Joe Matos Cheese and Farmstead Co., a staple in Santa Rosa since 1979, closed its doors after 45 years. Initially famous for its St. Jorge cheese, the factory faced numerous hardships, including the shutdown of cheese production last November and challenges in the dairy industry attributed to health and economic factors. The signature cheese was known for its unique tangy and buttery flavor. Despite hopes to revive the family business, current plans lean towards raising beef cattle instead, illustrating the broader struggles facing small family dairies in the region.
"We were just going underwater," Tucker told the magazine, citing her father's declining health and various political and economic challenges affecting small family dairies.
St. Jorge cheese is "tangy, buttery and nutty, with hints of citrus," per KQED's Gabe Meline, and was commonly found on cheese boards at restaurants and wineries across the Bay Area.
Tucker told Sonoma Magazine that she hopes to someday revive the family cheese factory. But for now, she only plans to keep raising beef cattle.
The closing of a local fermentation plant that supplied the Matos' dairy cows with leftover cabbage didn't help, nor did an insurance claim that caused their monthly rates to triple, Tucker said.
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