SCHOLTEN FAMILY FARM

Patty and Roger Scholten turned to cheesemaking as a strategy to add more value to their Weybridge, Vermont business in 2008. The two constructed a small cheese-making room adjacent to the barn and milking parlor. Patty uses fresh milk from the herd to make fresh and aged cheeses right on the farm. 

THE MILK

Though they've owned the dairy since 1995, it wasn't until 2007 that the Scholten's sold the original cows and purchased an organic herd of mainly Dutch Belts. Their organic production includes pasture grazing and a hay based diet in the winter. Roger closely manages the herd's health in order to create a high-quality, consistent raw material for cheesemaking.

Patty and Roger manage the dairy farm with the help of a growing family; their children Rachel, Abby and Danny all contribute to daily responsibilities. Recently, daughter LeAnna and husband Mike moved back to the farm to help keep the business moving forward. Diversified production like cheese and pastured eggs create new possibilities for the future.

WEYBRIDGE

THE CHEESE

Patty makes a lactic, bloomy rinded cheese called Weybridge for the Cellars collection - a perfect showcase for fresh, heritage breed milk. Each week, Patty or Roger travel to Greensboro with freshly made cheese in tow. During these visits, they participate in sensory evaluation of previous weeks' batches and gather information necessary to fine-tune the milk and cheese-making process. The Scholten's also make some excellent fresh cheeses.