Twig Farm Square Wheel

Producer

Twig Farm

Region

Vermont

Size

4-5 ins square, 2-3 ins high

Weight

2 lb

Website

www.twigfarm.com

Milk

Goat

Classification

Firm

Rennet

Animal

Rind

Natural

Twig Farm is a small goat dairy and cheesemaking business run by Michael Lee and Emily Sunderman. Located in West Cornwall, Vermont, about ten miles south of Middlebury, the 20 acre farm was established in 2005 and produces aged, raw milk goat cheeses.

Having worked as an apprentice at Peaked Mountain Farm in Townsend, Vermont, Michael manages the goats, and produces and ages the cheese. Emily manages the business and marketing for Twig Farm and simultanously works as an analyst for a publishing company.

Twig Farm has a herd of 25 milking does, most of which are Alpine, though there is one Nubian and a few Saanens.

Milk for the Square Wheel comes exclusively from the Twig Farm herd. The irregular pillow shape of the cheese is a result of the curd having been ladled into cheese cloth and then gathered up to drain.

The rind is frequently quite thick, but does not penetrate the cheese. In appearance it is gray in color, pockmarked with spots of yellow and white mold. The interior paste is firm and quite meaty, and creamy-ivory in color.

Flavors are mellow and sweet with distinctive hazelnut notes.