Our Cheesemaker Partners
Black River Produce has a rich heritage of bringing you undiscovered great local cheeses as well as well-known classics. We work with tiniest of dairy farms where cries of, “but if we both come to the meeting, who will stay at the shop and make the cheese?” is a common sentiment. In the past four and half decades, we’ve been fortunate to be a small part of many local success stories. Small shops who grow into well-established, beloved regional and national brands. And, when we aren’t bringing you local cheeses, we are scouring the national and international landscape to bring you amazing cheese and dairy products you can be proud to serve on your menus and carry on your retail shelves. Here are a few of our cheesemaking partners.
Cabot has been part of Vermont culture since 1919, and has won awards on all levels—including world-wide—contributing to putting Vermont on the map as one of the best states to find delicious cheeses. Five of their farms have even won the New England Green Pastures Award for being an outstanding dairy farm based on production and financial management, environmental practices, contributions to agriculture and the local community, and overall excellence in farm management practices. They say that the reason their cheese is so good is their hands-on production which shows their care and commitment to exceptional product.
Born in Vermont in 1984, Vermont Creamery is a team of Vermonters who share a common goal: crafting the most delicious dairy they can. This certified B Corporation, is devoted to promoting environmental sustainability and social responsibility, which means supporting local farmers and growers while caring for the land. They produce 9 different flavors of fresh goat cheeses, 5 different award-winning aged cheeses, and cultured butters and culinary creams that will add depth and flavor to your favorite dishes.
The cradle of the Jersey breed, this 100-year-old dairy farm is made up of small, brown cows that have been specifically bred to produce higher quality milk while simultaneously creating a smaller carbon footprint than standard dairy cattle. Marjorie Field took the farm over 1934 and became a world renowned pioneer in the field of Jersey breeding even though she had no formal training in genetics. Because of her work, High Lawn Farm cows produce about four times as much milk as average cows, with 17% more protein and 20% more calcium per unit of feed.
This award-winning artisanal cheesemaker uses only rBGH & rBST-free, 100% Vermont milk to make fresh mozzarella cheeses in the hills of Bennington, Vermont. They started out with cluster of fresh mozzarella balls displayed on the counter of an Italian specialty shop, and now they produce 40,000 pounds of cheese weekly. They use Old-World style to bring authentic mozzarella to New England, making them the premier producer of handmade artisanal cheeses in the area. They are now producing 12 different cheeses including mozzarella, feta, ricotta, and their incredibly snackable cheddar bites.
Back in 2005, the sanctuary-based cheese makers at Nettle Meadow transformed a farmhouse into a cheese production facility, so that they could fulfill their cheesemaking dreams as well as their dreams of taking care of animals. The critters responsible for the milk used to make Nettle Meadow’s outstanding cheeses are housed in six large barns and a few out buildings including a recently restored barn that was originally built in 1903. Some of their award-winning flavors include the Sappy Ewe, Truffle Kunik, and the Three Sisters, all made from some combination of sheep, goat, and cow’s milk.
