Silver & Lewis Cheese Factory Cooperative is Celebrating 125 Years
November 10, 2022
On April 6, 1897, Silver & Lewis Cheese Factory Company was incorporated when the Silver and Lewis families agreed on a joint business venture. In 1963, the dairy cooperative was formed. Later, in 1966, all the farms that produced milk for the factory transitioned from milk cans to milk truck delivery. Today, Silver & Lewis receives milk from 17 local dairy farms located throughout Green and Dane County. The herd size of these farms average between 50 and 90 cows. Although the Lewis family is no longer involved in the factory, the Silvers continue to ship their milk there.
Josh and Carla Erickson have worked as the cheesemakers since 2004. Bob Gmur (1979-2004) and Dave Seeholzer (1954-1979) both gave 25 years to the cooperative as cheesemakers.
Cheese can be purchased directly at the cheese store located at W3075 County Hwy EE, Monticello. Local restaurants that include it on their menus are Sugar River Pizza Company, Puempel's Olde Tavern, Buggyworks Restaurant and Pub, Baumgartner's Cheese Store and Tavern, and Bennett's Junction House to mention a few within Green County. It can also be found in local grocers, cheese stores and gas stations.