Cheese!
My Brother-in-Law's Family Farm
My brother-in-law was raised in an Amish home in Holmes County, Ohio. He and my sister-in-law spent most of their adult married lives in Florida, but a few years ago they moved back to that area. What a treat to visit them! When I was working on The Heart’s Frontier, I was able to spend some time in the area, driving over those beautifully green rolling hills, visiting the sites of Aden’s childhood, hearing him talk about his upbringing on the farm. Though his parents have passed away, one of his brothers still lives on the family property, in the dawdi haus, while the younger generation has moved into the main house and runs the farm.
One thing I love about Holmes County is all the cheese! There is a very strong Swiss heritage in Holmes County, and they have preserved the traditions of cheese making. Every time we visit we take at least one day to visit all the local cheese factories. My in-laws drive us around from one to the other, and Aden points out the places where he used to deliver the milk from their cows. The cheese makers still use locally produced milk to make their cheese.
Most of the shops have tasting rooms. In the Guggisberg Cheese factory you can watch the cheese making process, and sample dozens – and I mean many dozens – of different cheeses. I never leave there without stocking up on incredibly tasty Swiss cheese and smoked cheese and spicy pepper cheese and… oh, there’s something different to try with every visit. I also love Heini’s, and Troyer’s, and Walnut Creek, and… oh, there’s too many to name. I love them all.
Someday I’m going to write a book about Amish cheese making. Then I’ll have an excuse to eat as much cheese as I want.
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We love to visit the areas where there are Amish communities!! We have been to Shipshewana, IN; Lancaster County, PA; and the Holmes County area in OH. We, too, love to go to the cheese factories and sample and purchase several different kinds of cheese. Yummy!!! Talking about it has made me want to go again — right now!!!
I will be watching for your book on Amish cheese making — make it soon, please!!!
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this is a beautiful farm! we also go visit the cheese shops they have some good samples always like to try the samples before buying.
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