This week, we’re continuing our in-depth look into farmers, vendors and more of the Llano Estacado region. In this edition, Freanna Original Yoghurt, a family-owned dairy farm and yoghurt production company. Karla van der Ploeg, the proprietor of Freanna Original Yoghurt, and her family have been in the dairy business for seven or eight generations in Holland. The whole family relocated to the states about twelve years ago and Freanna Original Yoghurt was born.
Favourite Fall Recipe: Maple Pumpkin Pie Yoghurt
Ingredients: 6 servings
- 8 ounces of cooked and pureed pumpkin (unsweetened & refrigerated)
- 32 ounces of Freanna Original Yoghurt
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon of pumpkin spice
Mix all these ingredients together and you can enjoy a healthy treat for the holidays. Add granola to the mix and this recipe could become your new favourite holiday breakfast.
How did ‘Freanna Original Yoghurt’ come to be?
Our family has been in the business of dairy farming for seven generations. When we relocated to the United States about twelve years ago, we missed the yoghurt we had come accustomed to back in Holland. My mother, Sjierkje, was making 5 gallons of yoghurt for the family and my father, Andle, realized there is no other yoghurt like our family recipe on the market and that it would be great to share a natural healthy yoghurt with others
What sets Freanna Original Yoghurt apart from other brands?
The fresh, light and pure flavour of Freanna yoghurt. It has a naturally refreshing consistency, we refuse to use unnatural preservatives or additive thickeners; we believe yoghurt should be a natural, nutritious treat. Freanna Original Yoghurt is a family business. We not only oversee production of our yoghurt, but our family owns the dairy that supplies the milk for the yoghurt. This way everything is kept up to our high standards. Freanna Original Yoghurt is also a family recipe passed down through generations and perfected over time: a special process is used and the perfect blend of yoghurt cultures, live and active probiotics and whole milk.
Are there any other applications for your yoghurt?
Our yoghurt has wide variety of uses. Freanna is delicious by itself for breakfast, dessert or a snack. To make a regular breakfast of milk and cereal or granola more refreshing, use Freanna instead milk and it adds billions of live and active probiotics to your breakfast and keeps your cereal crunchy longer. Freanna can also be a healthy substitute for oil or butter in many baking recipes. Or replaced for water, mayonnaise or sour cream in recipes as well, think of different flavors jell-O or powdered ranch dip. For more recipes, visit our website.
Is there an off-season for Freanna’s Original Yoghurt?
No, our dairy is equipped for year-round production. So Freanna Original Yoghurt is available year round as well.
What is your favourite part of the fall season?
I love when the leaves change colours and the fall air is somehow more crisp.
What does ‘local foodshed’ mean to you?
The community coming together to not only support local businesses but those businesses’ associated companies and resources benefit as well. Buying locally helps to create jobs and encourage more entrepreneurial ventures.
Do you host any events?
We give scheduled group tours of our dairy occasionally. If interested please contact us through this link.
For more information visit Freanna Original Yoghurt’s website or find them on Facebook
Local Llano thanks Freanna Original Yoghurt for the opportunity to talk yoghurt with Karla van der Ploeg. This author is super excited to test the Maple Pumpkin Pie Yoghurt recipe!
Yoghurt can be purchased at these listed locations.
