vermont cheesemakers' festival 2017
This was the 9th annual (and my 8th!) VT Cheesemakers' Festival. Of the 2000 souls in attendance this year, most were turophiles, enthusiasts, and geeks out to spend a day tasting cheese and sampling other affiliated and/or harmonious comestibles.
Every year has been great, but the festival is admittedly more fun now that I don't run the show and instead just get to be a cheesemaker.
The festival is amazing in the way that cheesemakers and cheese people converge. As hard as it is to leave the farm, or the creamery, or the factory, we do revel in seeing one another and hearing tales, and tasting cheese. And more, we are edified to share our wares and tell our tales to those who make the pilgrimage to taste and talk on the shores of Lake Champlain.
This year I was honored to take part in the Farmstead & Artisan Cheesemaker talks. We had a full house to hear how Shelburne Farms, Jasper Hill, Shelburne Vineyard, and Parish Hill Creamery got started.
Sabin Gratz was the official photographer for the VT Cheesemakers' Festival. The photos are beautiful, capturing the magic of the day. @sabingratzphotography
of course, the best part of the day is jumping in the lake.