Vashon Island is chock full of teeny tiny farms. Young and young-ish farmers abound with a couple cows, or 20 goats, or a flock of chickens, or fields of seasonal produce, or just some rows of garlic. Three of these quite small farms have cheesemaking as a central part of their work and livelihoods. According to Instagram there are more than just three cheesemakers on the Vashon Island, but these are the ones who offer their farmstead cheeses commercially — which is great news for all of us cheese eaters.
The term farmstead refers to cheese that is made only with the milk from animals raised on the farm where the cheese is made. No other milk is used in the making of the cheese.
Venison Valley Farm & Creamery
The first time I met Ben and Kelsey they were walking Jingle, their beloved cow, on a rope leash right in front of the cottage I had just moved into. My new neighbors were getting their dairy cow some needed exercise.
While I lived next door to their small farm, I got to taste Kelsey’s home made butter, yogurt, milk, cheeses, as well as venison, pork and beef — all grown, raised and produced by her and her husband, Ben.
In the past year or so they officially started their dairy farm, Venison Valley Farm & Creamery and now you can find them at the Vashon Saturday Farmer’s Market during the season and their cheeses are in local restaurants and for sale at Vashon Thriftway, as well as at their farm stand. Year round you can stop by their easily accessible farm stand, just off Vashon Highway near the center from town, for their yogurt, cheeses, butter and other products.
Kelsey offers farm to table cheesemaking classes on occasion — I’m on the waiting list (ahem..) — and they are also available for dairy cow and creamery consultations. For more information go here or stop by the Farmer’s Market during the season.
Burton Hill Farm
When you visit Burton Hill Farm it feels exactly like driving into someone’s private driveway (because you are), but continue on. You will soon be rewarded by refrigerators stocked with homemade farmstead goat cheeses, available to purchase. When I visited last there were also homemade goat milk soaps and a refrigerator filled with whey-fed pork. It takes a minute to locate the farm stand, although it is right in the main clearing. On the right is an enclosure with a dozen or so white goats hanging around. There were various tire swings — I assume for the amusement of the many kids in the large family that make up this family farm, and not for the goats. This is just a guess, I know nothing about what goats do for fun. A little further along, there is a shed with a farm stand sign on top of the door. A couple large refrigerators are out front, and inside is the self service selection. They offer goat cheeses, including chevre and several different blue cheeses made from goat milk.
Collin and Rebecca Madeiros started their Vashon farm in 2008 and use organic and/or non-GMO feed for their animals. Their own family has been growing along with their farm, and their 6 children are a big part of farm life.
Burton Hill Farm sell their cheeses commercially at local shops and several local farmers markets as well as to local restaurants. For more information on where to find them go here (you’ll also see lots of cute pictures of goats and kids).
Kurtwood Farms
Many years ago when I lived on Capital Hill in Seattle, one of my favorite spots was Cafe Septième, a low key French inspired bistro that used to be on Broadway in the heart of the neighborhood. At the time I vaguely knew that the owner had a farm somewhere that he used to supplement the fresh offerings in the restaurant. That owner was Kurt Timmermeister, of Kurtwood Farms, right here on Vashon Island. Cafe Septième is long gone and this year he closed his well loved Kurt Farm Shop in Seattle, where he sold his farmstead cheese and served his homemade ice cream. His cheese, including the camenbert style small round called Dinah’s cheese, is at our local grocery store, as well as a number of other local locations. Kurtwood Farms also makes a mild cheese crumble and a semi-hard tomme style cheese called Flora’s Cheese. The list of shops and restaurants where you can find them is here.
Kurtwood Farms also runs a series of summer workshops on cooking and food and farm-related topics. Check here to see what’s doing. You can also read all about Kurt’s farm adventures through his books. There is no farm stand that is open to the public, so your best bet is to find his cheese at a local shop or restaurant or keep an eye out for a summer workshop.
That’s it for a little peak at three Vashon Island farmstead cheesemakers. Time to get out there and support your local farmers in the best way possible – eating!