By Beth Lewand
The diversity of Vermont cheese and the resiliency of its makers were both on display at the first Vermont Cheese Summit, held this August at Shelburne Farms on the shore of Lake Champlain.
Hosted by the Vermont Cheese Council, the event was a trial run for what could potentially become an annual gathering of cheesemakers, buyers, and distributors. Food Connects was on the scene for a day of behind-the-scenes farm, creamery, and cave tours, followed by a mini-conference and trade show. Educational sessions addressed the history of cheesemaking in the state, the actions our dairy farmers and cheesemakers are taking to improve environmental sustainability, and the impact of dairy animals’ diets on cheese flavor. (As it turns out, rotational grazing in well-managed pastures is great both for the environment and for making robust, complex cheeses!)
During the tasting session, Food Connects co-hosted a table with our partner, Vermont Way Foods, and shared samples from Vermont Shepherd, 5 Generations Creamery, Vermont Salumi, Sugar Bob’s Finest Kind, Mixed Up Nut Butter, and Vermont Quince. Attendees happily savored everything we served, and the runaway hit of the day was probably the Dulce de Membrillo, or quince paste, from Vermont Quince. People who had never experienced quince before were delighted to discover an exciting new cheese pairing. No fewer than two European importers said it was the best membrillo they had ever tasted. One taster’s eyes lit up as soon as he had a sample, and he exclaimed, “I know this! My grandmother used to make this!” At Food Connects, we spend a lot of time thinking about the socioeconomic aspects of our food systems, and sometimes it’s refreshing to be reminded of the simple, essential joy that delicious food can bring.
Another source of joy was meeting face-to-face with the folks from Champlain Valley Creamery, Jasper Hill Farm, Parish Hill Creamery, and Cobb Hill Cheese, plus other buyers and cheesemakers we hadn’t seen in person for a very long time—and some we had never met in person. In addition to buyers from Vermont and New Hampshire, we opened up conversations with potential customers in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York. Although Food Connects doesn’t currently deliver to those far-flung locations, we are exploring options for how we can use our resources and networks to help Vermont and New England cheesemakers and dairy farmers expand the markets for their products.
Although the spirit of the weekend was largely celebratory, it was also apparent what serious challenges our cheesemakers are currently facing. Every maker we spoke to works long hours with a skeleton crew, barely able to keep up with the production demands. In addition to labor shortages, there is tough competition for the high-quality milk that artisanal cheesemaking demands. Farmstead cheesemakers with their own dairy herds have control over their own milk production (although labor shortages present challenges in that department as well), but smaller standalone creameries that purchase local milk are sometimes being muscled out of the market by larger cooperatives. It’s wonderful to see that Organic, grass-fed milk is reaching supermarket shelves, but the dairy industry will need to pivot to meet the new demand.
The weekend proved that the Vermont cheese industry is a unique, valuable resource, both in terms of cheese quality and in the ways that it supports our economy and communities. It’s been a difficult few years in this business, as in many others, and it’s more important than ever for cheesemakers and their partners, like Food Connects, to work creatively and strategically to keep this industry growing.