Cheese Trails
Can you imagine a more inspiring New England experience than a day of driving from dairy farm to dairy farm in New England? Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont offer miles of green pasture, white church steeples, red barns, cows, and cheese. Throw the camera in the backseat, wear comfortable shoes and bring your appetite…the trails await. Depending on when you go, think about stopping to sample maple syrup or during warmer weather toting along a picnic basket.
The Vermont Cheese Trail is comprised of 41 cheese makers offering a total of 150 varieties of cheese! Dedicate yourself and those you love to learning about them all, or at least a few, depending on how much time you have to get away. A day here, an afternoon there…think of the cheese!
Massachusetts mixes it up with a bit of hand-crafted wine, after all what goes better with cheese (other than bread, noodles, or crackers) than wine? The state’s six regions offer ample opportunities to learn about fruits (peaches, pairs, grapes…) and artisanal cheese makers.
New Hampshire offers the “Near Coast Trail,” “Valley Vineyards, Orchards & Dairies,” and “Meandering the Merrimack & Lakes” driving loops. Experience the seacoast, visit estates with rustic tasting rooms, and look into wine-maker dinners. Please share any cheesemakers you have visited and recommend!
Photo courtesy of Flickr Shani Poet photostream.
