Maple Hill Creamery, Kinderhook, NY

America’s original 100% grass-fed organic dairy. From one farm in 2009, to over 150 grass-fed organic farms in NY State. But back at the very beginning, there was only one family and one farm—Stone Creek Farm—a 250 acre dairy farm that Tim and Laura Joseph purchased in 2003. Tim and Laura had no farming experience — they had never milked a cow — but received a fast education when sixty-four cows stepped off the trailers in 2004. The Josephs began as conventional dairy farmers, but quickly became enamored with organic practices.

Not long after that they transitioned their cows to a diet of 100% grass, and noticed that their cows’ health vastly improved. Tim created their hallmark creamline yogurt recipe on the kitchen stove, and converted a neighbor’s old barbeque restaurant to a yogurt and cheese making facility. In addition to dairy farming, Tim also worked from home for a larger company—a job that required extensive travel. His hope was to create a business that could allow him to “only” be a farmer, and not to have to be away so frequently from the Josephs’ four young boys. In May of 2009, Tim and Laura opened Maple Hill—named for the beautiful maple covered hill behind the old barbeque restaurant.