By cdrin @ Shutterstock.com
So many dairy farms have died out in Vermont, it’s a pleasure to see one passed on to a new generation of American farmers willing to work to make their product the best in the business. Animal Farm Creamery is located in Shoreham, Vermont, and is run by Hilary and Ben Haigh, who purchased the farm from Diane St. Clair, of Orwell, Vermont. Here’s what you need to know about Animal Farm Creamery:
Animal Farm butter was established in 2000 by Diane St. Clair in Orwell, Vermont.
Diane’s commitment was, first and foremost, to cow comfort and well-being. From that foundation, she created delicious, high-quality dairy products using small-scale techniques. This allowed her to produce food that tastes as it was meant to be — butter that is rich in mouth-feel, fragrant on the nose, and changes with the seasons as well as buttermilk that is light and tangy with butter flecks that melt in your mouth. Her butter, with a butterfat content of 87%, was sold in some of the most renowned restaurants in the US, including The French Laundry, Per Se and The Inn at Little Washington.
Diane sold her dairy business in 2022 to us, Hilary and Ben Haigh of Shoreham, Vermont. Our farm is only 10 miles away from Diane’s and shares a similar soil terroir. Working with Diane over several months, we learned her techniques for making butter and continue to raise her herd of beloved Jerseys. They are rotationaly grazed on our farm to insure that they continue to produce a seasonal product. Bright yellow butter during the grazing season and high butterfat content throughout the winter as they eat high quality dry hay. As the next generation of farmers in Vermont, we are excited to be producing Animal Farm Butter.
Our partners include Chef Thomas Keller’s restaurants, The French Laundry and Per Se as well as Chef Patrick O’Connell’s, The Inn at Little Washington.
Our butter can be purchased online through Saxelby Cheesemongers. In Vermont it is available at Dedalus Wine shop, Market and Wine bar. Our buttermilk is distributed throughout New England and New York by Provisions International.
Flashback video to a year ago:
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