Alder Vale Creamery (1940s or 1950s)

In the early days of TCCA, the membership was different. Today, we are a cooperative of family dairy farmers. Back in 1909, when TCCA was organized, it was a cooperative of creameries. The creameries dotted the Tillamook Valley, from north to south and east to west. One such creamery was Alder Vale.

Alder Vale was a tiny little place. It was located in the Nehalem area, which is north of the city of Tillamook. For a period of time, the entire staff at Alder Vale was one cheesemaker, Harold Fogg. Alder Vale received so little milk, cheese sometimes was only made every other day.

Alder Vale existed prior to joining TCCA, but it doesn’t show up on TCCA’s annual report until 1915. This photo of the little creamery was taken later, perhaps late 1940s or early 1950s. You can see that a farmer is delivering his milk. Milk was still being dropped off in cans at that time, although the transportation method was by truck instead of horse and wagon.