Ed and Margret Klessig had hearts the size of Lake Michigan when it came to their children, and farming. So when their sons Karl and Robert, and son-in-law Jerry Heimerl approached them with a wild-eyed vision of freeing their cows to graze on pasture, Ed Klessig threw his full weight of approval behind them.

After all, he taught them the very American virtues of self-reliance, social responsibility, stewardship, and the courage to buck conventional wisdom that fed their vision.

Family defines Saxon Homestead Farms. Brothers Karl and Robert Klessig, and their wives, Liz and Kathleen, with Gerald (Jerry) and Elise Heimerl and all their children actively contribute. Jerry and Elise nurtured the dream of a making cheese. Karl and Robert oversee the farm and, along with Jerry, who oversees the creamery, are partners in the creamery.


To ensure the success of their venture before moving ahead, they approached three professionals, tops in their fields, inviting them to join the family to build an unbeatable creamery: for cheesemaking, Neville McNaughton, of Cheezsorce, known as the Cheesemaker’s Cheesemaker; for finance, Pat Knowles, of Knowles, Brandt & Associates, their farm and financial advisor; for marketing and administration, Dan Strongin, of Edible Solutions, past-president of the American Cheese Society, former Chef, business coach and strategic marketer.