Grison Dairy & Creamery

Grison Dairy was founded in 1997 when Swiss immigrants Heinz and Vroni Buff bought an existing dairy farm in Douglas County Missouri. Named after their native Canton in Switzerland Grison.

Over the years, emphasis was placed on improving the pasture stands and increasing yields. Care was always given the the environment. The farm produces most of their own forage. The Buff family believes that the most economical and environmentally friendly way to produce milk is to allow the cows to graze on pasture.

Grison Dairy is home to both Holstein and Brown Swiss cows. Most of the herd consists of home bred cows. During the evening you can normally see the next generation grazing around the house. Emphasis is placed on breeding cows that combine milk production, milk quality, longevity, feed efficiency, with type and style. The farm is currently milk about 100 cows twice per day, and to the joy of the neighbors, the cows can be herd by the bells they wear.

Grison Dairy & Creamery's cheese maker is Adrian Buff, who grew up on the farm. After completing high school, he went back to Switzerland to complete a 3 year apprenticeship program as an European Dairy Technologist. While attending cheese making school, he also worked for Napf Chasi in central Switzerland. Napf Chasi is very well known for producing specialty products, including cheese, yogurt, butter, bottled cream and milk.

Adrian enjoyed making cheese the most, producing many different cheeses including Quark, Brie, semi-hard washed rind cheeses, Emmentaler, hard washed rind cheese, and an extra hard cheese. At the end of the apprenticeship Adrian was tested in making Brie and Emmentaler for his final exam.