Nestled atop a hill overlooking Seneca Lake, sits
Shtayburne Farm Creamery, a quaint value-added
dairy farm business run by the Hostetler Family. I
spent an afternoon with brothers, Lorin and Lance
and their family, who I found not only to be serving
up ice cream flights and farmstead cheese, but good
advice for those farmers interested in value-added
dairy processing.

Originally from Pennsylvania, Mark and Mary Ellen
Hostetler have been farming all their lives. Though
the family moved to the Finger Lakes region in
2004, it was not until 2010 that the creamery and
farm store opened. It was a decision made in 2008
by Lorin with the help of his parents, to diversify
the income potential of the dairy without expanding
the herd of 60-70 cows. Lance joined the creamery
in 2019 and, with his creativity and passion for
the family's farm products, became the cheese maker.
Lorin now is the general manager of the cheese
shop and farm, but spends most of his time caring
for the cows on the farm.

About 20% of the milk produced on the farm goes
to making Shtayburne Farm Creamery's value-added
dairy products, and the remaining 80% of milk is
contracted through the Fingerlakes Milk Cooperative,
which is supportive of their members' small creameries.
Though together on the same property, the farm
and the creamery are treated as two separate businesses
that work with each other.

Lorin said that, when starting out, working with your
milk and plant inspector is really rewarding when
you develop a good relationship. In the beginning,
most of their equipment was purchased "used" out
of Wisconsin, and Lorin worked closely with NY Ag
& Markets to follow regulations and develop a setup
that would cater to their business wants and needs.
The brothers also talked about the importance of
learning from other dairy processors before embarking
on their own venture. This way they developed
their product-making techniques and initial recipes.
They also gained insight into right-sizing their operation
for both startup and expansion potential, to
ensure that they would not inhibit the success of the
growing business.

The family agreed that, although the business is great,
one of the hardest and most important aspects of
being successful is the marketing portion; even more
so than the regulatory. The family relies heavily on
the traffic on Route 14 in the Finger Lakes for much
of their sales, which are seasonal beginning Memorial
Day weekend and continuing into the fall. They credit
the fact that making cheese helps manage their inventory,
as they can age some of the cheeses that do not
sell right away, which allows them to hold it longer
while it increases in value. Mark makes many of the
deliveries to stores and to their distributor, and
the family thinks it's fun to go into a grocery store
and see their cheese on the shelf. The creamery
also partners with other local businesses to sell
products and they can be found featured on local
tourism websites and guide maps.

When asked about one of the things he is most
proud of about the creamery business, Lance mentioned
the 2019 business decision to offer ice cream
and cheese flights versus single scoops or samples.
This decision made their offering fun and stood out
as customers enjoyed the variety, and it also helped
people to try other ice cream flavors and allowed
the creamery to sell more ice cream. In true artisan
fashion, Lance followed up by saying, "I like cheese
over ice cream or anything else, because it is alive."
His favorite (and one of mine too) is their Summit,
a unique semi-hard farmstead cheese with complex
savory, tangy, sweet and nutty flavors, that is
"aged to the peak of perfection". Read more about
it here: https://www.shtayburnefarmcreamery.
com/s/stories/how-summit-came-to-be-3

Lorin prides himself on the fact that their family
business is a true farm to fork operation, where the
cows can be milked at 4:30am, and by 4:30pm you
can have fresh dairy products ready to consume.
As the oldest generation on the farm today, Mark
and Mary Ellen enjoy the ability to work together
as family to create a product they are proud of,
and be able to share their passion and knowledge
with people who do not have an agriculture background.

People pay for entertainment and experiences in
the Finger Lakes region, so the Hostetlers also
offer farm tours using online platforms to schedule
and book. Customers can see the cows and the
farm processes, and then view the creamery setup
through a large window while learning how their
cheese and ice cream are made. Other farm products
and merchandise are available to purchase in the farm store, and customers can choose to sit inside, or enjoy the spectacular views of Seneca Lake from the outdoor seating area.

All of Shtayburne Farm Creamery's cheese is processed
and packaged by hand in small batches. Any
variety of cheese (including their fresh cheese curds)
you can find in the shop is well-crafted and delicious.
My favorite was something new to me…German
Quark; a fresh spreadable cheese, similar to cream
cheese, but lower in fat and higher in protein. Lance
provided both a sweet and savory pairing of it, and
I highly recommended you try some if you get a
chance!