In Washington County, it is not an exaggeration to say that we are ALWAYS feeling cheesy! Whether it’s creamy and soft, or hard and tangy, nothing quite beats Washington County’s love for cheese – and the best way to sample them is to hop on Washington County’s cheese trail! Like much of the northeast, our varying climate, abundant natural rainfall, and generations-long tradition of agriculture has led to our Upstate New York dairy haven.
Explore everything from the delicious world of traditional farm cheese and discover fresh, soft, and bloomy varieties made with local cow, goat, and sheep’s milk, you’ll taste that care and commitment in every bite! Whether you’re a dairy connoisseur or just looking for something fun to do, a trip along the cheese trail is sure to be an experience to remember.
Don’t forget to save the date each September for the Washington County Cheesemakers Guild’s annual Cheese Tour event, featuring farm and production tours, local wine, beer, and hard cider pairings, and so much more!
Not only does Salem’s Gardenworks Farm manage 300 acres of active and fertile farmland, operate a U-Pick blueberry patch and vegetable fields, and keep a beautifully stocked marketplace, but they also run the seasonal Cheese + Cafe. Stop in on Saturdays and Sundays, from 12 to 4 PM for paninis, soups, fresh salads, and daily quiche, plus beautiful boards featuring local cheeses and garnished with charcuterie and artisan crackers. You can head right to the source for some of those cheeses, too!
Dancing Ewe Farm is a well-known venue for farm-to-table dinners with incredible views, but did you know they make their own cheese? Dedicated to preserving the art, technique, and culture of Tuscan-style cheese making, you can find their sheep’s milk pecorino, fresh ricotta, caciotta, and more cheeses plus artisanal Salumi and small farm olive oil. Plan an incredible weekend lunch or special dinner to try them all, or stop in to shop what’s in season!
Love soft and tangy goat’s milk cheese? Moxie Ridge Farm in Argyle approaches cheesemaking through the celebration of terroir, a sense of place, and dedication to making food the way it might have tasted hundreds or even thousands of years ago. Moxie Ridge might be a small-scale farm but their cheeses are big on flavor!
Argyle Cheese Farmer operates on a bit larger of a scale but is still very much a local, independent cheesemaker. In partnership with local family dairy, Ideal Dairy Farm, Argyle’s production facility in Hudson Falls cranks out everything from hard cheese to greek yogurt to marinated mozzarella, and they’re known for incredible A2 milk products and their cheese curds! You can even take a tour of the farm and facility, just head to their website to schedule!
Sugar Loaf Farm is the cheese farm and shop to meet your dairy needs! Get your raw cheese and milk today from Sugar Loaf Farm, located in Fort Ann, New York.
