Immigrant talks about his new life: Adrian Buff (33) produces Swiss cheese in the USA

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Adrian Buff immigrated to North America in 1997 when he was seven years old. His family had purchased a farm in southwestern Missouri. “There was enough agriculture in Switzerland,” he told Blick, now 33.

The problem: especially regulations. On the one hand, they would have to build the barn in Switzerland from scratch, on the other hand, the building was a listed building. Thereupon, the parents decided to take their children to seek happiness elsewhere. “Everything was very exciting for me,” Buff recalls.

“I missed the USA so much”

“The original plan was to milk the cows and sell the milk to the cooperative,” says the 33-year-old man. “The idea of ​​making cheese came later.”

After graduating from high school, Buff returned to his old home, Switzerland. Since he did not have a permit to work in the United States at the time, he considered various options. “My mother told me back then, ‘You shouldn’t be a farmer,'” Buff smiles.

He decided to become a dairy technologist because his family already had a dairy farm in the US. To do this, he moved to Luthern LU for three years to complete his apprenticeship at Napf Chäsi. “The second year of training was particularly tiring. “I missed the USA and my family very much,” says the 33-year-old actor.

“The best thing is when cheese is well received”

The trained cheese maker received a green card, a permanent permit to live and work in the United States, in 2015. He later returned to Missouri. Three years later, he got another chance: “In 2018, I had the opportunity to rent a cheese dairy part-time,” says Buff. There he started producing two cheeses, Grisontaler and Ozakr Mutschli.

“Cheese sells better in the city. “But everyone loves Mutschli, even in this region,” says the American happily. They now produce other types of cheese: Säntis, blue cheese and raclette are also offered.

“The best thing for me is that people love cheese,” Buff says. “I was incredibly happy when I started producing my own cheese five years ago.” Another important point for him is when things are going well despite the current difficult economic situation. “It was a tough year.”

An unimaginable return

When it comes to Switzerland, Buff especially misses his family, friends and public transport. “Public transport in Switzerland is really good,” he admits. He has to drive everywhere in the US. “We used to miss good cheese too. But not anymore,” he grins.

Even though her older sister now lives in Switzerland, the 33-year-old can’t imagine going back. In 2023, it returned to its original home for the first time in eight years. “I love Missouri,” Buff admits. «I like to live a little slower. “It’s not as stressful as in Switzerland.”

Source : Blick