our story

Cassis et Mélisse is the joyful encounter between Belgium and Québec... A lovely cheesemaker weds a dashing goat farmer and surrounded by children, they share a deep love of the land. Pledging to live off nature’s bounty, theirs is the story of a sustainable organic goat dairy farm.

Artisan cheesemaker Aagje has been transforming the organic milk collected from her 80 dairy goats every day since 2004. She crafts unique cheeses reflecting her farmstead, and her goats. Of course, she keeps her artisan cheesemaking secrets to herself, and true to her ancestral savoir-faire, her goat’s milk is hand-poured by the ladleful.

Goat farmer Gary, with his sharp and knowing eye, sets his pace to the rhythm of the passing seasons and his happy herd. Lavishing every attention on his goats, he sends them to pasture in summer and feeds them only the best fodder in the winter months. Twice a day at milking time, he spends cherished time with his animals. His careful ministrations earn him a rich, premium goat’s milk – a precious raw material to an artisan cheesemaker.

Cassis et Mélisse’s milk and cheeses are Certified Organic by Ecocert Canada.
A choice that shows respect for animals, the environment and cheese-lovers alike.

Good cheese begins with
good milk

We respect nature’s balance and the wellness of our animals. Weather permitting, our goats freely roam about the pastures, grazing on fresh grass, frolicking in the fresh air. We pay particular attention to their diet, and believe in natural fodder. To us, what matters most is not the quantity of milk collected, but rather its quality. Our goats are fed an organic diet that contains no chemicals or synthetic agents. As well, our pastures are pesticide-free and chemical-free. We use no fertilizers, hormones or GMOs. If need be, our animals are given natural treatments and care.

Hand-ladled
at the farm

The ladle is the one tool so indispensable to every artisan cheesemaker. It requires a precise, steady, delicate hand. With a quick, fluid twist of the wrist, the ladle slips through the curd’s silky smooth surface covered in a light, filmy layer of whey. Each ladleful is carefully poured into hundreds of molds of varying sizes. It takes four rounds of ladling to make one bûchette or faisselle. Breaking the curd so the whey drips through more quickly is out of the question, because the cheese would be dryer, crumblier. A steady, accurate hand lends our cheeses their velvety texture and clean cut.