WOERLE cheese specialties made with hay milk - since 1889
The hay milk pioneer and his vision
Johann Baptist Woerle from Allgäu had a plan. He wanted to produce the best Emmental of his time. For this he came to the Salzburg region around 1870, where he found ideal conditions for the production of cheese. Small-scale dairy farmers whose cows only ate hay in winter and fresh grass and herbs in summer. Their hay milk was the basis for the Cheese, which Woerle made in his fine cheese dairy founded in Flachgau in 1889. That was when the legendary WOERLE hay milk cheese was born. Today it is backed by 130 years of cheese culture.
We hand down the secret of the best Salzburg cheese, the "WOERLE Purity Law of 1889", from generation to generation.
Why cheese from WOERLE tastes so good
Hay milk is highly nutritious. It comes from happy cows that are allowed to graze on lush meadows in summer and eat fragrant hay and some mineral-rich grist in winter. In contrast to conventional factory farming, they get plenty of exercise, fresh air and sun. The naturalness and variety of their diet is reflected in the milk they yield. Quite logical, right?
Hay milk facts
Hay milk, the basis of WOERLE cheese,
- is natural and free of additives and preservatives
- is handled gently
- Contains twice as much natural omega-3 fatty acids and conjugated linoleic acid as conventional milk
- is the only type of milk that is allowed to bear the EU seal of approval "Hay milk GTS" (guaranteed traditional specialty).
- is used for traditional WOERLE recipes
- is carefully and gently matured
- is a sign of the regionality of our farmers and of quality assurance
- represents the taste of our Austrian lakes and mountains
Hay milk quality – in every piece of WOERLE cheese
Natural hay milk from happy cows - what better way to make delicious cheese? WOERLE does a lot to ensure this high quality over the long term.
The path of the hay milk from the farmer to the finished cheese is accompanied by countless quality controls. In addition to its own controls, WOERLE also relies on external laboratories and its trading partners, who in turn check compliance with the strict requirements. This is how we keep the quality standards high and are happy about regular product-related awards.
You can simply taste the high quality of WOERLE cheese! Try it yourself – if you still have questions, contact the WOERLE experts. They will be happy to help you.
latest blog posts
#hay milk
A look behind the scenes: Practical workshop “Good living and working on the farm”
What defines a good life together on a farm? How can traditional values and modern approaches harmonize and thus create a fulfilling life on the farm, but also in society as a whole?
Proud of its recognition as a World Heritage Site
Have you heard? Our beloved hay milk was recently declared an agricultural world heritage site by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)! For us, as hay milk producers from the very beginning...
Practical workshop "Soil life in grassland"
Our soils play a critical role in producing food, ensuring clean water, storing carbon and many other important functions. But what does the earthworm have to do with it...
Practical workshop "Wild plants in grassland"
Local wild herbs, herbs and spices are not only culinary enrichments for our palates, but also play an important role in the nutrition of our cows. But how do you recognize them and...
Practical workshop "From the meadow to the plate"
Caraway, sage and quendel: species-rich meadows are rich in treasures! Many herbs have precious ingredients and have a health-promoting effect on animals and humans!
Trainees traveling sustainably in the region
This year, the sustainability management was again supported by interns from Flachgau. "Regional CO2 reduced” and “Biodiversity in the hands of farmers”, these are WOERLE’s lighthouse projects, in which we…
THE children's program for the summer holidays: the 1×1 of sustainability
Children are naturally curious. How about getting them excited about the topic of sustainability in a playful and exciting way during the summer holidays? Here are specific suggestions...
Say cheese!
24 children from the municipality of Henndorf recently had the opportunity to learn a lot about cheese production and to lend a hand themselves.
Farm walk: economy and diversity
The biodiversity ambassador Andreas Badinger shows on his farm that biodiversity and profitability can go hand in hand and tirelessly imparts his knowledge at various events.
Our new icons on the packaging
"WOERLE continues to work"... ...for a future suitable for grandchildren for the benefit of people, animals, the environment and the necessary economy, as the basis for natural cheese quality. 130 years of WOERLE mean 130 years in…
Cheese German for Beginners
You really talk cheese! Has anyone ever said that to you? If yes: congratulations! Because then you already know your way around the technical jargon around cheese. For all others…
Funny Cow Facts
Every second Friday in July we celebrate Cow Day! Reason enough to deal a little more intensively with these wonderful animals. For example, did you know that cows are afraid of heights...
Hay milk and sustainability
WOERLE's hay milk cheese is made from the very best milk, which only comes from happy cows. Cow well-being is ensured, among other things, by flavorful hay fodder grown on hay milk meadows managed with insect-friendly practices.
They are habitat for a large biodiversity – in plants as well as in insects and small animals. This is one of the reasons why we consider the preservation of biodiversity to be an important pillar of sustainability.
