Vermont Cheese Sees Challenges and Opportunities in Shifting Markets
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
4/8/2020
WAITSFIELD, Vermont – As the COVID-19 pandemic has shifted consumer behaviors across the U.S., cheesemakers in Vermont have had to juggle to find new ways to connect with their consumers. As part of the $650 million cheese industry in Vermont, their products are often featured in restaurants in the New York City and Boston areas, retailed in specialty food shops, sold at storefronts on farms, or passed into consumers’ hands at farmers markets. The shift seen in consumers’ abilities to access these locations has dramatically impacted many cheesemakers’ abilities to sell their products, resulting in 50-70% reductions in sales in most cases.
Lost sales channels are particularly disruptive for cheesemakers. Even if they stop producing cheese, the milking animals found on dairy farms continue to produce milk. This means that either cheesemakers continue making cheese, without a sufficient market for their cheeses, or they discard or divert their incoming […]
Maple Rum Leaf
Hildene Maple Rum Leaf is a soft-ripened, bloomy rind cheese wrapped in maple leaves harvested from Hildene’s property. The leaves are soaked in Mad River Distillery’s Maple Cask Rum before being applied to the cheese. Maple Rum Leaf comes in 4oz rounds made from pasteurized cow milk and aged for 3 weeks. The texture is dense at the center and gooey just beneath the rind. the leaves add a floral, spicy aroma and a hint of sweetness to the rind. Due to the labor intensive nature of this cheese, Maple Rum Leaf is available only in limited quantities from November to March.
For information on where to purchase, click here.
Cow Tomme
Hildene Cow Tomme is one of our winter cheeses made from raw milk bought from a nearby dairy. It has a firm texture and a nice balance of bright tartness with a creamy, buttery flavor similar to a mild cheddar. Each finished wheel is 6 to 7 pounds and is aged for at least 6 months. The natural rind adds an earthy note.
For information on where to purchase, click here.
Goat Tomme
Hildene Goat Tomme is a semi-firm cheese made from raw milk. Each wheel is washed in a salt brine fro the first month of aging to develop an orange patina and fruity aroma. While the washing gives the cheese a little extra funk the complexity of our goat’s milk still shines through: peppery, sweet and savory all at once. Hildene Goat Tomme is aged at least 3 months and is made in 4-5 pound wheels.
For information on where to purchase, click here.
Morse Camembert
Morse Camembert is named for one of the less famous peaks along the Mansfield ridge line. We are proud to make this cheese exclusively with raw goat’s milk, which allows our high quality milk to shine through in the final product. Morse ages for 60 days, developing strong mushroom flavors and a very gooey, creamy paste.
For information on where to purchase, click here.
100% Grass-Fed Raw Goat Milk
Our milk is 100% grass and forage fed, certified by AGW.
The soil, pastures, and quality hay are our best tools for creating healthy delicious milk.
Our goats have outdoors access 24/7 365 days a year.
We rotationally graze the goats during the growing season, where they have access to new forage and browse.
The herd is moved to new grazing areas once or twice a day depending on the size and quality of the pasture.
Grass-fed products are higher in healthy antioxidants, vitamin E, omega-3 fatty acids, conjugated linoleic acid CLA, carotenoids such as lutein, zeaxanthin, beta-carotene, and other nutrients.
You can obtain fresh milk from us in the following ways:
- Pick up on-farm
- Delivery to Farmers Markets (email or call to pre-order)
Our foundation for fresh raw milk:
- Healthy soil
- Healthy goats
- Clean milking environment
- Milk that is cooled quickly and handled gently
For information on where to purchase, click here.
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