Cheesemaker, Steve Dougherty, started The Farmstead Table in 2019 as an on-farm cheese operation in New Tripoli, PA, working with a farmer-partner to raise cows using organic-, pasture-based methods and crafting a variety of ripened, aged, and fresh artisan cheeses. As demand for our cheese grew, so did our need for more space and additional milk. in 2021 we started buying goat milk to make more cheese varieties, and began our hunt for some room to store and age more cheese. A stroke of luck in the winter of 2022 led us to a turnkey facility, and we made the decision to move our full operation there. This meant leaving our farm location and farming activity behind to better focus on making really good cheese. Our off-farm evolution (in 2023) has allowed us to realize growth and support other "Fantastic Farms" who share our values and raise delicious, nutritious milk.

Our "Fantastic Farms" practice across a spectrum of agricultural methods-- some are certified organic, some are 100% grassfed, all graze on pasture, none use preventative antibiotics, hormones or tie-stall barns. You get the idea!

There are a load of variables we can dwell on when we think about what makes a cheese worthy of our table. At the end of the day we are proud to know the farms we work with are focused on aspects of farming that benefit our health, the animals' well-being, and a stronger, more sustainable food system.

There are many great producers out there making excellent food. It's our hope that, collectively, these products can have enough of a presence in the marketplace to take a meaningful bite out of the mediocre force driving the larger food industry. To be effective at this we need to create a strong brand and support other brands (not just farms and makers) who share our values and want to make an impact. Pound for pound we hope to displace the joyless, unhealthy food in the weekly grocery basket. And, pound by pound, we're putting something better on the table for everyone.

Cheese is special not 'specialty'. Our aura, contra many "influencers", will be educational and advocate to present high-quality, handcrafted cheese as a value to everyone-- for their health and enjoyment-- everyday. Cheese, along with beer and bread, built the world. It is staple. It doesn't need to be dressed up on a board or paired with something thoughtful. And it certainly doesn't need a photoshoot. Stop putting cheese on a pedestal, and put it on the table!