Accolades from the American Cheese Society, the United States Championship Cheese Contest, and the UK’s World Jersey Cheese Awards, among others, line an entire wall of the cheese house at Thistle Hill Farm in North Pomfret, Vermont. By way of a Boston law firm (John) and EPA subcontracting (Janine), these unlikely cheesemakers have created a passionate following for their own Tarentaise that extends far beyond the Green Mountains.
The Putnams’ attention to detail and love for farming are palpable in the prize-winning Tarentaise, crafted exclusively from the highest-quality milk from their Jersey cows—sourced only when the cows are out on pasture.
With the recent disappearance of many restaurant accounts, they will be selling at the Norwich Farmers Market for the first time in years and turning their attention to food co-ops, which John calls “the last bastion of retail.” In this time of distancing, it’s yet another example of resilient farmers finding solutions through community connection.
