This week's speaker is Sarah Hoffman, Founder, Green Dirt Farm.
A Bit of Green Dirt Farm History: We are a small, Animal Welfare-Approved sheep dairy farm producing award-winning, small-batch cheeses that are both traditional and unique. These cheeses are good for you and the planet and will delight your senses and bring joy to your heart.
While working as a doctor at the University of Washington, Green Dirt Farm founder Sarah Hoffmann dreamed of running her own farm business. As a child, she loved growing up on a farm, and she took inspiration for making fine cheese and running a business from her Aunt Jean, who owned a gourmet cheese shop in an era when women business owners were rare. In 2002 Sarah acted on her dreams and inspiration to start her dairy and begin the work of crafting fine sheep’s milk cheeses at Green Dirt Farm in Northwest Missouri.
Today, twenty-three years later, the farm business is run by Sarah and her daughter, Eliza, along with a hardworking, dedicated team. The business has grown to include a retail store and café, two restaurants, and agritourism, all featuring cheeses made in the cheese kitchen on our Animal Welfare Approved dairy farm. Notably, with the help of the DSANA semen importation program, and Eliza’s careful record-keeping and breeding selection, we’ve improved our flock's average milk production by over 100%! We’re fulfilling our dreams and doing the groundwork (literally!) to craft fantastic cheese humanely and sustainably.
But you don’t have to take our word that the cheeses are fantastic. Since we started commercial cheesemaking in 2008, our cheeses have earned over 90 awards from the artisan cheese community, including five at the 2024 American Cheese Society competition. In 2023 our hard sheep’s milk cheese, Prairie Tomme won 3rd place in Best in Show at the ACS competition out of over 1400 American artisanal cheeses! And we’ve been incredibly honored to receive Good Food Awards for our cheeses, in 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2024. In 2021 Food & Wine honored us with the distinction of being among the 50 best cheese makers in the US: https://www.foodandwine.com/lifestyle/best-cheese-america
We raised $500 dollars, donated 20 toys and at least 6 gift cards for the Westside CAN Center. Through the clubs generosity, a lot of kids are going to have a very merry Christmas that they might otherwise not have had.
Please join the Rotary Book Discussion Group for the discussion of the book Theo of Golden by Allen Levi. The book is available at Rainy Day Books and all Rotarians and guests are welcome.
Monday, January 5, 2026, 6:30 PM
Location: J. Wilbur Company
3242 Roanoke
Kansas City, MO 64111
About the book:
His name is Theo and he asks a lot more questions than he answers. Theo visits the local coffeehouse, where ninety-two pencil portraits hang on the walls, portraits of the people of Golden done by a local artist. He begins purchasing them, one at a time, and putting them back in the hands of their “rightful owners.” With each exchange, a story is told, a friendship born, and a life altered.
Happy December 1st everyone!!! The trees look so beautiful with their snow coating!
This past month the camp hosted 7 Boy Scout and Cub Scout groups who prepared Thanksgiving meals for their family and friends. It is always a fun month with our off-season groups!
Let's Celebrate!
Good news from the Independence Rotary Club! Winefest is officially wrapped, and now the fun truly begins. All the hard work, long hours, and teamwork pay off when we get to invest those proceeds back into our community. And we’re kicking things off with a very special moment.
Join us as we celebrate our friend Jodi with the Jodi Krantz Splash Pad Check Presentation for the Rotary Youth Camp.
After the presentation, enjoy a holiday performance by the William Chrisman Blue & Gold Singers, a perfect way to lift your spirits this season.
The celebration takes place on Thursday, Dec. 18 at 7:30 am. Stoney Creek Hotel Conference Center – Metal Room
A continental breakfast will be available. This is a great opportunity to bring a guest—after all, who doesn’t enjoy seeing our club give back, sharing breakfast, and taking in some beautiful singing?
Please join the Rotary Book Discussion Group for the discussion of the book Theo of Golden by Allen Levi. The book is available at Rainy Day Books and all Rotarians and guests are welcome.
@rotaryclub13
@rotaryclub13
