The Lost Lake
THE LOST LAKE
WHERE OUR NAME BEGAN
Before the fields, before the fences, this land was part of Lake Cairo — a broad, shallow lake in central Iowa.
In 1895, it was drained so the land could be farmed. Our creamery now stands along the old north shore of that lake. Some of the same trees that once overlooked the water still shade our pastures today. From above, the lake’s curve is still visible — a quiet reminder of how nature shaped this place. Though the water is gone, its story guides how we farm: patiently, regeneratively, and always with respect for the land beneath us.
A LANDSCAPE THROUGH TIME
From 1930 to today, you can see how this land has changed — fields shifting, trees remaining, and a small farmstead taking shape along the edge of the old lakebed.
What once held water now grows deep-rooted pasture and nourishes the cows whose milk becomes our cheese.
Every choice we make — from grazing rotation to composting — honors this history of transformation.
The lake may be lost, but its outline still guides our stewardship, reminding us to work with the land, not against it.
