Every once in awhile you come across the extraordinary and can't resist telling people about it. That happened with me when I recently discovered Georges Mill Farm Artisan Cheese at the Leesburg, VA Farm Market.
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| A Slice of Picnic Woods |
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| Sam Kroiz of George's Mill Farm Artisan Cheese |
I immediately included them in a post, but I wanted to find out more about Sam and Molly Kroiz and the farm that produced what I consider to be one of the best goat cheeses I have ever tasted. Since they are open to visitors on Saturdays from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm, my husband and I set out to visit the small family farm in Lovetsville, VA which was originally founded by John George in the 1750's, and where his descendants still reside.
As we drove up I immediately noticed the beautiful stone house dating from the 1860's, which presently is a bed and breakfast run by Sam's grandmother, Fran Wire. We parked in front of the farm store which is self serve, and always open. I walked a few feet beyond the store following my ear towards the sound of goats and discovered the nursery. A large group of baby goats came rushing to the fence to greet me. My first though was, "They must think I am going to feed them!" I was right, because about a minute later a young woman who I soon learned to be Molly Kroiz, the woman behind the cheese, came down the hill towards us carrying several bottles with nipples. With a smile, she said that we got here at the right time! I was so excited! We get to see the babies eat! You can imagine my delight when she asked me if I wanted to feed one! Of course I did! I asked her, "How many times a day do they eat?" She told me that when they are first born they eat 6 times a day, then 4 times, and eventually 3 times a day. So far they have had 36 babies this spring! My fantasies of having goats someday quickly experienced a reality adjustment, as I realized how much work is involved. The babies, however, were super cute and super hungry and devoured the bottles in no time.
Molly Kroiz was working as a fish geneticist in Washington state, before moving to her husband's family farm in Lovettsville, VA in 2011. She wanted a lifestyle that was more connected to the land, instead of being behind a desk most of the time. Her husband, who was in construction could easily offer his skills to the area as well. So in the spring of 2012 Molly started with 4 goats, began experimenting with cheese making recipes, and developed the business plan. She and her husband built the creamery in the fall of 2012 and opened for business in the spring of 2013.
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| Saffire, Queen of the Herd |
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| Molly with one of her goats |
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| The Barn |
After all the babies were fed, Molly asked if we would like to see the barn. We walked up the hill to a beautiful barn with partial stone walls built in the late 1860's or 1870's and found the adult crew, including the herd's queen, named Saffire. She seemed slightly larger than the rest, had very dark fur, and seemed to be aware of her position in the group. After I took many, many pictures of everyone, we went to the upper level of the barn where the creamery had been built. I looked through the window in the wall at the many cheese wheels sitting like little soldiers and took some more pictures. One shows the reflection of Molly in the window looking contemplatively at her handiwork.
Upon talking to Molly, I asked her why she choose cheese making as a business? She answered that she likes to cook, making recipes, and the idea of making her own food products. Being a cookbook author myself, I totally can relate. What she likes most is providing the community with good food that people can enjoy. She likes the seasonality of the business, being connected to the land, and connected to the food. When I asked her what she liked the least, she said that nothing really stands out, but that perhaps trimming hooves may not be her favorite job. More sleep might be nice too. Also, the fact that making goat cheese is both science and art suits her well.
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| Cut into a wheel of Picnic Woods Goat Cheese |
They offer six cheeses. She has two chevrès, three semi-soft cheeses, and a feta. My personal favorite is the Picnic Woods, a semi -soft cheese which has the Herbs de Provence on the outside which infuses the cheese with such a lovely flavor that I can't help feeling that it is a special occasion every time I eat a slice. Her plain chevrè is especially refreshing also. It is very creamy, has a slight tang, and is bright and fresh. Visit their website,
www.georgesmillcheese.com, to see that they also offer cheese classes and an artisan cheese CSA.
What does the future look like for Georges Mill Farm Artisan Cheese? Molly says that she looks forward to seeing the CSA grow and expanding the store. She also looks forward to hosting more farm dinners and events, including adding weddings to the repertoire! Sounds like Molly and Sam Kroiz are off to a great start!
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