Cheesemaker Kenny Mattingly comes from a family of dairy farmers in Barren County, Kentucky. In the early 1990's, as milk as a commercial commodity had seen a shift towards large operations and government subsidies, Kenny took a trip to Europe touring small farms and learning the added value technique of making cheese. With this perspective, Kenny began making cheese in 1998. This business decision would be one that saved the 200 acre farm.

Kenny's 120 cows are out on pasture and all of the cheeses made at the farm are made with raw milk. The Kentucky Rose is made from the curds that are also used to make blue cheese. The curds are inoculated with penicillum roquoforti, then washed, given the addition of cream, then hooped into moulds. It is aged in a moist environment where the blue mold is encouraged on the rind. The mold grows on the rind and is rubbed down twice a week for 4 weeks. Because the wheels are never pierced, the blue mold never blossoms in the paste like a typical blue cheese.