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About Us:
Produced in New York’s bountiful Hudson Valley, Old Chatham Sheepherding
Company’s award-winning sheep’s milk cheese and yogurt are celebrated for
their uniqueness and distinctive flavors. We began in 1994 with a dream
and 150 sheep. Today, with a flock of over 1,000 East Friesian crossbred
sheep on over 600 acres of rolling country side, the dream has come true.
Cheese Making:
While sheep milk production is relatively new to the U.S., many European
countries have been producing sheep milk products for centuries.
All year round our experienced cheese makers skillfully turn small batches
of fresh sheep’s milk into a variety of handcrafted artisan cheeses and
yogurts. The sheep’s milk is pasteurized then cultured, which transforms
the milk into curds and whey. The curds are handled in various ways
depending on the type of cheese being produced. Our soft-ripened cheeses
are ladled into molds to drain, placed in a salt brine bath, then carefully
transferred to curing racks where they are turned daily. Some are cured for
several days, others for a few weeks. Each piece of cheese is hand-wrapped
in special paper and labeled with our distinctive Black Sheep logo before
being sent from the farm to ‘ewe.’
A Few of Our Awards:
HUDSON VALLEY CAMEMBERT
“Best Cheese in America,” 2001 United States Championship Cheese
Contest,
Grand Champion
Best of Class, 2002 World Championship Cheese Contest
RICOTTA
2nd Place Winner, 2001 United States Championship Cheese Contest
3rd Place Winner, 2004 American Cheese Society Judging
MUTTON BUTTON
3rd Place Winner, American Original, 2002 American Cheese Society Judging
2nd Place Winner, 2004 American Cheese Society Judging
FRESH SHEEP’S MILK CHEESE
Top Finish, 2003 London World Cheese Awards
FRESH SHEEP’S MILK CHEESE w/ GARLIC & HERBS
2nd Place Winner, 2004 American Cheese Society Judging
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The centerpiece of the barn complex is a
beautifully restored Shaker barn from an original
Shaker community near Albany, NY
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Over 1,000 East Friesian
crossbred sheep
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Hand ladeling of the
cheese
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