Mongolian Cheese Please!
Introduction
Khaliunaa (Helen) and Batuka hail from the steppes of Mongolia where they craft amazing and unique dairy products from the milk of Yaks managed by traditional nomadic herdsman, some of whom are their own family members. Helen and Batuka arrived in Ithaca NY in 2024 because of Helen’s acceptance in the Hubert Humphrey Fellowship, an international exchange and economic development program hosted by Cornell University. She is a fellow participant with 12 others from all around the world. Her focus is to develop skills in new product development and international marketing to facilitate increased exports of their unique Yak milk dairy products to foreign markets.
The People
There is a strong age-old tradition of dairy that has been alive for centuries on the steppes of Mongolia. The people of the steppe are nomadic and maintain the tradition to this day. Let’s imagine together. In a small mountain valley, 55-year-old Dulmaa begins her day like thousands of other herders. At 5 a.m., she steps out of her yurt, greeted by silence, snow-covered peaks, and the sting of a sharp winter wind. The only sound is the low murmur of her cows, yaks, and sheep — quiet reminders of the life she has always known. Her yaks roam freely on high-altitude pastures above 2,000 meters, feeding on wild grasses and rare medicinal herbs. These animals have helped her people survive for over 4,000 years. For Dulmaa, the yak is not just livestock — it is a life partner.
She joins two other women her age, neighbors from nearby yurts, to begin milking the yaks. Time is precious — producing dairy products from yak milk takes patience, skill, and long hours. As her hands work the milk into ghee and aaruul (dried curd snack), her mind drifts with worry. Her husband has been gone for weeks, searching for horses stolen by thieves. She’s even more anxious about the tuition fees for her two daughters, who are studying in Ulaanbaatar (Capital city of Mongolia)
Dulmaa’s story is not unique. It reflects the lives of many Mongolian herders, holding tight to ancestral traditions while facing modern challenges. Yet these traditions are at risk.
Modernization and industrialization have taken its toll on traditional ways of life the world over, and the steppes of Mongolia are no exception as more and more young people are leaving the steppe for modern lifestyles in urban areas. This is a threat that is taking its toll on an amazing and unique dairy tradition, unless a new vision can overcome the many challenges faced by nomadic communities. It is the dream and vision of Helen and Batuka to establish and grow the market for unique Yak milk dairy products both domestically and abroad. The development of new products and market expansion and access can bring renewed stability. This will require innovative ways to connect with nomadic communities for long term stability in Yak milk acquisition and its transformation into new products with increased appeal to both domestic and export markets. The development of such a system can provide new hope for the continuing dairy traditions of the steppes of Mongolia.
The Animals
The nomadic communities of Mongolia tend large herds of sheep, goats, and Yak. The center of focus for Batuka and Helen is the wonderful and amazing Yak. These animals are ancient, and the herds being tended are not fully domesticated even to this day. They are herded by nomadic people who have developed a relationship with them which may be best described as a partnership, each side benefits from the other. Yak milk itself is simply amazing! It is an expression of terroir par excellence, free range grazing, sustainable and regenerative in every real sense of those words. Herders both follow and lead these animals as they feed on the best grasses nature can provide and to which they have adapted over millennia. The result is a rich, high fat, high protein milk that is naturally certifiable A2. These are conditions and qualities that would be very costly to implement anywhere else; a complete system; the land, the herdsman and the Yaks.
The Products
The focus of current production for Helen and Batuka is Yak Milk Ghee, and a hard, dried, and aged Yak dairy milk bone that is used for pet chews. These product lines have been on the market domestically and for export for over ten years. Notably, both products are very suitable for export due to their long, stable shelf life. These products are more than just food — they create stable income for herder families, helping bring essential services like phone networks and educational improvements to remote communities. However, this is only the beginning. Yak milk due to its amazing milk quality is highly suitable for the development of top shelf artisanal cheese. This is an exciting direction for growth and expansion capable of show casing internationally, one of the world’s best milk sources possible.
Photo: A picture of Ghee and milk bones
Goals and Values
Lively Run and Helen and Batuka, though operating on opposite sides of the world share many of the same goals and values. We all value, sustainable and regenerative agricultural practices, though as mentioned we in the west have challenges unknown to the natural processes which unfold on the steppes of Mongolia. Lively Run values natural and organic cheese. Its products are all natural without artificial additives and it is certified to make organic cheese as well. Lively Run is keen on doing whatever possible to assist other kindred spirits along this journey. To this end, Batuka and Hele abd Lively Run Dairy, have teamed up. It is anticipated that while Helen and Batuka are here Lively Run can assist and mentor them in product development adaptable to Yak milk and their operations in Mongolia. Together we are visioneering a future of growth and hope for traditional nomadic dairying in Mongolia.
