Hansen's Dairy

Type: Farm

Produces: Milk & Dairy

Location: Hudson, IA

Miles from Coop: 60

Hansen's Dairy pet wallaby
Fun Fact: Hansen's Dairy Logo is inspired by their 3 kangaroos that live on the farm with them. Learn More >

The cult following for Hansen’s Dairy will be excited to hear about their new goods at the Co-op: Hansen’s Cheese Curds, Hard-pack Ice Cream, and now Soft Serve Vanilla Cones & Cups are in the house!

Switch to their butter and you’ll never go back: Hansen’s butter, cream, and long-lasting non-homogenized milks are known for their flavor. Try making shortbread with Hansen’s and with another similarly priced butter – theirs will be tastier from beginning to end (the dough wins the taste test too!). The Co-op’s kitchen and bakery are proud to use Hansen’s local cream and milk in our baked goods and prepared foods.

Non-homogenized and minimally pasteurized (short-time, high-temp.) for a flavorful product, their cream mixes in easily with just a quick shake. Their skim milk isn’t blue and has flavor and body, and their 1% is often mistaken for 2%. They’ve had customers drive out and buy twenty gallons to freeze because their kids won’t drink anything else!

hansens-family.jpg

Dairy farming since 1950, the farm’s been in their family since 1864 (the seventh generation is growing up on the farm now). They grow all the alfalfa and non-GMO corn consumed by their cows, and they raise their own closed herd of 150 Holstein cows – meaning all their cows were born on the farm (not trucked in from elsewhere), and their milk is never blended with any other farms'. They have records for every cow that’s ever been on the farm – and yes, they all have names!

Hansen's Dairy cows live about twice as long as other non-organic Iowa dairy cows, which sadly tend to have very short lifespans because they’re pushed into such heavy over-production, often by feeding them growth hormones. The Hansen's don’t give their cows growth hormones – they’re rBST/rBGH free – and because they control all the factors of their production, they have ultimate traceability from start to delicious finish.

Let’s raise a glass of local milk to that!

hansens-dairy-cow.jpg

Products available in store and online. Limited selection online.
 

Other Local Producers

Be sure to check out these others great local producers!

Ferndale Market

Ferndale Market

“We keep [the turkeys] rotating onto fresh pasture. It’s a true free-range program, outdoors from early spring.”

Cannon Falls, MN

Trowel and Error Farm

Trowel and Error Farm

Carly Andrews was inspired to start farming after attending The University of Vermont, and learning about the local foods movement. After seeing a panel of all women farmers in her undergrad, she decided to try it out for herself.

Iowa City, IA

Timeless Prairie Orchard

Timeless Prairie Orchard

Dave and Susie Differding know their apples and love sharing the fruits of their education with you in the form of each shiny, delicious fruit.

Winthrop, IA

Crystal Forestry Project

Crystal Forestry Project

From cleaner to container, May’s focus is on keeping her product line as sustainable as possible.

Iowa City, IA

Wake Up Iowa

Wake Up Iowa

What we love is what we do best. “I’m a light roast single origin guy – no blends.

Iowa City, IA

Gray Toad Tallow

Gray Toad Tallow

When Sharon and her young family were in need of a natural remedy for their eczema, her homemade tallow balm cleared their patches before they could even get into their doctor. Now Gray Toad Tallow is known for helping to heal psoriasis, dry skin, cycling saddle sores, calluses, sunburns, chapped lips, and more!

Cedar Rapids, IA

La Quercia, LLC

La Quercia, LLC

Herb & Kathy set out to elevate humanely raised Iowa pork to a top-class Italian delicacy, and they’ve done just that.

Norwalk, IA

Trumpet Blossom Cafe

Trumpet Blossom Cafe

When it comes to creating their entirely plant-based menu, Katy Meyer sources local and seasonal ingredients whenever possible.

Iowa City, IA