Twig Farm

West Cornwall, Vermont

Twig Farm was started by Michael Lee and Emily Sunderman in 2005 on an unlikely bit of farmland in Vermont's Champlain Valley. In fact, the parcel of land they chose was so 'bony' (that is to say big rocks running through the land) and full of young forest that someone joked that the only kind of farm they could make there was a Twig Farm.... And so it began!

Michael began his career in cheese as a manager at esteemed cheese shop Formaggio Kitchen in Boston. He apprenticed for a time at Peaked Mountain Farm in Vermont, but largely taught himself how to make his unique tomme-style goats' milk cheeses. Michael and Emily milk about 50 goats who forage on the farms pasture and woodland (and who by the way LOVE to eat all of those sapling trees and other 'twigs') and also source cows' milk from neighboring Crawford Family Farm to make cow and mixed milk cheeses to extend the season when the goats are dry.

Michael manages Twig Farm Emily's help, who takes care of the bookkeeping and website when she's not teaching Suzuki violin lessons or playing concerts. He also has two apprentices to help with the cheesemaking in the farm's small cheese house and affinage in their subterranean cheese cave. Twig Farm produces roughly eight varieties of cheese throughout the year and sell at the Middlebury farmer's market and through select distributors.

Photo Credits: Anne Saxelby