Crawford Family Farm, LLC

We call our Farmstead cheese "Vermont Ayr" because the two most important ingredients in our recipe are a good splash of Vermont's fresh air along with the sweet milk from our Ayrshire cows. The cheese is then handmade by the Crawford family and cheese maker Maria Trumpler. The result? One of Vermont's finest cheeses!

Our cheese begins with fresh, raw, r-BST free, Ayrshire milk. What makes Ayrshire milk distinctive is its butterfat's minute globules; yielding a cheese that is smooth, creamy and uniquely sweet. Within an hour of milking, cheese making begins in our kettle-shaped vat. The 3 lb wheels are made in small batches by hand with a minimum of culture. The slow aging and development of the natural rind contribute to the "terroir" of our alpine tomme style cheese, a cheese with a rich full body, complexity of flavor and pleasantly fresh lingering taste. We believe that a great cheese is made by careful craftsmanship and the finest ingredients. Savor "Vermont Ayr" at room temperature to best appreciate its true flavor.

Siblings Jim, Cindy and Sherry Crawford have come together to bring you this cheese. Since 1950, our parents and grandparents have farmed this piece of land. We are proud to be conserving and preserving the family farm, a heritage breed and a historic barn. The 1910 barn now houses our cheese making facility as well as our heifers. Some of our cows are direct descendents of the original Ayrshires from five decades ago. We know each by name (and attitude!). Spring, summer and fall we see Violet, Borenna, Selma, and the others grazing in the pasture.

From the revitalizing days of May through the frozen toes of January, with heart and soul, the heirs and Ayrshires of the Crawford family unite to bring you this delectable gift from the land. As you enjoy this cheese imagine yourself in our backyard (our label has a picture of our view of the Brandon Gap!).

Our cheese is available at the Middlebury Natural Foods Coop and the Middlebury Farmers Market.