Visiting our producers in Vermont
Rani and Emily at The Cellars at Jasper Hill Farm
Shelburne Farms
Jasper Hill Farm
Stony Pond Farm
Recap of our recent visit to Vermont to visit our partners at Shelburne Farms, Jasper Hill Farm, and Stony Pond Farm! Our Marketing Director and Athens Sales Rep went on a deep dive, learning more about our Vermont offerings, farmstead cheese production, and connecting the dots between maker and monger. All three farms have unique offerings and ways of doing things, but the takeaway was the truly artisanal, farmstead nature in preserving Vermont’s natural landscape and handcrafting exceptional cheeses we get to share with you.
Their trip started at the Vermont Cheesemaker’s Festival at Shelburne Farm, where they met multiple producers and saw Shelburne’s property and production. This property dates back to the late 19th century when the Vanderbilt family built a grand agricultural estate in Shelburne, nearly 4,000 acres. Today, Shelburne Farms is a nonprofit organization that has been making artisanal Vermont cheddar since 1980. They believe that education is the path to a sustainable future rooted in nature and community. Their cheesemakers turn fresh milk into raw milk cheddar nearly every day, producing over 170,000 pounds of cheese a year. It’s a physical, hands-on process that requires careful attention to every detail and step. The cow's diets shift seasonally to account for varying acidity, moisture, and salt contents to craft a delicious final product that reflects the land it comes from.
The next day, they drove over to the “Northeast Kingdom” to visit our friends at Jasper Hill Farm. Well known for their Bayley Hazen and Withersbrook Blues, Harbison, Clothbound Cheddar, and other outstanding cheeses, it was truly an honor to see the vast, yet hands-on production that goes on behind the scenes at this farm. Their drive to be the standard bearer of quality and innovation in the artisan cheese industry while promoting regional taste is ultimately why they are our partners and friends. They’ve created a 22,000 square foot, underground cave aging system for cultivating natural rinds with traditional European practices. Their two creameries produce 14+ distinct cheeses made from cows fed locally grown hay cropped from nearly 1,000 acres of pasture. Their devotion to this land is at the forefront in both the tasting components of their cheeses and is seen in their packaging.
Finally, our team stopped by Stony Pond Farm to visit Tyler and Melanie! This family-run, farmstead farm is truly just that. Living on the property, managing and milking the cows daily, and making cheese from spring to fall, this is a family affair for this husband-wife duo and their two kids. Their cattle rotationally graze on nutrient-rich, certified organic pastures, resulting in repeatedly earning Superior Quality Awards. Inspired by the lush abundance and biodiversity of their working grassland, their cheeses are named in honor of the array of birds that call Stony Pond Farm their home. Swallow Tail Tomme is a French farmhouse-style cheese with a creamy, buttery paste that captures the flavor of their pasture. Named after the Swallow-Tailed Kite, these birds are vital to the happiness of their cattle, eating the flies and insects that would otherwise pester the cows. Tom Tom is a Camembert-style cheese that has a bloomy rind, beautiful for a cheese board. Named after the wild turkeys that call the farm home, this cheese is usually ripe and ready to serve for the holidays.