Presented by Dane Huebner Head Cheesemaker Flat Creek Lodge

Join us for a tasting of true beers and Flat Creek Dairy farmstead cheese. These two products grew up together, on the farm. Beer and cheese have a close natural harmony because both foods come from grass and grain. Discover how seamlessly beer blends with cheese. Whether it’s the malty beers with nutty, aged cheeses or strong, sweet brews with the blues, a whole new world of tasting awaits you.

Swainsboro, Georgia (December 4, 2008) – Flat Creek Lodge, a 2,000-acre hunting and fishing resort and spa in Southeast Georgia, has recently added a Commando Style Paintball Course to its long roster of outdoor offerings. The three-acre course has been uniquely designed for a paintball adventure in the pines and comes complete with trenches and forts.

Groups of 12 or two teams of six can make a day enjoying a variety of types of paintball fun. Packages include a semi-automatic weapon with safety options, an anti-fog mask, coveralls and 400 paintballs per player. Sessions begin at 9:30 a.m. and end at lunchtime. (Head to the Flat Creek Lodge Dining Room for an after-battle feast!) Cost for paintball is $55 per person including lunch. Additional paintballs are available for $10 per 200.

Get ready for action!

Located just three hours southeast of Atlanta, Flat Creek Lodge welcomes the discerning sportsman and sportswoman to an unforgettable hunting and fishing adventure. Amid a pristine and private woodland preserve, guests can stay in the main Lodge or in a private Cottage. Visitors can enjoy many outdoor activities, relax in the Spa, or pamper themselves in the uniquely designed Japanese bathhouse before experiencing the cuisine in the Flat Creek Lodge Dining Room. Menus feature fresh, seasonal herbs, fruits, and vegetables, wild game and seafood from the Golden Isles of Georgia. Dining on Friday and Saturday evenings is four or five courses paired with just the right wine. The 2,000-acre Flat Creek Lodge is located at 367 Bishop Chapel Church Road, Swainsboro, Georgia 30401. The Lodge can be reached at 478.237.FISH or 877.352.8273. It can also be visited online at www.flatcreeklodge.com.

Swainsboro, Georgia (December 15, 2008) – Take a real break from the holiday hustle and bustle with a getaway that provides sporting adventure and spa relaxation. Special Winter Packages at Flat Creek Lodge offer an environment that is as luxurious as it is rustic. This hunting and fishing resort and spa can easily delight any visitor – from the most avid sportsman TO the most discerning gourmand.

Flat Creek Lodge Winter Retreat Package: Book by January 31, 2009
$299 per couple (plus sales tax)

• One night of lodging
• In-Room Wine and Cheese Pairing featuring Flat Creek Lodge’s artisanal cheeses
• Four-course Dinner Paired with Wine
• Hearty Country Breakfast
• Activities like Biking, Nature Walks and relaxing in the whirlpools
• Additional activities can be added to this package
• Additional nights of lodging can be added at $150 per couple

Currently, Flat Creek Lodge can accommodate singles, couples and groups of various sizes. For those arriving at Atlanta or Savannah airports, van transportation can be provided. Flat Creek Lodge can also assist with arranging golf outings and other area excursions.

Located just three hours southeast of Atlanta, Flat Creek Lodge welcomes the discerning sportsman and sportswoman to an unforgettable hunting and fishing adventure. Amid a pristine and private woodland preserve, guests can stay in the main Lodge or in a private Cottage. Visitors can enjoy many outdoor activities, relax in the Spa, or pamper themselves in the uniquely designed Japanese bathhouse before experiencing the cuisine in the Flat Creek Lodge Dining Room. Menus feature fresh, seasonal herbs, fruits, and vegetables, wild game and seafood from the Golden Isles of Georgia. Dining on Friday and Saturday evenings is four or five courses paired with just the right wine. The 2,000-acre Flat Creek Lodge is located at 367 Bishop Chapel Church Road, Swainsboro, Georgia 30401. The Lodge can be reached at 478.237.FISH or 877.352.8273. It can also be visited online at www.flatcreeklodge.com.

For More Information Contact
Carrie Whitney 404-822-1078
carrie@launchatlanta.com

Swainsboro, Georgia (December 10, 2008) – Flat Creek Lodge, a 2,000-acre hunting and fishing resort and spa in Southeast Georgia, has recently added a Commando Style Paintball Course to its long roster of outdoor offerings. The three-acre course has been uniquely designed for a paintball adventure in the pines and comes complete with trenches and forts.

Groups of 12 or two teams of six can make a day enjoying a variety of types of paintball fun. Packages include a semi-automatic weapon with safety options, an anti-fog mask, coveralls and 400 paintballs per player. Sessions begin at 9:30 a.m. and end at lunchtime. (Head to the Flat Creek Lodge Dining Room for an after-battle feast!) Cost for paintball is $55 per person including lunch. Additional paintballs are available for $10 per 200.

Get ready for action!

Located just three hours southeast of Atlanta, Flat Creek Lodge welcomes the discerning sportsman and sportswoman to an unforgettable hunting and fishing adventure. Amid a pristine and private woodland preserve, guests can stay in the main Lodge or in a private Cottage. Visitors can enjoy many outdoor activities, relax in the Spa, or pamper themselves in the uniquely designed Japanese bathhouse before experiencing the cuisine in the Flat Creek Lodge Dining Room. Menus feature fresh, seasonal herbs, fruits, and vegetables, wild game and seafood from the Golden Isles of Georgia. Dining on Friday and Saturday evenings is four or five courses paired with just the right wine. The 2,000-acre Flat Creek Lodge is located at 367 Bishop Chapel Church Road, Swainsboro, Georgia 30401. The Lodge can be reached at 478.237.FISH or 877.352.8273. It can also be visited online at www.flatcreeklodge.com.

For More Information Contact
Carrie Whitney 678-560-2466 ext. 5
404-822-1078 cell
carrie@launchatlanta.com

Swainsboro, Georgia (December 9, 2008) – Apparently, taking care of a bunch of Jersey cows wasn’t exciting enough for the Flat Creek Lodge Dairy team. Having developed a highly successful line of artisanal cow’s milk cheeses (Murray’s in NYC ran out of the Farmhouse Blue before they could feature it as a cheese of the month!), the Flat Creekers are on to the next challenge. With the arrival of 40 Lacaune-East Friesian mix sheep today, one can only expect new joy for the tastebuds.

Head Cheesemaker Dane Huebner looks toward crafting the new line of sheep’s milk cheeses with excitement. “There is an old proverb that states – goat’s milk is the best for drinking, cow’s milk is the best for butter and sheep’s milk is the best for cheese,” says Huebner. “Since ewe’s milk has nearly double the amount of solids in the milk, it is closer to solid cheese than other milks. Sheep’s milk also has the fatty acid flavor spectrum of both of the other animals.”

The Flat Creek sheep’s milk cheeses will be available sometime around summer of 2009. Since sheep produce a much smaller amount of milk than cows, the batches of sheep’s milk cheeses will also be smaller, but that just makes them more special!

Overall, what makes Flat Creek Lodge artisanal cheeses distinct is that the milk, whether from the cows or the sheep, comes from a standard, rarely changing group of animals. That means it is more consistent and more consistently Flat Creek Lodge, but it also means that fluctuations in season can be tasted too. For example, milk generally has a higher fat content during the colder winter months. Artisanal cheeses are handcrafted, and each batch can provide a somewhat new experience.

These days, it’s easy to pick up Flat Creek Lodge cheeses. Served in top Atlanta restaurants like Pano’s & Paul’s and Restaurant Eugene since spring, the cheeses are making their way to more retail spots throughout the state. Cheese lovers can find Flat Creek Lodge cheese at Whole Foods Buckhead and Ponce locations, Sawecki’s in downtown Decatur, Souper Jenny, Savor and Star Provisions in Atlanta. Persimmon Creek Vineyards in Clayton carries the cheeses, and they are distributed in Savannah too. Of course, Murray’s (www.murrayscheese.com) carries these Georgia-grown cheeses, and they are always available through the Flat Creek Web site (www.flatcreeklodge.com).

Located just three hours southeast of Atlanta, Flat Creek Lodge welcomes the discerning sportsman and sportswoman to an unforgettable hunting and fishing adventure. Amid a pristine and private woodland preserve, guests can stay in the main Lodge or in a private Cottage. Visitors can enjoy many outdoor activities, relax in the Spa, or pamper themselves in the uniquely designed Japanese Bathhouse before experiencing the cuisine in the Flat Creek Lodge Dining Room. Menus feature fresh, seasonal herbs, fruits, and vegetables, wild game and seafood from the Golden Isles of Georgia. Dining on Friday and Saturday evenings is four or five courses paired with just the right wine. The 2,000-acre Flat Creek Lodge is located at 367 Bishop Chapel Church Road, Swainsboro, Georgia 30401. The Lodge can be reached at 478.237.FISH or 877.352.8273. It can also be visited online at www.flatcreeklodge.com.

For More Information Contact
Carrie Whitney 404-822-1078
carrie@launchatlanta.com

Swainsboro, Georgia (October 16, 2008) – Practically an old hat at raking in cheese awards, Flat Creek Lodge in Southeast Georgia recently won an award from the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) for the many products it distributes from Georgia to Georgians. Named as a Producer of Distinction, the fishing and hunting resort and spa was honored for its local products like artisanal cheeses, berries and the 2,000-acre property itself, which is a popular tourism draw. The Georgia Made Georgia Grown designation is a two-year distinction.

“We are honored to be recognized by the tourism division of the Georgia Department of Economic Development,” says Flat Creek Lodge owner Caroline Harless. “When Steve and I started Flat Creek Lodge, our goal was to work with local suppliers, artists and companies to develop the local economy. Now that we have our own products to offer, we are excited to become part of that Georgia network.”

GDEcD also awarded Producer of Distinction designation to the Averitt Center for the Arts, Meinhardt Vineyards and Winery, National Barbeque Festival and Flat Creek Lodge. The designation recognizes the best of Georgia’s artists, craftmakers, entertainers, authors, food product creators, festivals, agritourism venues, bed & breakfasts, shops and galleries. Flat Creek Lodge and the other recipients were honored at the “Making Your Mark in the Magnolia Midlands” symposium in September at the Averitt Center for the Arts in Statesboro where Cathy McDaniel, Flat Creek Lodge general manager, accepted the award with enthusiasm.

Participation in the Producer of Distinction Program is voluntary and open to all Georgia creative businesses that consistently meet and exceed specific quality standards. Eligible business owners must recognize the importance of designing and creating quality work, invest their time and resources in making a difference by mentoring and giving back to their communities and share their expertise with others.

With the opening of the Flat Creek Lodge Dairy in 2007, Flat Creek became only the second licensed artisanal cheese dairy in Georgia. Cheeses like the signature Farmhouse, Farmhouse Blue and spicy Aztec Cheddar have now made their way to restaurants and retail spaces in Atlanta as well as Savannah and North Georgia, Highlands, North Carolina and Murray’s, a renowned retailer of cheeses in New York City. Flat Creek also often partners with other local growers such as wineries like Persimmon Creek Vineyards in Clayton. Additionally, the line of cheeses is available onsite at Flat Creek Lodge or through the website. www.flatcreeklodge.com

The Flat Creek Lodge Dairy produces a full line of artisanal cheeses including: Cheddars – Aged, Horseradish, Aztec and Thai Chili; Onion Mustard Kase; smoked cheeses such as Smokin’ Jack; the original Flat Creek Farmhouse and Farmhouse Blue; Dutch–style Leiden and cheeses flavored with herbs and other produce from the Flat Creek Lodge greenhouses. All of the cheeses are made from raw milk except the Flat Creek Feta, which is pasteurized. New Flat Creek Lodge cheese creations will be perfectly aged and ready soon including the Aged Stir Curd, Grana Kalamata Olive and White Wine Feta and the unique Vidalia Onion Kase.

Located just three hours southeast of Atlanta, Flat Creek Lodge welcomes the discerning sportsman and sportswoman to an unforgettable hunting and fishing adventure. Amid a pristine and private woodland preserve, guests can stay in the main Lodge or in a private Cottage. Visitors can enjoy many outdoor activities, relax in the Spa, or pamper themselves in the uniquely designed Japanese Bathhouse before experiencing the cuisine in the Flat Creek Lodge Dining Room. Menus feature fresh, seasonal herbs, fruits, and vegetables, wild game and seafood from the Golden Isles of Georgia. Dining on Friday and Saturday evenings is four or five courses paired with just the right wine. The 2,000-acre Flat Creek Lodge is located at 367 Bishop Chapel Church Road, Swainsboro, Georgia 30401. The Lodge can be reached at 478.237.FISH or 877.352.8273. It can also be visited online at www.flatcreeklodge.com .

Hosted by the Wisconsin Cheesemakers Association, the 27th Biennial World Cheese Championship—the largest international cheese contest—was held March 11-13 in Madison, Wis. The contest judges cheeses and butters by class; each is evaluated by an international panel of 22 expert judges. Flat Creek Lodge Dairy placed 12th out of 29 places, putting it in the top 43 percent of participants—pretty sweet for a young dairy.

Of course it doesn’t hurt that Huebner, Flat Creek’s Big Cheese, came to the Dairy with plenty of cheese-making credentials. In addition to working in beer production and as a scientist in a bakery, he served as Research Chef and Cheesemaker at Cedar Grove Cheese in Wisconsin, where he developed different cheese and flavors for private label companies, helping them win cheese awards.

With the Flat Creek Lodge Dairy since November, Huebner has been hard at work making local versions of some of his favorite cheeses from around the world, as well as coming up with several of his own American Originals. Since elements like type of milk, microbes and the terroir affect the flavor of every cheese, no cheese can ever be exactly duplicated. So Flat Creek Cheddar will only taste like Flat Creek Cheddar.

Feeling cheesy? Flat Creek Lodge Dairy cheeses are available at the Flat Creek property, online or by placing a telephone order.

Located just three hours southeast of Atlanta, Flat Creek Lodge welcomes the discerning sportsman and sportswoman to an unforgettable hunting and fishing adventure. Amid a pristine and private woodland preserve, guests can stay in the main Lodge or in a private Cottage. Visitors can enjoy many outdoor activities, relax in the Spa, or pamper themselves in the uniquely designed Japanese Bathhouse before experiencing the cuisine in the Flat Creek Lodge Dining Room. Menus feature fresh, seasonal herbs, fruits, and vegetables, wild game and seafood from the Golden Isles of Georgia. Dining on Friday and Saturday evenings is four or five courses paired with just the right wine. The 2,000-acre Flat Creek Lodge is located at 367 Bishop Chapel Church Road, Swainsboro, Georgia 30401. The Lodge can be reached at 478.237.FISH or 877.352.8273. It can also be visited online at www.flatcreeklodge.com.

In keeping with the Flat Creek Lodge mission to support the local economy of Emanuel County and provide an eco-friendly environment, owners Steve and Caroline Harless instigated the micro-dairy project to bring the small family dairy that might be found in Europe or New England back to Georgia. Since the process began one-and-a-half years ago, it has been truly a labor of love for these dairy neophytes.

“We didn’t even have a herdsman when we got the cows,” says general manager Cathy McDaniel. The team learned everything as they went along and even hand-milked the cows for the first three or four weeks. The hard work has paid off, and on Saturday, June 9, Flat Creek Lodge Dairy will officially celebrate its opening with a line of four delicious cheeses – Havarti, Gouda, Edam and Colby.

Working in tandem with the supportive Department of Agriculture, the Flat Creek Lodge Dairy has become only the second licensed artisanal cheese producer in Georgia. In addition to serving the cheeses in their own fine dining restaurant onsite, Flat Creek Lodge plans to market the Flat Creek Lodge cheese brand to restaurants and retail outlets and is looking to the rising interest among chefs, restaurateurs and consumers in using locally produced products.

The Dairy isn’t the only thing keeping it local at Flat Creek Lodge. The site also includes several greenhouses where herbs and vegetables are grown and then served in the dining room. The Lodge employed Emanuel County builders to erect the structures on the property, and they used only local materials like pine and cypress. Inside, each building has been decorated using art by local artists, including custom made furniture and taxidermy. Outside, all sporting activities are stocked with wild game indigenous to Georgia or that thrive in the southeastern environment. That means, hunters and fishers can expect Mallard ducks, bobwhite quail, pheasants, wild turkey, white tail deer, wild boar, trophy-size large mouth bass, bream, blue gill and crappie.

Located just three hours southeast of Atlanta, Flat Creek Lodge welcomes the discerning sportsman and sportswoman to an unforgettable hunting and fishing adventure. Amid a pristine and private woodland preserve, guests can stay in the main lodge or in a private cottage. Visitors can enjoy many outdoor activities, relax in the spa, or pamper themselves in the uniquely designed Japanese bathhouse before experiencing the cuisine in the Flat Creek Lodge dining room. Menus feature fresh, seasonal herbs, fruits, and vegetables, wild game and seafood from the Golden Isles of Georgia. Dining on Friday and Saturday evenings is four or five courses paired with just the right wine. The 2,000-acre Flat Creek Lodge is located at 367 Bishop Chapel Church Road, Swainsboro, Georgia 30401.

Our cheeses are now being featured at the Cloister on Sea Island and Ray’s on River in Atlanta.
Also cheese maybe purchased online at dairy@flatcreeklodge.com.

For more information about our cheeses and to place an order, please contact us toll free at 877-352-8273 or fax to 478-237-6354 or email us at dairy@flatcreeklodge.com.

Swainsboro, Georgia (July 31, 2008) – No stranger to accolades, the young Dairy at Flat Creek Lodge in Southeast Georgia brought home new honors from the prestigious American Cheese Society 25 th Anniversary Conference last weekend. The competition was tough - with entries from 181 producers from 30 states and three Canadian provinces, the 2008 American Cheese Society Competition acknowledges the very top cheesemakers on the continent. Flat Creek Lodge won First Place in the Hispanic & Portuguese Flavored category for the Flat Creek Lodge Dairy team’s Caraway Cotija, a drier style of cheese similar to Parmesan with plenty of salt and picante .

“This is an exciting honor for us,” said Flat Creek’s Head Cheesemaker Dane Huebner. “You do your best to select your finest cheeses, but with more than 1,100 entries, it’s definitely a tough competition. The judges put in a lot of effort to sort through everything and find the best cheeses.” In all, the ACS Competition included 15 aesthetic judges and 15 technical judges, making the selection of winners highly professional and making the Award extremely significant.

The American Cheese Society is an active, not for profit, trade organization that encourages the understanding, appreciation and promotion of farmstead and natural specialty cheeses produced in the Americas and Canada. By providing an educational forum for cheesemakers and cheese enthusiasts, the Society fills an important gap in today’s specialty food world. Some ACS members come from small farms but they can also be industrial producers, wholesalers, distributors, retail shops, cheese media and cheese enthusiasts. Founded in 1983, ACS membership has grown to include approximately 1,400 members who are also able to work with the federal government concerning issues that involve accepted standards and practices in the production of cheese and fermented dairy products. www.cheesesociety.org

Each year, the ACS hosts the conference and world-renowned cheese competition. Unlike other cheese competitions where cheeses are graded down for technical defects, the American Cheese Society’s goal is to give positive recognition to those cheese that are of the highest quality in the aesthetic evaluation (i.e. flavor, aroma and texture), as well as their technical evaluation. As a result, the highest quality cheeses are those that the Society feels deserve the recognition of an American Cheese Society award, based on a minimum number of points awarded (totally 100 points possible) for First, Second or Third Place. In categories or sub-categories where the minimum number of points is not earned, no award was given for that category or sub-category.

“Winning this year is great inspiration for us and truly validates our efforts,” said Huebner. “We are looking forward to even better things next year.”

In addition to the blue ribbon Caraway Cotija, the Flat Creek Lodge Dairy produces a full line of artisanal cheeses including: Cheddars – Aged, Horseradish, Aztec and Thai Chili; Mustard Kase and Onion Kase; smoked cheeses such as Smokin’ Jack; the Original Farmhouse Cheese and Farmhouse Bleu; Dutch–style Leiden and cheeses flavored with herbs and other produce from the Flat Creek Lodge greenhouses. All of the cheeses are made from raw milk except the Flat Creek Feta. New Flat Creek Lodge cheese creations will be perfectly aged and ready soon including the Aged Stir Curd, Kalamata Olive and White Wine Feta and the unique Vidalia Onion Cheddar.

The line of cheeses is available onsite at Flat Creek Lodge and many selections have also recently been making their way to restaurants and retail spaces throughout Georgia. Flat Creek’s locally produced cheeses including Thai Chili Cheddar, Mustard Kase, Onion Kase, Original Farmhouse, Farmhouse Bleu, Mozzarella and Dutch-style Leiden are now available at Whole Foods Buckhead, and cheese lovers can also sample some of the Flat Creek creations at Star Provisions. Atlanta restaurants featuring Flat Creek Lodge cheeses include Restaurant Eugene and Buckhead Life Group restaurants Pano’s & Paul’s, Chops and Pricci.

In Savannah, Flat Creek cheeses are making their way to restaurant chefs through Green Tomato Concepts. The Governor’s Mansion in Atlanta and The Cloister on Sea Island also serve Flat Creek cheeses. Retailer Out of the Blue in Blue Ridge, Georgia sells Flat Creek cheeses, and they can be sampled at Persimmon Creek Vineyards in Clayton, Georgia too. In addition to being found at the above locations, Flat Creek Lodge cheeses can always be ordered online or by telephone by getting in touch with Flat Creek Lodge directly.

Located just three hours southeast of Atlanta, Flat Creek Lodge welcomes the discerning sportsman and sportswoman to an unforgettable hunting and fishing adventure. Amid a pristine and private woodland preserve, guests can stay in the main Lodge or in a private Cottage. Visitors can enjoy many outdoor activities, relax in the Spa, or pamper themselves in the uniquely designed Japanese Bathhouse before experiencing the cuisine in the Flat Creek Lodge Dining Room. Menus feature fresh, seasonal herbs, fruits, and vegetables, wild game and seafood from the Golden Isles of Georgia. Dining on Friday and Saturday evenings is four or five courses paired with just the right wine. The 2,000-acre Flat Creek Lodge is located at 367 Bishop Chapel Church Road, Swainsboro, Georgia 30401. The Lodge can be reached at 478.237.FISH or 877.352.8273. It can also be visited online at www.flatcreeklodge.com .

Swainsboro, Georgia (April 22, 2008) - With the largemouth bass spawning on beds around the 18 different ponds located at Flat Creek Lodge, it’s no wonder that some monster bass are being caught! Guest Claudia Haraway noted that the highlight of her visit was catching of a 14-pound, 28-inch largemouth bass. Another happy visitor to Flat Creek Lodge, Kerri McKenzie caught a pre-spawn 26-inch, 12.5 pounder from the same pond. Both of these trophy-size fish were caught, weighed, measured (and photographed!) and released back into the main lake. Haraway and McKenzie’s good fortune provides an example of the great catches that can be made fishing the lakes and ponds that surround the unique resort, spa and outdoor sports destination.

Flat Creek Lodge is a 2,000-acre, top-notch outdoor sports facility located just outside the town of Swainsboro, Georgia. The resort offers 12 lodge rooms along with six two- bedroom and two four-bedroom cottages, a complete spa facility, fitness center and a unique Japanese bathhouse for guests to enjoy.

Along with phenomenal bass fishing, Flat Creek Lodge offers seasonal quail, deer, turkey, wild boar, pheasant and duck hunts on its game preserve. Renowned Sporting Director Bob Edwards offers training tips and sporting classes to improve any sportsperson’s abilities and maximize enjoyment. For visitors who prefer other outdoor activities, the resort also offers hiking, nature tours, biking and other summer related activities at the onsite freshwater beach. During fall 2008, Flat Creek Lodge plans to offer new options like fitness training, orienteering, a confidence course and paintball in the woods. With so many types of adventure, there is never a dull moment at Flat Creek Lodge.

Located just three hours southeast of Atlanta, Flat Creek Lodge welcomes the discerning sportsman and sportswoman to an unforgettable hunting and fishing adventure. Amid a pristine and private woodland preserve, guests can stay in the main Lodge or in a private Cottage.  Visitors can enjoy many outdoor activities, relax in the Spa, or pamper themselves in the uniquely designed Japanese bathhouse before experiencing the cuisine in the Flat Creek Lodge Dining Room.  Menus feature fresh, seasonal herbs, fruits, and vegetables, wild game and seafood from the Golden Isles of Georgia.  Dining on Friday and Saturday evenings is four or five courses paired with just the right wine.  The 2,000-acre Flat Creek Lodge is located at 367 Bishop Chapel Church Road, Swainsboro, Georgia 30401. The Lodge can be reached at 478.237.FISH or 877.352.8273. It can also be visited online at www.flatcreeklodge.com