This week’s inspection takes us back to @boxcarrhandmadecheese .

Boxcarr are not just a cheesemakers, they are farmers as well. With over 70 goats at their Cedar Grove property, they are there every step of the way - from grass to curd. Every one of their goats has a name. And when you walk the barn with owner Dani, she can identify every one of them. These aren’t just animals to her and her crew, they have a close bond with them. Just a stones throw from the barn, her husband Austin works inside the cheese house turning the milk into over a dozen varieties of cheese. Although this is our third year inspecting Boxcarr, it’s actually the first time getting to actually step into the cheese house. We quickly understood why when we experienced the amount of effort it takes to enter that space. You see, all cheese essentially starts with the same ingredient, milk, and it’s the particular cultures they add to it and way it’s treated that allows it to turn into each specific cheese. Making sure that milk is not getting contaminated with any outside bacteria is not only essential to ensure it’s safe, but also that the product is consistent. After a head-to-toe outfit change, we watched them make their feta and robiola cheeses. We kept on thinking about the phrase, “don’t cry over spilled milk.” The person who wrote that was not a dairy farmer. When Boxcarr spills milk, they see the hay required to feed the goats, the time it took Emilia & Daisy to produce it, and the hours they spent milking them to get it. Every drop is precious. Getting to see the process from birth (yes, a baby goat was born while we were there) to finished cheese took our appreciation for Boxcarr to another level. It’s a long & hard process, but the results speak for themselves. Great cheese made by great people.