The National Culinary Review

Sierra Nevada Cheese Company was among the first companies to pay its dairy farmers to not use synthetic growth hormones. The company started producing certified organic cheese in 2000, which goes along with the company’s philosophy that “using wholesome ingredients ensures that products are inherently healthful.” Today the company remains dedicated to sustainable sourcing and organic production. “We believe consumers are increasingly motivated to support facets of sustainable agriculture such as organic practices, local sourcing, ensuring living wages for farmers and connecting communities with the producers feeding them,” says RachelOriana Schraeder, the company’s sales and marketing director. “A likely result of this movement in our food systems will be an increased demand for organic cheeses.”

• Bleu Mont Dairy—(608) 767-2875

• Castle Rock Organic Farms— www.castlerockfarms.net; (715) 597-0085

• Cedar Grove Cheese— www.cedargrovecheese.com; (800) 200-6020 or (608) 546-5284

• Clover Mead Farm—(518) 834-7306

• Coonridge Organic Goat Cheese— www.coonridge.com; (888) 410-8433 or (505) 250-8553

• Does’ Leap— www.doesleap.com; (802) 827-3046

• Neighborly Farms of Vermont— www.neighborlyfarms.com; (888) 212-6898 or (802) 728-4700

• Next Generation Organic Dairy— www.nextgenerationdairy.com;

(715) 926-4788

• Rumiano Cheese Company— www.rumianocheese.com; (866) 328-2433 or (707) 465-1535

• Sierra Nevada Cheese Company— www.sierranevadacheese.com;

(530) 934-8660

• Thistle Hill Farm— www.thistlehillfarm.com; (802) 457-9349

Organic cheese producers Pomfret, Vt. “We’ve always been a certified organic dairy farm,” says John Putnam. The Putnams have farmed organically for more than 15 years, beginning with vegetables and beef and culminating in organic cheesemaking.

When we derived our own cheese, we decided to name it after the valley since we like that style of cheese,” says Putnam.

Thistle Hill Farm
Organic since: 2002
Organic cheese produced: Tarentaise
The decision to make organic cheese
came easily to John and Janine Putnam,
proprietors of Thistle Hill Farm, North
In 2002 they began creating Tarentaise,
an aged, raw-milk, farmstead organic
cheese made from the certified organic
milk of their 20 grass-fed Jersey cows.
The Putnams developed Tarentaise after
spending time in Europe exploring what
type of cheese they wanted to make.
“Tarentaise is a valley in the Swiss Alps.

Tarentaise is made in a custom-built copper vat in the tradition of the Savoie region of the French Alps. The Putnams use cultures imported from France, and make their own rennet using whey from the previous cheesemaking. A special aging room fosters the development of Tarentaise’s flavor. During the aging process, the cheeses are scrubbed a minimum of twice each week to develop the natural rind and butterscotch color.