The name De la Luna translate to "of the moon" and naturally all clever children know the moon is made of cheese!
I am Caroline Rosa Kesten and I am also De la Luna Farm, this is my child, my second spouse and my third parent. I am so very fortunate to do what I love and I honestly cannot remember a time that I didn’t want to own my own goats and make cheese. The idea of a traditional centralized creamery, using milk from on-site dairy goats, to make one of a kind artisanal cheeses, has its roots with European cheese makers. Traditional cheese makers have provide communities with fresh and aged cheese for centuries and I would like to provide this "indulgence” for my beautiful community.
I raise Lamancha Dairy goats, recognizable by small ears or "elf" ears, this is the breed standard. They are docile, calm, hardy and the best moms, they also have a very high butter fat ratio for excellent cheese! The process of cheese making is the primary goal but the care of these wonderful animals has always been paramount.This care is the definitive factor when goat milk will to be used as a source of food and my relationship with these animals is not season to season, they are with me for generations, great-grandmothers, grandmothers, daughters, aunts, nieces, cousins and sisters. They are born here and they retire here.
Additionally, this farm has embraced diversification with its supplementary and value-added farm goods. The ongoing drive for sustainability has brought a plethora of products for on-farm sales, Harrison County and the Corydon Farm Markets. These items include milk, eggs, organic herbs, heirloom vegetables and cut flowers. The farm also specializes in baked goods, preserves and dehydrated items. We have also added a few unique products, a selection of heirloom variety tomatoes are generally the most popular farm market items. A summer salad of fresh basil, Cherokee purple and Mr. Stripey slices with goat cheese is as close to summer heaven as you can get! The selection of fresh herbs are also some of the market table's most requested items, and generally these really tie a meal together. I believe herb and food pairings are necessary for a complete flavor profiles.
We are also quite proud for the limited but very diverse selection of free range poultry. The laying hens have been chosen for particular egg color variety that they provide and the recent introduction of an Indonesian variety representing an extremely rare breed. The Yman Cremani is unique in its completely black appearance, externally and internally. We are very excited to be one of the only breeders of this type of chicken in the area. The quails are pharaoh, coturnix and an all white Texas A&M, which are raised for the lovely eggs that they provide. The farm also raises heritage breed turkeys, the Bourbon Reds free range eating what they please and frequently stop traffic by their beautiful display of feathers. To this, De la Luna Farm also has a wonderful pair of livestock guardians, keeping the wild and domesticated in balance.
While it is with great satisfaction that we are building a brand and a source of quality farm products the goal has always to make wonderful artesian cheeses. With that said, funding has been provided and made it possible for a 24’x24’ cheese facility to begin construction before 2016.
I believe that good food is one of the last affordable luxuries and building a relationship with a community through good cheeses is so worth preserving.
Caroline Rosa Kesten
