Food & Wine recently published their list of the top 50 American cheesemakers. Nestled among this robust and ever-growing group of artisan cheesemakers was our local favorite Chaseholm Farm, tapped for their farm-fresh cheeses, and in particular their delectable triple cream, Nimbus. According to Food & Wine, “Sarah and Rory Chase’s Nimbus, a chunky little wheel of buttery, bloomy rind beauty, is a marvelous addition into the genre, aged 6-8 weeks to give the cheese the time it needs to achieve that smooth taste and texture.”
It doesn’t get fresher or more authentic than Chaseholm Farm. Located on a third-generation dairy farm in Pine Plains, the operation is run by siblings Sarah and Rory Chase, who oversee the herd management and cheese production respectively. In 2015, the farm transitioned their herd of cows away from grain feed and by 2017, it was certified organic and 100-percent grass-fed.
Using this holistically managed, fully pasture-based approach, Chaseholm Farm offers grass-fed raw milk, yogurt, and beef, plus whey-fed pork products, and of course, the famous farmstead cheese. Rory Chase produces the small-batch artisanal cheeses onsite in an old, 1930s dairy barn turned creamery and aging cave using milk from the farm’s own herd—one of the only cheesemaking outfits in New York State to do so. This integrated model method allows for quality control at every stage of production.
Chaseholm Farm’s cheese products range from spreadable fresh farmer cheese, in flavors like fresh dill, horseradish, and basil and garlic; to soft-ripened cheeses and hard cheeses, aged anywhere from four to eight months. In addition to the acclaimed triple cream Nimbus, the Chaseholms produce a camembert, chaource-style, tomme, and alpine-style cheeses.
Head to the farm store in Pine Plains to get your selection of artisanal cheeses, dairy and beef products right at the source, shop online, or find them at one of the area’s farmers’ markets. Chaseholm cheeses are also on the shelves of many of the area’s specialty shops and independent grocery stores.
