Blue Ledge Farm

Leicester, Vermont

Blue Ledge Farm is a first-generation goat dairy established in 2000 by Greg Bernhardt and Hannah Sessions. Greg and Hannah met while studying art in Florence, Italy, and became enamored not only with one another, but with the idea of starting a goat dairy that would allow them to farm, make art, and start a family. They began making cheese in 2002; and produce an array of goats' milk cheeses from their own herd of over 100 Alpine and La Mancha dairy goats as well as cows' milk cheeses made from the milk of neighboring Crawford Family Farm. Their farm, which includes a creamy and a cheese aging cave, is located in Vermont's Champlain Valley. The mission of Blue Ledge Farm is to create high quality products built on the cornerstones of respect for consumers, their land, their animals, and their local community.

Blue Ledge Farm is comprised of 110 acres of pasture, wetlands, and hayland. In 2004, Greg and Hannah sold the development rights of their land to the Vermont Land Trust, which financed the construction of their cheese cave, and ensured that the land would remain in agriculture for generations to come. Ever-mindful of sustainable farming practices, Greg and Hannah have also conserved wetlands on the farm, partnered with state initiatives to invest in efficient milking and cheesemaking equipment, and installed solar panels on their barn that provide half of the farm's energy during the summer months.

Greg and Hannah's goal was (and continues to be!) to interweave the creative aspects of art, cheesemaking, and running a business into a holistic practice that allows them to operate a successful cheese business, paint, and spend time with their two children - Livia and Hayden.