Keswick Creamery at Carrock Farm

Susan and Bill Dietrich began dairy farming in 1974 and relocated to the Cumberland Valley in 1978. In 1997, their daughter Melanie and her husband Mark returned to the farm and started making cheese in 2001. The farm has been raising registered Jersey cows since its inception and has been known for its humane and healthy animal husbandry practices. A significant fire in December 2022 destroyed key facilities, but with community support, the farm was able to rebuild and resume operations by July 2023.

The farm employs rotational grazing and has not used herbicides, pesticides, or chemical fertilizers for nearly forty years. Cows graze freely on lush pastures and are not confined to barns. The farm avoids the use of rBST, hormones, and antibiotics, and does not dock cows' tails. Organic practices are followed, although the farm is not certified organic due to local feed purchases. Cows are fed fresh grass in season and dry hay in winter, avoiding fermented feeds. Cheese is made using traditional methods with fresh milk, live cultures, and calf rennet, while some products like ricotta and quark are made without rennet.

The farm's cheeses are available at select producer-only farmers markets and fine restaurants in Washington, DC, and south central Pennsylvania. The color of the cheese varies with the seasons. The farm's recovery from the 2022 fire was supported by the community and neighboring farms, allowing them to return to full production. Updates and progress can be followed on their social media pages.