Cheese: Artisanal Cheese Movement: Vermont and New York State

Established in 1980, Vermont’s Shelburne Farms is characteristic of the new breed of American cheese maker, maintaining a herd of purebred grass-fed cows, raised humanely with conservation of the natural resources in mind. Their award-winning bandage-wrapped cheddar proves that these factors do make a difference. Likewise, though much younger and smaller, Jasper Hill Farm produces utterly unique blue cheeses and cheddars in Greensboro, Vermont. Their new hi-tech cave-aging facilties show that superb traditional cheeses can be made using modern facilities. They also custom-age cheese for other producers, helping make the craft a viable profession through the region. Thistle Hill Farm’s raw organic cow’s milk is made into tarentaise, a kind of Alpine cheese also unique to this area.