AH! Well! I just happen to *live* in Shelburne VT. (my friend tammylcpointed me to this post.
I do know that Shelburne Farms Cheese is supposed to be quite good - it *used* to be the only American Cheddar that Zingerman's Deli in A2 carried (but I think that has since changed - still - it's good and they let you taste various ages of it.) Shelburne Farms also happens to be a lovely place to tour with a gorgeous barn that looks like a place I would cheerfully live in! While you are there you can check out the bread made by O'Bread is quite yum. It's also a nice place to hike around a bit. http://www.shelburnefarms.org/
I'm sure that these guys - the Artisan Cheese Society (http://www.cheesesociety.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=22) out of UVM could point you at great artisan cheesemakers in the state - they must know them all! http://www.cheesesociety.org/associations/2382/membersearch.cfm that's the search which, sure enough, lists lots of members in VT!
I know of a few as follows: http://www.blueledgefarm.com/ http://www.graftonvillagecheese.com/ http://www.vtbutterandcheeseco.com/ http://www.vermontshepherd.com/ http://www.sheepcheese.com/ (not open to public) http://www.vtcheese.com/ http://thistlehillfarm.com/ And I don't have web sites but also something like Lazy Lady Farm?? and Orb Weaver Farm - 3406 Limekiln Road - New Haven, VT 05472
I've tried all of those at various times and enjoyed them. BUt you can poke around.
This: http://www.vtcheese.com/vtcheese/charliestory.htm could be fun (the VT Cheese trail)
A culinary spot I've always wanted to see but haven't made yet is http://www.farmersdiner.com/ Read about em - apparently they got rave reviews in the NYTimes food section. The cool thing is that they try to use all local food (or nearly all).
NECI is great to visit and there is one downtown in Burlington on Church St which itself is fun to browse for used books and *stuff* - pedestrian shopping street.
This is not a dairy but a fun place to look for cheese at great prices is Cheese Traders and Wine Sellers in S. Burlington on Williston Rd. A sort of "outlet/deli" :-)
Lake Champlain Chocolates (http://www.lakechamplainchocolates.com/default.aspx) is quite good chocolate and the "factory tour", though short, is fun and more to the point you can buy yummy stuff "seconds" there (not perfect but tastes just as good!)
For more hoity toity chocolates check out: http://www.blackflowerchocolate.com/ which is literally up the street from me! :-)
If you are into wine you can check out: http://www.shelburnevineyard.com/ which is also local to me and, I am told, up and coming. (although I don't know wine well at all)
Well - that's probably more info than you need.
It *can* snow in VT in April, it has. To be safe I'd assume cool but not cold and bring layers. It's likely to be oh 50-60s I think in April. Layers are your friend in VT. If you go to Stow for example (pretty and fun touristy town and near Mt. Mansfield) and climb or hike Mt. Mansfield it will be cold on the mountain (duh). ;-)
BTW - Ben and Jerry's is the biggest tourist attraction in VT and yes, the factory tour is kind of fun, but frankly, unless you have kids - give it a miss. Lake Champlain Chocolates makes ice cream now which is to die for!!
Umm... goes that help!? Feel free to prod me for other ideas.
no subject
I do know that Shelburne Farms Cheese is supposed to be quite good - it *used* to be the only American Cheddar that Zingerman's Deli in A2 carried (but I think that has since changed - still - it's good and they let you taste various ages of it.) Shelburne Farms also happens to be a lovely place to tour with a gorgeous barn that looks like a place I would cheerfully live in! While you are there you can check out the bread made by O'Bread is quite yum. It's also a nice place to hike around a bit.
http://www.shelburnefarms.org/
I'm sure that these guys - the Artisan Cheese Society (http://www.cheesesociety.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=22) out of UVM could point you at great artisan cheesemakers in the state - they must know them all! http://www.cheesesociety.org/associations/2382/membersearch.cfm that's the search which, sure enough, lists lots of members in VT!
I know of a few as follows:
http://www.blueledgefarm.com/
http://www.graftonvillagecheese.com/
http://www.vtbutterandcheeseco.com/
http://www.vermontshepherd.com/
http://www.sheepcheese.com/ (not open to public)
http://www.vtcheese.com/
http://thistlehillfarm.com/
And I don't have web sites but also something like Lazy Lady Farm?? and
Orb Weaver Farm - 3406 Limekiln Road - New Haven, VT 05472
I've tried all of those at various times and enjoyed them. BUt you can poke around.
This: http://www.vtcheese.com/vtcheese/charliestory.htm could be fun (the VT Cheese trail)
A culinary spot I've always wanted to see but haven't made yet is
http://www.farmersdiner.com/ Read about em - apparently they got rave reviews in the NYTimes food section. The cool thing is that they try to use all local food (or nearly all).
NECI is great to visit and there is one downtown in Burlington on Church St which itself is fun to browse for used books and *stuff* - pedestrian shopping street.
This is not a dairy but a fun place to look for cheese at great prices is
Cheese Traders and Wine Sellers in S. Burlington on Williston Rd.
A sort of "outlet/deli" :-)
Lake Champlain Chocolates (http://www.lakechamplainchocolates.com/default.aspx) is quite good chocolate and the "factory tour", though short, is fun and more to the point you can buy yummy stuff "seconds" there (not perfect but tastes just as good!)
For more hoity toity chocolates check out:
http://www.blackflowerchocolate.com/ which is literally up the street from me! :-)
If you are into wine you can check out: http://www.shelburnevineyard.com/ which is also local to me and, I am told, up and coming. (although I don't know wine well at all)
Well - that's probably more info than you need.
It *can* snow in VT in April, it has. To be safe I'd assume cool but not cold and bring layers. It's likely to be oh 50-60s I think in April. Layers are your friend in VT. If you go to Stow for example (pretty and fun touristy town and near Mt. Mansfield) and climb or hike Mt. Mansfield it will be cold on the mountain (duh). ;-)
BTW - Ben and Jerry's is the biggest tourist attraction in VT and yes, the factory tour is kind of fun, but frankly, unless you have kids - give it a miss. Lake Champlain Chocolates makes ice cream now which is to die for!!
Umm... goes that help!? Feel free to prod me for other ideas.