On our radar this month is First Light Farm & Creamery out of East Bethany, NY. They produce goat's milk and cow's milk cheese made by hand in small batches. They are the only cheese shop west of the Finger Lakes that produces handcrafted cheeses. The owners are also committed to teaching our community about the process of cheesemaking and hold workshops regularly. Besides inviting the community to come and learn about their work, First light is also very involved at local farmers markets.
“At First Light, we employ meticulously sustainable and humane management of our herd of Nubian and Alpine dairy goats. Many of our recipes combine our own milk with organic Jersey milk from our neighbor's exceptionally well-managed dairy. This combination results in a unique, delicious flavor and consistency to all of our cheeses. We at First Light believe in the principle of terroir, meaning that milk is a unique reflection of the soil from which ruminants harvest grasses and forages. So we never standardize or homogenize the milk that makes our cheese. Instead, we highlight the seasonal changes to our milk by tailoring our cheeses to that day's milk.” To locate their products, check out their website.So I challenge you to go out, support local and think GREEN!
Here are some other places to seek out American Made Cheeses provided by locally-owned businesses:
- Braymiller Market, Hamburg
- Buffalo Cheese Traders (wholesale)
- Farmers and Artisans, Williamsville
- Guercio and Sons, Buffalo
- Lexington Co-op, Buffalo
- Nickel City Cheese and Mercantile, Buffalo
- Premier Gourmet, Amherst
- The Cheese Factory, Blasdell 4856 Lake Ave, Blasdell, NY 14219
- And Farmers Markets everywhere!
For more information on New York state cheese makers, click here. Tell us about your favorite cheese in the comment section below!
