California farmers are using milk from cows and goats to produce some world-class cheeses — and the Palm Desert Certified Farmers Market has several examples of locally-made California cheeses.

Award-winning Winchester Farms from Hemet offers a variety of gouda cheeses, of various ages, some plain and some flavored with fresh herbs and spices.

Locally-made organic cheeses are also available at the Palm Desert market. Choose from organic goat, organic cheddar, and organic feta. Organic butter is also available at the mid-week market in Palm Desert.

Price: $10 per pound and up, depending on the variety.

Did you know: California is the second-largest cheese-producing state in the United States (and produces nearly a quarter of the cheese produced in the U.S.). The state also produces more Monterey Jack than any other state. Monterey Jack — a “California Original” — is a descendant of a type of cheese produced in the California missions more than 200 years ago. In 2008, California produced 292 million pounds of Monterey Jack cheese.