Sassy Cow Creamery | A Farmstead Dairy That Brings Freshness and Quality to Wisconsin

Nestled in the rolling hills of Columbia County, Sassy Cow Creamery has been developing quality milk products and a great farmstead experience for its customers since its founding in 2008. James and Robert Baerwolf, lifelong farmers and owners of the Baerwolf Family Farm, conceived the idea of a farmstead creamery that would expand their dairy business beyond that of a typical dairy farm supply chain. They aimed to not only produce their own milk, but to own a storefront that sold their own line of products, ranging from liquid milk products like heavy cream, whole, 2%, skim, and lactose-free milk, to a variety of fresh ice cream flavors.

Sassy Cows are Happy Cows

James stresses that the roots of Sassy Cow Creamery’s success begin with the practice of good land management. Proper care of the fields used to grow feed for their two large herds of Traditional and Organic Holsteins has been a staple of the Baerwolf farming process, allowing them to be handed down through generations of Baerwolf ownership since the 1940s. In effect, the cows and the land share a symbiotic relationship of equal importance in cultivating a high quality milk that lives up to Sassy Cow Creamery’s standards. 600 cows make up the Baerwolf traditional milking herd and a further 250 cows make up the organic milking herd. James says the secret to happy cows is a proper combination of good feed, shelter, and recreational activity.

The average day for a sassy cow involves plenty of field grazing when the weather cooperates and easy access to the rotary and organic milking parlors that are just a stone’s throw away from the milk bottling and ice cream production at Sassy Cow Creamery. “We’re not just a milk bottling plant,” says James, “We’re all on the farm.”

Homestead Cafe and Ice Cream Parlor

Sassy Cow Creamery began as a small storefront, which was expanded almost eight years ago into a cafe and ice cream parlor. The chance to purchase delicious offerings like fresh ice cream, breakfast sandwiches, grilled cheese, soups, salads, and all-you-can-drink custom flavored milk helps Sassy Cow Creamery fill a niche and engage with their customers on a level that many dairy producers don’t get to experience. James credits the creamery store as a big part of their success. The ice cream parlor offers over 55 flavors on rotation as well as a dozen other seasonal flavors that are offered at different times throughout the year. Yes, they offer eggnog ice cream for the Christmas season and yes it is fantastic. If you have a brilliant ice cream flavor concept, reach out to Sassy Cow Creamery and let them know; they have crowdsourced many of their ice cream flavors and are always accepting new ideas.

Milk You Can Trust From Cows You Can Meet

Sassy Cow Creamery produces enough milk to supply customers and distributors across the state of Wisconsin as well as parts of Illinois; an ever growing list that can be found here on their website. Customers love that this high-quality grade A milk comes from a farmstead creamery and that they can go and visit the cows that produce the milk they are consuming. Sassy Cow Creamery has become a travel destination for many families, especially for the seasonal tours that are offered during the warmer months of the year. Tours are inexpensive and allow for customers of all ages to see the Sassy Cow milk production process from farm to table, which is excellent for education and peace of mind. “We’re most happy about the overall brand reputation within our customer base,” says James, “and just being a place that people come out and visit and having a product people feel good about purchasing.”

This would not be a proper Sassy Cow Creamery article without mentioning the incredibly delicious chocolate milk they produce with high quality cocoa powder. Sassy Cow Creamery offers two types of chocolate milk; the decadent whole chocolate milk, which is akin to drinking a delicious milkshake, and a 1% chocolate milk sweetened with monk fruit, which serves as a healthy option.

A Genuine Wisconsin Farmstead

Anyone who has had a chance to talk with James Baerwolf knows that he is a humble man who wouldn't mention that Sassy Cow Creamery has won multiple awards at the World Dairy Expo unless prompted to do so. When asked about the awards that his family has won over the years he replied, “You know how these things go, sometimes you win one, sometimes you don’t.” When asked about his ambitions and goals for the future, James had an equally touching sentiment on his desire to hand down his operation to the next generation of Baerwolf farmers. “Years have a way of going by quicker than you think they are. We have children getting out of schooling and making choices on their careers. Being able to have a business the next generation can be a part of, I see that being a big part of the future.”

Sassy Cow Creamery stands as an example of what a family-run farmstead can achieve when dedication meets many decades of hard work. With a deep commitment to quality, sustainability, and customer connection, the Baerwolf family has created more than just a creamery—they've built a community around wholesome, locally-produced dairy.

Want to learn more? Visit the Sassy Cow Creamery website!