By Sarah Jacobson, guest writer. Sarah is studying nutrition and eco-gastronomy at the University of New Hampshire. Following her passion for food and sustainability Sarah was an intern for Seacoast Eat Local, and this will be her second year as the president of Slow Food UNH. In August she leaves to study at the University of Gastronomic Science in Pollenzo, Italy.

The New Hampshire cheese-making industry has really taken off in the past few years, with many of the state’s 130-plus cow and goat farmers offering customers an abundance of fresh local dairy products. Despite this, the state’s dairy farmers are struggling to keep their businesses and livelihood – buying local mozzarella, quark, and yogurt is a delicious way to promote our state’s small farms while protecting vital farmland, and encouraging conscientious animal husbandry.

Yogurt, milk and cheese provide high quality protein, vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids, along with distinct flavors and complex aromas that vary with the breed and diet of the dairy animal. Many farmers offer grass-fed, or pastured milk products, which can contain more Omega 3 fats and a beneficial fat called conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) shown to prevent heart disease , fight cancer and build lean muscle. Products like yogurt and kefir contain live cultures, some of which are considered probiotics – microbes that are beneficial to our digestive system. In addition, locally-made products, especially those that are certified organic, typically lack chemical additives, preservatives, and artificial colorings.

Brookford Farm is small, family-owned, dairy farm located in Rollinsford, NH that offers a wide range of products from their certified organic dairy herd and gardens. Their pasture-raised Jerseys produce the organic raw milk that is available in whole and reduced fat varieties and used to produce raw cream, yogurt, and quark – a soft, freshly fermented cream cheese-like spread. Brookford, as one of the few farms offering raw milk, is a great resource for amateur cheese makers. One of their newest additions is fresh, hand-stretched mozzarella. Visit them at the local farmers markets or at their farm stand.“Cheesemaking is a craft that makes perfect use of milk that isn’t being sold as fluid. exciting to create another product out of the rich and organic milk from Brookford’s herd. People have been really pleased to see another dairy product (from our milk) in Brookford’s offerings, as many folks have been turned on to the quality that comes from a local-scale dairy farm, and are eager to sample artisan cheese from a farm in their area,” said cheesemaker Erin Ehlers.” For more info go to www.brookfordfarm.com.

Another New Hampshire-based dairy farm is Sandwich Creamery that offers homemade specialty cheeses and ice cream. Each small batch of cheese is made by hand, following traditional recipes to produce wheels of soft Brie and Coulommier, Jersey Jack and flaky Welsh Caerphilly. The farm offers unique flavors of homemade ice cream and fruity sorbets. You can find their cheeses at your local farmer’s market, a select number of retailers, or you can order online. The website also has a complete list of the stores in the area that carry Sandwich Creamery products: www.sandwichcreamery.com

For the serious ice cream lovers, there’s Walpole Creamery – a New Hampshire ice cream oasis which uses only fresh milk from cows raised in Walpole, NH. The fresh, local milk produces creamy, sweet ice cream with ginger, mango, caramel, cashews and other unusual ingredients. Check out the Walpole Creamery Scoop Shop in the town of Walpole to see how the ice cream is made or pick up a pint in local stores like Philbrick’s Fresh Market in Portsmouth. For a complete listing of where you can by them check out their web site at www.walpolecreamery.com.

Thanks Sarah for your contribution!  I also just found out that Brookford farm is selling grass-fed butter!