9 Vermont Cheese Farms Where You Can Picnic With The Cows
Vermont’s rolling hills offer more than just postcard-perfect views. They’re also home to some of the best cheese farms in the country.
These family-run dairies invite you to get a real taste of farm life, whether it’s watching the cheese-making process in action or saying hello to the cows behind the magic.
Bring a blanket and your appetite for a farm-to-picnic experience that’s as delicious as it is down-to-earth.
1. Von Trapp Farmstead: Alpine Cheese with Mountain Views
Yes, those von Trapps! The famous family’s dairy tradition continues at this Waitsfield gem on the Vermont Cheese Trail. Their organic farming practices yield exceptional Alpine-style cheeses that have earned national recognition.
Visitors can take guided pasture-to-store tours, scratch some bovine ears, and enjoy their purchases in designated picnic areas with stunning Green Mountain vistas that might have you spontaneously bursting into song.
2. Shelburne Farms: Lakeside Picnics with History
Sprawling across 1,400 acres of National Historic Landmark property, Shelburne Farms offers an unforgettable farm experience.
Their popular Sun to Cheese tour lets you taste award-winning farmstead cheddar while getting acquainted with their gentle Brown Swiss cows grazing in lush pastures.
Afterward, spread your blanket on their immaculate lawn overlooking Lake Champlain for a picnic with million-dollar views.
3. Cobb Hill Cheese: Cave-Aged Delights in Hartland
Underground magic happens at Cobb Hill, where their famous Ascutney Mountain cheese develops its complex flavor profile in carefully monitored cheese caves.
I’ll never forget visiting last summer when my daughter got to bottle-feed a calf—her face lit up like it was Christmas morning!
Tours include these cave visits, friendly cow meet-and-greets, and generous tastings of their farmstead artisan cheeses, perfect for enjoying during a grassy picnic break.
4. North Meadow Farm: Family-Friendly Cheese Adventures
Cheese-loving families flock to this Manchester Center farm for its kid-approved atmosphere. While parents appreciate the artisanal cheeses, little ones go wild for the petting farm where they can get nose-to-nose with friendly bovines.
The farm store stocks everything needed for the perfect picnic, and their sprawling lawn spaces invite visitors to linger under Vermont’s blue skies while enjoying fresh cheese just steps from where it’s made.
5. Billings Farm & Museum: History with Your Cheese
Woodstock’s living museum of rural Vermont life serves up history alongside its award-winning cheddar. Their Jersey herd has been producing milk for over a century, and the farm’s commitment to sustainable agriculture shines through in every bite.
Visitors can watch milking demonstrations, learn traditional farming techniques, and enjoy their picnic lunches in designated areas where the past and present of Vermont dairy farming peacefully coexist.
6. Sugarbush Farm: Cheese and Maple Syrup Pairings
Double the Vermont goodness awaits at Woodstock’s Sugarbush Farm, where artisanal cheese production meets maple syrup harvesting. Their 550 acres provide ample room for happy cows and productive maple trees.
People enjoy free tastings of four grades of maple syrup alongside 14 varieties of farm-made cheeses. Hiking trails crisscross the property, leading to perfect picnic spots where you can enjoy your purchases while watching the dairy herd graze contentedly.
7. Woodcock Farm: Sheep and Cow Cheese Blends
This Weston farm specializes in unique mixed-milk cheeses combining cow’s milk with sheep’s milk for extraordinary flavor profiles. Their Summer Snow, a bloomy-rinded sheep and cow milk blend, has developed a cult following among cheese enthusiasts.
The farm’s viewing areas let visitors observe both sheep and cows during milking times. Their south-facing hillside provides comfortable picnic spots with panoramic views of both herds grazing together across their certified organic pastures.
8. Spring Brook Farm: Cheese with a Mission
More than just delicious cheese happens at this Reading farm. It’s also home to the Farms for City Kids Foundation. Urban students experience farm life while helping produce award-winning Alpine-style cheeses like Tarentaise and Reading.
The farm’s Jersey cows provide rich milk for these Swiss-inspired creations. Visitors can tour the operation, meet the educational team, and enjoy farm-fresh picnics in designated areas where they might spot student groups learning about sustainable agriculture firsthand.
9. Thistle Hill Farm: Organic Swiss Tradition
Nestled in North Pomfret, this small-scale organic operation specializes in Tarentaise, an Alpine-style cheese inspired by the farmers’ apprenticeships in Switzerland. Their grass-fed Jersey cows produce exceptionally rich milk, perfect for traditional copper vat cheese-making.
The farm offers seasonal tours by appointment, allowing visitors to observe their sustainable practices. Their south-facing slope provides natural picnic terraces where guests can sample cheese while watching the herd rotate through carefully managed pastures—a true grass-to-cheese experience.