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Bloomsdale Missouri was recognized on the Global Map around the world on November 23, as a cheese named after the small Sainte Genevieve County town ranked in the top 16 cheeses of the world.

Baetje Farms "Bloomsdale" cheese is awarded in the top 16 cheeses of the world at the World Cheese Awards 2011.

November 23, 2011 in Birmingham UK the World Cheese Awards 2011 was held. There were over 2700 cheeses from 35 countries judged by 200 international judges. Baetje Farms was awarded a super gold for their "Bloomsdale", a pyramid shaped surface ripened cheese seasoned with pine ash and salt. There were 50 super gold cheeses from which the final jury panel of 16 judges each chose a cheese they felt should be the best of show for the 2011 event. Baetje Farms "Bloomsdale" cheese was one of the 16 choosen. The Baetje's choose the name Bloomsdale for their cheese because it reminded them of the beautiful hills surrounding their farm near the quaint town of Bloomsdale.

Baetje Farms LLC was also awarded for 5 other entries
Silver for Sainte Genevieve,
Silver for Coeur de la Creme-Three Pepper,
Silver for Coeur de la Creme-Herb de Provence,
Silver for Coeur de la Creme-Bavarian Lemon Creme,
and Bronze for Coeur de la Creme-Plain

Baetje Farms LLC is a seasonal farmstead artisan goat cheese dairy that produces their cheeses March through November and sells their products in the metro St. Louis area and at retail shops in Sainte Genevieve Missouri including Southbound Fuel, Sainte Genevieve Winery, Cave Vineyards and Weingarten Vineyards.

Steve and Veronica Baetje, owners of Baetje Farms said, "We are grateful to all our customers, and workers that help produce such high quality products, this recent award was the highest recognition we have ever received for our cheese. We now have won over 35 national and international awards since we opened in 2007. We are grateful to God who has allowed this to happen and we are working on expanding our production to meet our ever growing demand this coming year when we begin production in early 2012.

You can learn more about the World Cheese Awards 2011 at: http://www.finefoodworld.co.uk/wca

Also Baetje Farms cheese is awarded five times at international cheese competition

1st place Coeur de la Creme-plain
1st place Coeur de la Creme-three pepper
1st place Fleur de la Vallee
2nd place Sainte Genevieve
3rd place Coeur de la Creme-garlic and chives

On August 5, 2011 in Montreal Quebec the American Cheese Society held its annual judging and competition. There were 258 companies represented and 1,676 products entered. The top companies in the cheese industry were represented such as Vermont Butter and Cheese Cremery, Cypress Grove Chevre, Kraft Foods, Rogue Creamery, and Cabot Creamery. Baetje Farms was awarded five times for their unique French style artisan farmstead goat cheeses that they produce in Bloomsdale, Missouri. Baetje Farms has been selling their cheeses since 2007 in St. Louis metro area and southeast Missouri. They have proven their products many times at both national and international competitions and have won over 28 awards to date from the American Cheese Society, the World Cheese Awards, and the American Dairy Goat Association. They sell their cheeses regularly at farmers markets such as Maplewood, Tower Grove, Soulard, Clayton, Webster Groves, and Washington University. Their cheeses can also be found in some of the finest restaurants in St. Louis: 5 Bistro, Farmhaus, Osage Cafe, Bixby’s, The Mad Tomato, Drussells Pub, 360 at the Hilton Ballpark, and Harvest Restaurant. As well as Local Harvest, The Wine and Cheese Place, Winslow’s Home, Sappington Farmers Market, Grapevine Wines, and Wines of Wildwood. A visit to the local wineries in the Sainte Genevieve area can enable you to taste the cheese in the restaurants at Chaumette, and Weingarten Vineyards, as well as purchase it for sale at Cave Vineyards and Sainte Genevieve Winery.

Steven and Veronica Baetje are grateful to God and to the team working at Baetje Farms th at enabled this to be possible which includes a large herd of Saanen dairy goats and six employees. They are also particularly grateful to Neville McNaughton from Cheezesorce, a St. Louis based company that works with consultation and technical assistance in the cheese industry around the world. As well as the Vermont Institute of Artisan Cheese located at the University of Vermont in Burlington from which Steve and Veronica received education and Veronica earned her advanced cheesemaking cerficate.

Also in 2010 Baetje Farms has won several awards for their cheeses...

American Cheese Society 2010 Competition in Seattle Washington
Cherbourg: 1st Place
Fleur de la Vallee: 2nd Place
Coeur de la Creme: Bavarian Lemon Creme 1st Place
Coeur de la Creme: Three Pepper 2nd Place
Coeur de la Creme: Garlic and Chive 3rd Place

World Cheese Awards 2010 in Birmingham UK
Bloomsdale; Silver Award
Sainte Genevieve; Bronze Award
Fleur de la Vallee; Bronze Award
Cherbourg; Bronze Award
Coeur de la Creme Three Pepper; Silver Award
Coeur de la Creme Herb de Provence; Bronze Award
Coeur de la Creme Garlic and Chive; Silver Award

and numerous awards at the Missouri State Fair and the American Dairy Goat Competition in 2010

We want to take a moment to thank those who have supported us and encouraged us. Without them we could not have begun our farmstead project.

First we thank the Lord Jesus Christ for blessing us with family, friends and a love for His Creation. Our desire is that everyone may come to know a life full of blessings from following Him. John 3:16 It is through the many scriptures in the Bible that expresses Jesus as our True Shepherd and we as His sheep that has inspired us to begin a life of farming to better understand those verses and what they mean in a real sense. Psalm 21 He truly is the GOOD Shepherd.

Thank you to the Baetje Family, Steves parents, brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews who have all given of themselves at Farmer's markets, barn raisings or many of our other needs.

Thank you also to my mom Paula Lueke who helped us to get started and was there when we needed it.

And what would we do without the tireless hours that Cheryl Vines has toiled away cleaning and washing up my cheesemaking messes and yet never growing weary of it. She has told me many times..."I really do love it." Isn't that what we are all echoing?

Thank you Neville McNaughton, a valuable resource and mentor and a ready help in times of need.

Thanks also to Steve and Alane Burch who are always serving samples with a smile and busy educating customers about cheese.

And FINALLY THANK YOU, dear friend, for visiting our website, we hope you visit us at Soulard Farmer's Market or any of our other locations and say Hello to us.

Steve and Veronica Baetje
Baetje Farms LLC