Oregon Coast - Blue Heron French Cheese Company

When heading out to the coast via Tillamook. you have a choice of cheese makers. To the right is the Tillamook Cheese factory - generally the more popular choice - and to the left is Blue Heron French Cheese Company. We finally made it to Blue Heron after meaning to go for a long time.

I definitely like the integration of the blue heron theme. This appears in mosaic, sculpture, and signs...

as well as the white buildings with blue trim.

Blue Heron is more charmingly pretty, as far as that goes.

If I am honest, though, while there was definitely some interest in just seeing what the other one was like, the big draw for me was the petting zoo.

I love donkeys!

It's not that it was a particularly organized petting zoo. Animals are in different locations, and not always easily accessible.

Still, they are there, and the food for the animals is only a dollar for a pretty reasonable amount.

You might think the petting zoo is an afterthought, but then inside there are portraits of the animals on the wall.

Clearly the animals are family, and really, this is a family business.

I began to understand the difference better when we went inside. Tillamook was created as a farmers' co-op. It is bigger, and more efficiency and business-oriented. Also they make a hard, English cheese.

Blue Heron is a family business that makes brie, a soft French cheese. They are smaller, and perhaps more relaxed. Also, there is a lot more wine.

It's not a rivalry - Blue Heron serves Tillamook ice cream - they are just different, each with their own place, and at their own pace.

http://www.blueheronoregon.com/