Hi Folks,
Yep, you’re right – you have not yet seen the returnable stainless cups at River Valley Coop yet. It's not for lack of trying, we promise! But it is time for an update on our returnable packaging adventure! So here we go...
We have lovely stainless cups, foils, and labels, all eagerly waiting here at Sidehill, ready to roll. James (the project engineer) also found a durable, washable silicone lid for use in your fridge, to cover the cups once you open them. This part is all good.
Here’s the sticky spot... (or not sticky enough spot, maybe) Back in the spring and summer of 2024, our trial seals between foils and cups were giving us a seal that was maybe 85% good enough for the real world, and this led us to believe we would get to 100% and be ready for a launch in the fall. Well, once we went and told you all that, we hit a plateau. 85% is not good enough. That means 15% of the time, the yogurt container that tips over in your grocery bag is going to leak all over the back of your car. Not cool!
Now James is a creative fellow and came up with many, MANY modifications to the sealing system, each of which seemed as if it had potential get us to the finish line. And yet we remained at 85%. So we decided to go to the pros.
In early November, James headed to Pack Expo in Chicago - a gigantic trade show of packaging machinery and expertise stacked 5 stories high! This trip to the big time of the food packaging world confirmed what we already knew - this project is way out ahead of the curve, and we are forging a new path! Fortunately, he also found some people with related experience who got excited about our idea, and took a real interest. We learned that we need two things to make the seal 100% - a food-grade coating on the rim of the stainless cup, and a flexible but heat-transferring surface material for the seal head in the filling machine.
The coating we need is the same as the one that is used on single-serving yogurt in glass or ceramic containers, so if you've ever opened one of those, you've experienced it. The coating allows the foil seal to bond to a non-porous surface. Thanks to James and his foray to Pack Expo, we are currently working with several companies to come up with the correct treatment and process for the sealing surface on our stainless cups.
The flexible seal head is on order, and should be arriving shortly. So with the holidays behind us we plan to be back in R&D mode soon. This time around we are not going to guess at a date! But please be aware that we are continuing to work at this, and we will not release anything into stores until we are sure that your experience will be as good or better than the plastic containers. We are convinced that returnables have a bright future, and getting the job done right, is much more important than getting there as quickly as possible.
Thanks for all your enthusiasm, patience, and support! Your faith in us is the engine that keeps us going everyday. Happy New Year everyone!
Returnable, refillable cups are coming!
Hello everyone!
By now, you all must be wondering what the heck we are up to with that returnable, refillable stainless cup idea we tantalized you with months ago. And we are thrilled to report, the stainless cups are incredibly close to becoming a reality!
We are targeting August/ September for a launch date at River Valley Market! Yahoo!
So here’s what we’ve been up to all those months since the survey! Thanks to your enthusiastic feedback on our survey last fall, we were awarded the grant to trial this project. And... that feels like a long time ago now! We had originally hoped that the cups would be on the shelf at River Valley Market by now, but as with many projects where you need to build the path as you walk it, there have been delays, and wrong turns, and a lot of head-scratching puzzles. And many, many exciting successes to keep us going!
Last spring, an excellent team of industrial engineering majors at UMASS completed their lifecycle analysis, which determined that a stainless container needs to be used less than 10 times in order to be a better ecological choice than plastic. This is great news, as metals are energy-intensive to produce. But they are durable! We expect that the average stainless container will be refilled 50-100 times, making the lifecycle impact of each cup 10- 20% of plastic! And that is before we consider retirement programs (freezer containers? drinking vessels?) and eventual recycling into more stainless steel.
The container we will be using is a lovely, durable, off-the-shelf cup made of 18-8 stainless, the gold-standard material for dairy processing and packaging. The fact that it is already in production and not custom made, means the cost is much lower than we expected, and thus the deposit will be only $5 - half of the original estimate!
What we couldn’t find was a 32oz cup that met our needs. We looked at several other sizes – 40oz (ugly, bad proportions, doesn’t fit in your hand), 32oz (had to be custom made and therefore would be twice as expensive) and finally settled on a 25oz container. The height and the rim diameter are very close to our current 32 oz cups, which means it works with our existing packing line- requiring even fewer change parts than the switch from 32 oz to 6 oz!
Yes, it’s smaller than a 32oz container, but it will be priced accordingly. It is also quite elegant in its proportions, and fits even in a smaller person’s hand. The foil seal is more robust than the foil on our current plastic cups and thus will not require a separate plastic lid. Think an extra large version of our single-serve cups, with printing directly on the foil.
“But how do I put a half-eaten container of yogurt back in my fridge?”, you say. We are currently working on a tight-fitting silicone or rubber lid for resealing the container, which will be an improvement on the fit of our 32 oz cups and lids. The current 32 oz plastic lid also fits these cups, though more loosely, so don’t turn it upside down!
Working with these cups over the past year, we have been charmed by their elegance and durability. When you hold one in your hand it becomes possible to imagine a future where plastic waste is no longer the norm; where instead our food arrives in a package that respects the contents, our land and oceans, and our grandchildren. And if everything works - if you decide you like the container and all the logistics turn out to be practical, it will be very easy for other companies to get on board.
Stay tuned for updates- we're getting close!
Thanks for all your support!
The Sidehill Farm Yogurt Stainless Cup Team
(and many thanks to James Lombino, our engineer, and Juliet Jacobson, our graphic designer for all their hours of work and enthusiasm for this project!)
Paperboard Yogurt Cups!
Paperboard yogurt cups - not plastic! We're serious about reducing our use of plastic here at Sidehill Farm, so we are really excited about our new paperboard 6oz cups! These are made of Forest Stewardship Council Certified paperboard. The first ones are hitting the stores this week - just the Whole Milk Plain 6oz for now, but we'll be switching over all of our 6oz flavors over the next several months. And we've got news about our returnable stainless 32oz cup project too, so we'll let you know more about that soon!
Returnable Yogurt Cups Anyone?
At Sidehill Farm, we are very happy with the quality of the yogurt we produce, and with the many relationships we have built within the local food network. We have great customers, and a fun and highly skilled team in the creamery. But we are not so happy about the volume of plastic that we bring into the world.
Right now, we are producing about 6000 quarts of yogurt a week, and that's a lot of plastic to be responsible for. Though it is true that in Massachusetts recycling rates are very high, world-wide only 2% of plastics are recycled. 2%! That is both shocking and appalling! We are feeling this weight.
What to do? Glass is not realistic - it is heavy, energy intensive, and prone to breakage. A shattered glass container in the middle of a packaging run would be an emergency and a food safety nightmare!
Instead, we are considering a returnable, reusable stainless steel 32oz container.
Imagine a stainless water bottle, but in the shape of a yogurt cup, sealed with the same foil that is on the current plastic containers.
We are currently working with River Valley Market to design a deposit and return system for these cups. We will wash and sanitize the cups in-house, and then refill them - just like we used to do with glass milk bottles!
We are applying for a grant to do a trial run. But it is best not to get ahead of ourselves - there is a question to be answered first. Are people actually interested in this? To us it sounds like a no-brainer, but there is a catch. Stainless is very washable, easy to sanitize, and essentially unbreakable; but it is also expensive. We are not yet sure what the ultimate cost would be, but we are expecting a deposit in the $7-$12 range. Of course, you only pay the deposit for the container once, and then exchange your empty when you next buy yogurt.
So we're taking a poll! If this deposit is in the $7-$12 range, are you likely to switch to the returnable stainless container, or are you more likely to stick with the plastic container?
Please click on this link to our super quick and painless poll. Just one yes or no question, and you are done! Thanks in advance for your help!
https://form.jotform.com/Amy_Klippenstein/stainlessyogurtcupsemaillist
(Thanks to James Lombino for photos, visioning, and engineering on this project!)
Come join our Yogurt Making Team!
We are looking for a fun, detail oriented, morning person to join our Yogurt making team and creamery crew. Check out the full job description at Sidehill Jobs.
We are looking for a Production Manager!
We are looking for an experienced Production Manager to lead the yogurt-making process and skilled creamery staff. We are also willing to train a person with significant relevant experience, who is ready to grow into the role.
The Production Manager will be ultimately responsible for the quality of the finished yogurt, the smooth running of all production equipment, coordination with suppliers, regulators, and sales folks, and facilitating a positive work environment where all team members can thrive. We are a small business with a great crew and a solid set of production practices, and everyone does most everything. We will provide extensive training on our current methods and procedures, and even a very experienced person can expect in-depth training on how our process works right now.
Please go to http://www.sidehillfarm.net/jobs for more details!
Introducing Sidehill Farm Aged Cheddars!
After many years of careful aging, our Sidehill Farm Aged Cheddars are finally ready for you to try! Our Aged Cheddars are made from the very same grass-fed milk used to make our yogurt. We send the milk up to the master cheesemakers at Grafton Village Cheese in Grafton Vermont, where they craft that lovely milk into delicious cheddar cheese. The cheese is then aged in their caves until it reaches perfection.
We offer three different ages of cheddar - each one with it’s own unique flavor.
One Year Certified Organic Cheddar: Aged at least 12 months. Smooth, with just enough snap to keep it lively! Great for everyday eating, melting, or snacking.
Three Year Cheddar: Aged at least 3 years. Medium sharp with full-bodied cheddar flavor. Fancy enough for a cheese plate; versatile enough for grilled cheese or nachos.
Five Year Cheddar: Aged at least 5 years. A special extra sharp cheddar with robust flavor for true aged cheddar lovers. This cheese sometimes shows the natural bloom of white calcium crystals on the surface that is typical of a long aging process. It is not mold.
The 1 Year is certified organic. The 3 Year and 5 Year were made with certifiable organic practices, from the milk of our cows eating all certified organic feed, but went into the aging cave before our organic certification for the milk was in place. So they are organic in every way except the label!
Right now, you can find our Schoolhouse Cheddars only at a few special locations, but we will be expanding our distribution in summer 2021. Ask your favorite grocer to carry it!
Join the Sidehill Farm Yogurt Team!
Are you the kind of person who likes to make things shine? Do you like to clean down to the smallest detail? Then we are looking for you to join us making fresh, delicious, organic yogurt from local dairy! Primary responsibility will be to join our yogurt-making team on cleanup and production day wrap-up. Tasks will include washing of yogurt-making equipment, operating milk pumps, running clean-in-place loops on vats, and pH testing of finished yogurt. Alternating Mondays will entail larger scale or more detailed cleaning projects, working mainly on your own.
We are looking for someone with clinical levels of obsession with cleanliness, who is always looking to improve their work, and who believes in the work we do here. Plus likes to laugh and have fun!
Possibility of increased hours and responsibilities over time, though this would not be required.
Experience not required; we are happy to train a dependable person. Beginning pay rate of $15/ per hour, or according to experience.
Sidehill Farm is a certified organic creamery, making fresh, delicious yogurt for distribution all around Massachusetts. We love good food, rewarding work, teamwork, and the occasional nacho party.
To apply, send a letter of introduction, a resume, and 3 references to info@sidehillfarm.net
The Crackpot Idea Comes to Fruition!
Sidehill Farm News
The Crackpot Idea Comes to Fruition!
Last evening, Paul and I sat at the east end of the red barn, watching the light fade on the hills beyond the Connecticut River. This has always been one of our favorite spots - early in the morning with a cup of coffee, watching the sun come up; and into the shadows of evening, witnessing the slow fade from blue to pink to purple at dusk. Monadnock stands sentinel to the northeast, catching every tiny color shift as the sun fades west. The white birch trunks along East Road are glowing gold, and the tiny leaflets sparkle brilliant green. Barn swallows swoop by our heads - completely unfazed by our presence. A field swallow, ever invisible, but always singing temptingly close, bounces its ping pong ball call through the grass. Bobolinks have returned, and are chattering in clumps of last year’s tall grass. Our resident groundhog, with whom we made a deal 2 years ago when she was a baby, that if she stayed out of the garden, we wouldn’t shoot her, sits up and watches from her secret escape hole. (She has held up her end of the deal, and so have we.)
Ivy Donovan used to sit in this place too - it was he who introduced us to the pleasures of the spot. The big chunk of white quartz was his chair, and there were many mornings we would find him there, cup of coffee cradled in one arthritic hand, his familiar pipe and Captain Black tobacco cradled in the other. There are times I know that I can feel him here, sitting with us, wondering at the view. We learned many things from Ivy, and the practice of wonder was one of the best.
But this may have been the last time we have the pleasure of this spot. After a long, long, year of paperwork, negotiating, running numbers, and signing and re-signing documents; the moment finally arrived. At 11:30 this morning, we signed the papers to transfer the cows, the dairy, the pastures, and the farm shop to Gus and Kyra Tafel. This whole process has been in the works for more than 2 years now, and the last 12 months have been a rollercoaster of frustration and hope, sadness and joy. I am wiping away tears as I write this, but at the same time, I am relieved and to be honest, completely thrilled that what at many times seemed to be a crackpot idea of forming a mutually beneficial partnership with younger farmers, has finally come to fruition.
Gus and Kyra will bring new energy and ideas to the farm shop. They will be stocking their own certified organic lamb, as well as beef and pork, and hope to be bringing in some cheeses from farms they knew back in New York. There are other exciting plans in the works as well. As with any transition of this magnitude and level of detail, we are all trying our best to make the changeover seamless. And despite all of our best efforts, there will be hiccups. Gus and Kyra are bright, and hard-working, and good farmers who care for their animals; and they will get their systems worked out over time. But please be patient if everything is not perfect on the first try!
So thank you all for your many, many years of support. We would not be in a position to pass on a vibrant and thriving farm and farm shop to new folks if it were not for you all believing in our crazy ideas, and being willing to stand behind us. Your words of encouragement, your friendship, and your loyalty have kept us going through many rough spots, and we can’t thank you enough. And we hope you will be willing to believe in Gus and Kyra the same way.
And don't worry! - we will still be around here making yogurt. We are buying milk directly from Gus and Kyra, and will continue to make Sidehill Farm grass-fed, organic yogurt right here in the creamery at the farm. You will find Sidehill Farm Yogurt in all the usual places, including the farm shop here at the farm. We aren’t vanishing. But we will miss the every day interaction with people coming to the farm shop, and we just want to to say, thank you. Thank you for everything.
With gratitude,
Amy and Paul
The Farm Shop is Open!
The farm shop is open for business as usual! We are open every day, from 7am to 9pm. We are experiencing a huge increase in business right now - great to see all the new faces, and we hope you keep coming back! The farm shop is self-serve, and we accept cash and checks (good ones! - with a phone number!). Unfortunately, we do not take credit cards at this time - Hawley is a little behind the times on internet, and we can’t support a card reader yet. They promise us it will be soon!
We are making yogurt and bottling milk as fast as we can these last couple of weeks! Apparently, no one told the cows that demand for yogurt and milk was suddenly going to double, so we are making as much as the cows can supply. The cows make milk twice a day, so there is no danger of running out of milk in the big picture. However, since we have been experiencing such high demand, we do occasionally run out of milk in the farm shop between milkings. It will be back within 24 hours! We are happy to set aside pre-orders of milk Monday through Friday, with 24 hours notice . (Sorry - we can’t accept pre-orders over the weekend - the business office is closed).
We’ve also been getting lots of calls from folks in the Boston area asking if we’ve stopped making yogurt. We’re still making it - folks are just buying it all out really quickly! We are making it as fast as we can! We are shipping yogurt to Boston area stores every week, and new deliveries should be arriving in stores soon, so keep looking at your usual sources - it will get there!
Thank you to everyone for all the safety precautions we are seeing in the farm shop - gloves, masks, social distancing. We really appreciate your concern. Please know that we are sanitizing all surfaces and handles frequently, and taking every precaution we can ourselves. Thank you for supporting local farms - we can get through this if we all keep working together!
