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We are vacationing in Vermont this week. We spent part of the time visiting cheese farms. We have been to Consider Bardwell, Taylor, Twig Farm, Cobb Hill and Crowley. We got to see the cheese making facilities at most of them and got in depth tours at some. I've purchased about 20 Vermont cheeses!

Here are a few pics:

1. Consider Bardwell. Everyone there was really down-to earth. Peter Dixon is a nice guy and seems passionate about the dairy industry. Anyhow, I didn't take any pics inside the cheesemaking facilities:

Their sign:


Here are some of their yearlings:


2. Twig Farm. This place rocked. The cheesemaker, Michael, got his start as a cheesemonger in NYC. He says that five years ago he was driving up to Vermont to buy cheese for his shop, and it occurred to him that he could start his own farm. I'm glad he did. My favorite is his washed rind; we bought an entire 1.5 pound wheel. The blue goat, old goat and tomme are also fabulous:

The washed rind:


Everything we bought there wrapped up:


3. Taylor Farm. They make a bunch of goudas. Here are a few pics of their one of their aging rooms:





Anyhow, I need to go to bed. I might post more pics tomorrow.

Congrats hon. That must have been a blast! I did a cheese tours a few years back up there. I really enjoyed the folks at Sugarbush Farm. Crowley was closed the day we went to their place. Never met Peter either but I will one day!

clh, thanks for the pictures, more are always good !

The brother of some very close friends of mine here in Houston are the owners of Twig Farm...

Very nice.   I would love to go.

Here was out haul as of a couple of days ago. Since then we have bought a few more!



We also took a day trip to Montreal and bought a few non-exported Quebecois cheeses.

Here is another pic of one of Taylor's "caves."



I find it interesting that most of the cheesemakers we visited age in walk-in coolers. In other words they lack humidity control devices. One of local cheesemakers (Pennsylvania) says when his "cave" dries out  he dumps water on the floor. At Crowley, the factory is in an old three story house, and they age their cheese in the attic.

Did any of your walk in aging cellars have cheese that has "crusted over" with natural molds?

Your pictures seem to indicate cheese rinds that are all free from mold.

Thanks clh, actually the cheeses on the left look like they are all plastic vacuum wrapped.

Lots of moisture > humidity is given off by the cheeses, also, I remember reading that cheese makers in France splash water on their walls to add more humidity, so splashing on floor makes also sense.