Cheese festival, Vermont cheese

Getting to know Vermont cheese

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We’re in Vermont for the sold-out Vermont Cheesemakers Festival which takes place today. Yesterday, we took a guided tour to three farmstead cheese producers—and tasted our first Vermont cheese. The tour was conducted by the personable Chris Howell of Vermont Farm Tours.

First stop: Crawford Family Farm, the home of Vermont Ayr Farmstead Cheese.

Sherry Crawford in the cheese cave at Crawford Family Farm.

Second  stop: Dancing Cow Farm, home of four cheeses named after four dances.

Karen Getz with her newest cheese, a light blue called Lindy Hop.

Third stop: Twig Farm, home of farmstead goat milk cheese.

Michael Lee with Dot, one of his Alpine goats.

What is so striking about these three cheesemakers is how small they are, how devoted they are to farming, what care they give to their animals, the handling of the milk and the making of excellent cheese, and, especially, how hard they work.

More, later.