Yogurt has long been celebrated as a wholesome food – traditionally just milk fermented with friendly bacteria. But take a look at many supermarket yogurts today, and you’ll find a very different product. The ingredient lists are lengthy, comprising additives,...

The Modern Cheese-Making Approach: Safety First, But at What Cost? Industrial cheese producers today prioritize safety and efficiency. Extensive facilities often use ultra-pasteurization to process milk and synthetic additives to prevent spoilage and mold. For...

Our immune system isn’t just about lymph nodes or white blood cells – it largely lives in an unexpected place: our gut. In fact, the digestive tract is the body’s largest immune organ, containing up to 70–80% of our immune cells. This means your gastrointestinal...

What Is Rennet in Cheesemaking? Rennet (sometimes called cheese rennet) is a set of enzymes that coagulate milk into solid curds. These enzymes occur naturally in the stomachs of young ruminant animals, where they curdle milk to aid digestion. Cheesemakers add rennet...

Many of our customers ask why we can’t provide exact numbers for items such as milk protein content or fat in our cheeses, yogurts, kefirs, and total dairy. The answer is simple: we make traditional dairy the old-fashioned way, by hand, using whole organic sheep milk...

Milk is meant to be a fresh and perishable food. In its natural state, milk spoils within days, which is actually a sign of its vitality. Fresh milk straight from the source (like a mother’s breast milk) contains living nutrients and immune-supporting components. For...

Cheese aging is an art that has evolved over thousands of years, but new techniques occasionally emerge claiming convenience or cost benefits. Lately, we’ve been hearing about plastic-wrapped cheese aging – sealing cheeses in plastic during maturation instead of the...

We’ve been making Tommette de Brebis for years now – in fact, it was one of the first soft cheeses we dared to try after establishing our sheep dairy. Yet, even with all that experience, this little cheese continues to surprise us. I remember the very first successful...

The Family of Soft-Ripened Cheeses Soft-ripened cheeses are a broad and beloved family in the cheese world. These include famous names like Brie and Camembert, known for their creamy textures and white “bloomy” rinds. What makes them soft-ripened is the way they age:...

E. coli is a common bacterium that lives in the intestines of humans and animals. Most strains are harmless, but some can cause serious illness. As farmers, we want to educate our community about where Escherichia coli (E. coli) comes from, how it can affect health,...

Ever wonder why the price of our sheep dairy products is higher than the average store-bought dairy? As the family of three behind Secret Lands Farm, we want to be open about this. The cost isn’t just a number on a jar – it reflects the true farming choices we make...

Eggs have long held the crown as the “perfect protein.” But science and tradition now show us other foods — often overlooked — can pack even more. And here’s the surprising twist: they’re not meat. They are dairy products made with sheep’s milk. At Secret Lands Farm,...

Kefir grains are nature’s own probiotic powerhouse: jelly-like clusters of friendly bacteria and yeast that naturally ferment milk into kefir. In fact, research shows real kefir (made with authentic grains) can contain up to 50–100 different probiotic strains – far...

Cheese is one of the world’s most diverse foods: some sources estimate over 2,000 named cheeses globally. That vast variety spans every corner of the globe and every flavor you can imagine. At Secret Lands Farm, we celebrate this diversity. We craft many different...

Cheese and charcuterie boards have become beloved staples at gatherings today, but their roots run deep through history. These beautifully arranged meat and cheese platters – often loaded with charcuterie meats and cheeses, breads, fruits, and spreads – evolved from...

Yeasts in Traditional Kefir (Made with Kefir Grains) Traditionally fermented kefir is a tangy, effervescent milk drink made using kefir “grains” – a symbiotic mix of bacteria and yeasts bound together in a polysaccharide matrix. These grains harbor a diverse yeast...

Our lamb collagen broth is a very special product that has long been a favorite at local farmers’ markets. Now, we’re excited to make this nutritious collagen broth available to everyone in Canada through our online store. If you’ve been searching for a real collagen...

The Mysterious Origins of Kefir: Myths, Miracles, and Milk Long before scientists studied bacteria or probiotics, people across the ancient world shared remarkable stories about a healing drink called kefir. From the highlands of the Caucasus to the pages of the...

Why Kefir Matters for Everyone Kefir is a fermented milk drink packed with probiotics, vitamins, and protein. It has been used for centuries to support digestive health and overall wellness. Our goal is simple: to show that kefir is something everyone needs in their...

Lactose intolerance is a common condition, and many people seek out lactose-free dairy products or other alternatives to avoid digestive discomfort. Lactose-free cow’s milk from the grocery store is a popular solution, but natural sheep milk dairy offers a different...

Health-conscious consumers are increasingly seeking dairy alternatives that are easy to digest, rich in nutrients, and delicious. Sheep milk checks all these boxes. Unlike ordinary cow’s milk, sheep’s milk is naturally A2 protein milk, meaning it contains only the A2...

Looking for high-quality milk that’s packed with benefits and gentle on the stomach? Natural A2 sheep’s milk might be the answer. This article explores why East Friesian sheep milk, known for its rich, wholesome profile, outshines ordinary milk (even specially...

Lucky Enough to Have a Whole Wheel of Cheese? This message is for those fortunate enough to purchase a quarter or full wheel of our aged Pecorino or Caciotta cheese.By the way, a few cheese wheels and quarters are still available—now at 50% off. Don’t miss this rare...

Secret Lands Farm is excited to announce that we have received a special license to produce Raw Sheep’s Milk Kefir for Pets, finally bringing to market a product our customers have been requesting for years. This means your dogs and cats can now enjoy a natural,...

Traditionally made kefir is a tangy, fermented milk drink teeming with beneficial microbes. This ancient beverage becomes a nutritional powerhouse when made with sheep’s milk and authentic kefir grains (not powdered starters). Sheep’s milk kefir is exceptionally rich...

When it comes to enjoying cheese at its best, knowing how to store cheese properly is essential. There is nothing quite like bringing home a well-aged cheese from the farm shop. Aged cheeses have spent weeks, months, or even years developing their unique flavors and...

Follow these steps to keep your cheese fresh and flavorful: 1. Unwrap Carefully If your cheese is vacuum-sealed, keep it sealed until you’re ready to enjoy it. Take the knife’s edge and scrape along the exposed face of the cheese to peel off the layer next to the...

Although pecorino cheese is authentically Italian artisanal craftsmanship, having its origins in the cuisines of Rome, Sardinia, Tuscany, and Sicily, its use has expanded throughout the world, and home cooks and chefs have come up with inventive ways to use its...

All Pecorino cheeses owe their character to one ingredient: sheep’s milk. Sheep’s milk (from ewes) is quite different from the more commonly consumed cow’s milk – both in composition and impact on flavor and nutrition. Understanding its properties will shed light on...

Introduction Pecorino sheep cheese is a family of Italian sheep’s milk artisan cheeses with a history spanning millennia. Its flavor profile has captivated food enthusiasts worldwide. Pecorino began as a humble staple for Roman soldiers. Today, it represents a rich...