ago, just around the time he was turning 70 he mentioned it again and I asked, ‘Do you think the time is now?'”
To her surprise, he said yes and the couple, along with their family began to make plans to make that dream a reality — a reality that set to open on Saturday — High Country Creamery and Market in Grantsville.
Olen said he never forgot that dream. “I guess you could say I got busy doing other things. But after I retired from Beitzel Corp., I felt like I still had things to do.”
Encouraged by the show of support, the Beitzels began to put their plan into action and shared their plans with their daughter, Linda Kling. Olen and Ruth knew they needed to find a cheese-maker and they already had a candidate in mind — grandson, Brandon Kling.
“Brandon has always liked to create things and we asked if he would be interested,” Olen said.
“I had not thought of cheesemaking, but as we talked about what he had in mind, it got my gears turning. I had always liked to cook and I like to be creative,” Brandon said. “Cheese-making is both scientific and artistic.”
Seeing the unlimited potential in this plan, Brandon agreed and made contact with the cheese-makers at Firefly Farms in Accident. He worked closely with Mike Cooke at Firefly as an apprentice for two years to educate himself about the process. Once he completed the apprenticeship, the family opened up a pilot plant in neighboring West Virginia to get a jump-start on their business, while plans and work was completed on the Grantsville facility.
The West Virginia plant allowed Brandon to perfect his methods and soon the plant began soliciting businesses and restaurants to offer their cow’s milk cheese products.
“We do not put anything into our cheese that is not natural. Cheese is simple — milk, salt, cultures and natural flavorings, no preservatives,” Brandon said.
Their efforts were quickly rewarded and now High Country cheeses are offered at more than a dozen stores and restaurants. High Country products have also been offered at local Farmers Markets.
The new store, located at 97 Locker Lane, will feature a viewing area, where people can see first-hand how cheese is made. The store will be stocked with cheese accompaniments, local produce, including fresh meat and baked goods and a variety of gift items. An area will be se -up for tastings and a wide array of foods will be offered at the in-house eatery.
Ruth said the desire from the first day of planning has been to offer quality products made with quality ingredients, with a dedication to scratch-made foods.
“It’s all farm to table. That is how we ate growing up. It wasn’t called farm to table, but it was all natural, grown or raised locally and that is what we will have here,” she said.
“We like to say nothing will be served here that is frozen except ice cream,” Brandon said. “We also want to have a museum-like area, where kids can visit and see first hand where the food they try is made, with a understanding of its origin.”
Linda said the family plans to expand their product line to include preserves, canned items and pickles, all made with old family recipes.
High Country Creamery and Market will be open until 7 p.m. Saturday. Cheese-making days will be Monday and Wednesday. The business will be open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. and from 7a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays.
For more information, click here.
