#34 Our Emerald Isle:St. Augustine Cheese Factory
The St. Augustine Cheese Factory was located near the southwest corner of
St. Augustine Road/CC and Hwy 167 intersection across the road from the Down
Slope Pub but a little further west. In 1900 operation began there. A sale to new
owners in August of 1911 included a single engine, fly net, light delivery wagon, two
platform scales, weigh can, and all other tools, vats and implements that were part
of the factory. In August of 1913 the factory had a fire. This failed cheese factory
was sold in 1921 to Henry Lofy and wife Lena. The building became a home and a
general store that served the area for 47 years. "Henry died in 1966. Lena kept the
store going for two more years, when it was sold and became a residence."
St. Gall Cheese, under the Neal's Yard Dairy label, is made by Gudrun Shinnick
in County Cork using an equal part of morning and evening unpasteurized milk with
the cream skimmed off. It is a recipe from Switzerland and is a hard and wheel
shaped cheese. She and her husband run the Fermoy Natural Cheese Company.
St. Gall (550-646 AD) took Christianity and a cheese recipe to Switzerland.