Middlebury Partners

BLUE LEDGE FARM

Assorted Cheeses

At Blue Ledge Farm, Greg Bernhardt and Hannah Sessions have been crafting delicious goat milk cheese since 2002. They use either pasteurized or raw milk from their mixed herd of sixty-five Nubian, Alpine, and Lamancha goats depending on whether the cheese is fresh, mold-ripened, or given a waxed rind.

Because the couple milk twice a day from February through November, they are able to use the freshest milk available while also allowing their hard-working ladies a seasonal break from milk production. During the warmer months in Vermont, their herd grazes on 20 acres of forested land in the morning where burdock, bark and other herbaceous delights are in abundance. By late afternoon, with their bellies full of their favorite foraged foods, the goats move out to 65 acres of pasture to round out their daily diet.

Greg describes the art of cheese-making as the balance between creativity and an intimate understanding of how cheese cultures respond to time, temperature, and humidity during the aging process. Three aging caves at the farm differ in terms of their temperature and humidity levels, affording Blue Ledge the controlled environments necessary to create a diverse line of cheeses: ranging from fresh chevre to mold ripened Crottina to raw milk goat gouda as well as a Camebrie made with cows’ milk sourced from nearby Crawford Family Farm.

With Wine Spectator Magazine proclaiming their “Lake’s Edge” cheese to be one of “The 100 Greatest Cheeses in the World” in 2008, Blue Ledge Farm has not only brought Addison County cheese-making into the national and global limelight but has also reaffirmed its well-deserved place in the hearts and on the palate of the local community.

VT Herb & Salad

Mesclun Greens, Baby Greens, Fresh Herbs, & Micro Greens

Jared & Heather McDermott

1204 Money Hole Road
Benson, VT 05743
phone: (802) 537-2006

Seven years ago, Jared and Heather took over his family’s old dairy barn, added a few green houses, and began growing culinary herbs and salad greens to be distributed throughout the state. They’ve grown to be one of the largest herb & salad growers in Vermont, and have expanded their offerings to include a plethora of micro greens, shoots, and non-traditional salad greens. They now distribute their produce all around New England through Black River Produce and Burlington Foodservice, though they make the trip up to Burlington for deliveries twice a week.

They are now a four season family owned farm committed to preserving Vermont’s rural working landscape. They do not use synthetic fertilizers or pesticides to produce their greens and herbs, only rich soil, quality seed and hard work. They are not officially certified organic by the FDA, but do follow all the required guidelines.

Jared, Heather, and their new son, Finnegan, are good friends and live right down the road from Tracy and Nancy down in Benson, VT.