Ron and Barbara Crain have been operating Crain Dairy in northwest Oklahoma since 1991. In 2001,
Barbara began experimenting with cheese making. She found a recipe for yogurt cheese (labaneh) and
when all the Crain kids liked it, she knew she was on to something. As she began to learn more about
the nutritional benefits of yogurt cheese, she was even more impressed. The Crains worked with the
Food and Agricultural Products Center at OSU and with Pladot, an Israeli dairy equipment supplier, to
bring their dream to reality. Wagon Creek Creamery is a certified production facility, and has been in
production since the summer of 2005.
Their product line includes: Greek style yogurt, plain nonfat yogurt, creamline yogurt, butter, fresh
buttermilk, ricotta, mozzarella, aged jack, and yogurt cheese (original, garlic and jalapeno). The
creamery also includes a certified kitchen and one of their specialties is yogurt cheese cheesecakes
(lemon, chocolate chip, raspberry wine).
In 2007, the Crains added grass fed dairy beef and pasture raised veal to their listing. The cows and
steers are raised on the farm and are not fed grain nor have they ever been given growth hormones
(rBST).
In 2009, a friend asked if we'd considered making Greek style yogurt. Since Barbara knew nothing
about it, she did a little research on the internet and discovered that yogurt cheese and Greek style
yogurt are the same product, so they began manufacturing it immediately, starting with the whole milk
variety. Because far more people are familiar with the name "Greek style yogurt" this product quickly
outpaced the yogurt cheese and has become one of our most popular items.
About that same time, Barbara began processing some hard cheeses, starting with mozzarella and
later adding aged jack and pepper jack.
Ron and Barbara Crain
Helena, OK
(580) 496-2447
roncrain@kanokla.net