Date Of Visit: August 6, 2017

Location: 400 Linden Street, Brattleboro, VT

Hours: Open daily, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Parking: There are about 15-20 parking spaces in the lot in front of the store

Handicapped Accessible: Yes

Highlights: a store that sells hand made cheese on site as well as an assortment of other snacks, household items and novelty items

Website: Grafton Village

Tips:

• It gets very busy, especially during the summer and fall.  So, you may have to park across the street (the road can be very busy so use caution) or on the side of the road in front of the store
• Retreat Farm, a family friendly farm, with animals and a short trail is located next to the Grafton Village Cheese Co

Vermont is known for more than just maple syrup, Ben and Jerry’s and its lakes.  Tucked away along the mountains and lakes of Vermont stands one of the oldest cheese making companies in Vermont, the Grafton Village Cheese Company.

The original store, called the Grafton Cooperative Cheese Company, was founded in 1892 by dairy farmers who gathered together in a cooperative to make their surplus raw milk into cheese.  Before we had refrigeration, many of the cooperatives in the area would turn the abundant creamy milk into food that could be stored for longer period of times.  They’ve come along way from these beginnings.  As technology progressed, so did the Cooperative.

Unfortunately, the original cooperative burned down in 1912.  But, a non profit organization restored the company in the 1960’s and they have been a mainstay in the area ever since.

But, don’t let their name fool you.  Grafton Village Cheese also sells a variety of spreads, snacks, tea and other

Walking through the store, I was reminded of the general stores that used to seem to be around every corner when I  vacationed with my family as a child.  The barn-like wooden structure and

I love the rustic feel of the store and the area.

They have a wide selection of cheeses, chocolates, salsas and spreads.  And, if you’re lucky, you might be able to taste test samples of the  various jams, salsas and other jellies and spreads.

The store also supports the community with environmental, educational and philanthropic efforts.  You’ll find the donation boxes along the checkout counter.  There is also a farm next to the store that I will cover in my next blog post.

The staff at the Grafton Village Cheese Company are super friendly.  They posed for me with their signature product.

The video below shows how they hand make the cheese at the store.