While you may not think of cheesemaking as a particularly “Southern” trade, there are a wide variety of producers churning out award-winning cheeses below the Mason-Dixon. Whether you’re a self-proclaimed “turophile” (cheese lover), a hobby host, or just love staying in the know on the best Southern makers, these are five cheese brands you should have on your radar!
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*Listed in alphabetical order
Bonnie Blue Farm
Location: Waynesboro, TNMore info: bonniebluefarm.com
Jim and Gayle Tanner own and operate Bonnie Blue Farm, Tennessee’s oldest licensed Grade-A goat and cow dairy. For over a decade, the Tanners have been producing farmstead European-style raw and aged cheese at their farm in Middle Tennessee. Bonnie Blue Farm is home to an array of goats, cows, and chickens, all fed a non-GMO diet and treated with the utmost respect and care.
PinJim and Gayle Tanner own Bonnie Blue Farm in Waynesboro, Tennessee. Image: Bonnie Blue Farm
Bonnie Blue Farm produces cheese, milk, and eggs, all available at local farmers’ markets. If you’re a Tennessee resident, you’ve likely savored their cheeses when dining at local restaurants. Fresh cheeses include their signature Chèvre cheese, a Valencay-style “Great Pry” cheese, and even a goat’s milk Feta cheese.
Their aged cheeses are cave-aged on the property in a facility blasted into a hill. From the “Tanasi Tome,” which resembles a Parmigiano, to the Dutch-style “Parker,” to their gouda-esque “Moolen” cheese, to their Cheddar, the result is a selection of aged cheeses that are wholly unique to Bonnie Blue Farm.
Looking Glass Creamery
Location: Columbus, NCMore info: lookingglasscreamery.com
Jennifer and Doyle “Andy” Perkins, co-founders of Looking Glass Creamery, have made a name for themselves as farmstead cheesemakers in Columbus, North Carolina. The term “farmstead cheesemaker” means that the cheese is sourced and produced by the same farmers on the same farm.
Jennifer and Doyle started Looking Glass Creamery in 2009 in a building next to their Fairview, NC cabin. They added a cheese shop in 2013, and by 2016, their business was rapidly outgrowing their small space. In 2017, the pair purchased their farmland from the Harmon family, who had farmed and operated a dairy on the land since the 1940s.
Today, Looking Glass Creamery produces a wide variety of raw and pasteurized cheeses, including notable favorites like their “Green River Blue” cheese, a creamy fromage blanc, and the “Sbrinz,” a hard grating cheese. Most recently, their cheddar-style cheese, the “Drovers Road,” won a Bronze Medal at the spring World Championship of Cheese in Wisconsin!
PinVisitors can enjoy a gourmet cheese board at The Farm & Store. Looking Glass Creamery also produces hard cider, pickles, and preserves! Image: Looking Glass Creamery
If you find yourself within driving distance of Looking Glass Creamery, be sure to stop by The Farm & Store to browse their cheese selection, preserves, cider, grass-fed beef, and even ice cream by the scoop and indulge in the delicious array of custom cheese boards and sandwiches. You can also roam the gardens and cheese cellars while you’re there!
You can find Looking Glass Creamery cheeses online at South Slope Cheese, Counter Cheesemongers, and Orrman’s Cheese Shop.
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Meadow Creek Dairy
Location: Galax, VAMore info: meadowcreekdairy.com
Nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, Meadow Creek Dairy is a seasonal grazing dairy that heavily emphasizes preserving its farmland and maintaining a sustainable production system. This spring, owners Rick and Helen Feete celebrated their 36th year of farming and their 26th season of cheesemaking.
The Feete family and their growing team have a great deal to show for their 26 seasons, as their raw milk artisanal cheeses have garnered an impressive roster of awards. Most recently, their signature “Appalachian” blend won Super Gold at the 35th Annual World Cheese Awards.
Meadow Creek Dairy cheeses are made from milk produced by Meadow Creek Dairy cows, a crossbreed of Montbeliarde, Tarentaise, Normande, and Jersey cows. These cows produce the highest-quality milk, which comes through in the flavor profile of all Meadow Creek dairy cheeses.
PinThe Meadow Creek Dairy Cows are specially bred with cheesemaking in mind. Image: Dre Snow
Favorites include their washed-rind “Grayson” cheese, the signature “Appalachian” cheese, the new earthy “Galax” cheese, and the Alpine-style “Mountaineer.” Mixed in with these tried-and-true staples are more experimental blends like the “Extra-Aged Appalachian” and “Ugly Duckling Galax,” categorized in the “Explorer’s Club.”
Shop Meadow Creek Dairy products here.
Sequatchie Cove Creamery
Location: Sequatchie, TNMore info: sequatchiecovecheese.com
Tennessee cheesemakers Nathan and Padgett Arnold have collaborated with local farmers to create regionally inspired cheeses. Originally an artist and a horticulturist, the Arnolds started making cheese in their home of Sequatchie, Tennessee, in 2010. Today, their cheeses are seven-time winners of the ACS (American Cheese Society) award.
PinSequatchie Cove Creamery‘s products are a love letter to the Sequatchie region of Tennessee. Image: Boris Frantz
Sequatchie Cove Creamery highlights milk sources around the Sequatchie Valley, and these regions of Tennessee inspire their cheeses. For example, the “Cumberland” is named for the Cumberland Plateau, the “Walden” is named for Walden Ridge, the “Shakerag” is named for Shakerag Hollow, and the “Coppinger” is named for Coppinger Cove.
Sequatchie Cove cheeses are distributed at cheese stores and retailers across the United States and available on various custom cheese board sites.
You can also shop Sequatchie Cove Creamery products here.
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Sweet Grass Dairy
Location: Thomasville, GAMore info: sweetgrassdairy.com
With over 30 national and international awards to its credit, Sweet Grass Dairy of Thomasville, Georgia, has made a name for itself in the cheesemaking world, inside and outside the American South. Though the dairy is wildly successful today, its beginnings were humble.
In 1993, founders Al and Desiree Wehner switched their farming management system to “intensive grazing,” which preserves the land and prioritizes “cows being cows.” They started Sweet Grass Dairy in 2000, after a few years of Desiree making cheese from their kitchen. As demand grew, they enlisted help from their daughter, Jessica, and her husband, Jeremy Little. The Littles bought Sweet Grass Dairy in 2005, and it has continued to flourish ever since!
PinJeremy Little is the co-owner and head cheesemaker at Sweet Grass Dairy. Image: Andrew Thomas Lee
Today, Sweet Grass Dairy continues to prioritize its cows, and this care and attention to detail shine in its products. From the soft “Green Hill” to their creamy “Georgia Gouda” to their Mediterranean-inspired “Cyprus” to their addictive spin on Pimento Cheese, there is something for every cheese-lover to enjoy.
In 2010, the Littles opened the Sweet Grass Cheese Shop to feature “the best” of their products. The Sweet Grass Cheese Shop prioritizes Southern hospitality while highlighting Sweet Grass Dairy cheeses, and the rotating seasonal menu includes everything from charcuterie boards and small plates to gourmet sandwiches, soups, and salads.
Shop Sweet Grass Dairy products here.
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