The Larder
Cheese
Our artisan cheesemakers turn fresh sheep’s milk from our flock into delectable cheeses featured in our restaurants and gift shop. Since sheep only produce milk for about half of the year, cheesemaking allows us to celebrate their abundance through preservation and enjoy it throughout every season. Our cheesemakers work with the natural fluctuations in the sheep’s milk production to create a variety of unique cheeses. For example, the sheep produce milk with a higher fat content during the early stages of the lactation season, so the cheesemakers make batches that highlight the fat’s rich flavor during that time. Sheep’s cheese is nutrient dense and versatile. Savor palette-pleasing cheeses like our award-winning Brebis and Hawkins Haze as you dine in our restaurants and bring some home to complement your next cheeseboard.
Blackberry Farm Cheese
Fresh sheep’s milk from our predominately East Friesian flock is handcrafted into delectable cheeses by our artisan cheesemakers and is available in our gift shop.
Preservation Kitchen
Food preservation began as a means of survival for our Appalachian ancestors, and today we continue their tradition as part of the Farm’s sustainable agriculture practices. The small-batch products we make in our Preservation Kitchen honor the abundance of fruits and vegetables we harvest from our Garden and orchards. With tried-and-true recipes passed down through generations, our artisans gather fresh produce from the Farm and create delicious jams, preserves and pickles you can pair with our cheeses, enjoy with charcuterie or even eat straight from the jar.
Jams, Pickles and Preserves
Having the ability to preserve all that cannot be used in the fresh state, affords the opportunity to purchase whole crops, ensuring sustainable gardening practices and providing the farmer with the security of knowing their product will not go to waste. The results are jams, jellies and preserves of a natural quality, ones that derive their flavor from the ingredient rather than additives. Blackberry’s small-batch preserves pay homage to the true meaning of abundance with stewardship and respect for the orchard’s natural goodness, through recipes passed down by our Appalachian forebears, our artisans revive the craft of "putting by" with each jar that’s sealed, using only the highest quality ingredients.
BUTCHER SHOP
Our butcher is a master at transforming select cuts of meat into the charcuterie and sausage you enjoy in our restaurants. By sourcing our meat from local farmers and the Farm’s pigs, we control the quality of meat and ensure the pigs were sustainably raised and processed. By having an onsite butcher, our goal is to provide the highest quality of meat for our kitchens and educate our guests on the practices that provide meat for their dinner table. We want each guest to leave the Farm with enriched knowledge and an appreciation for the farmers, butchers and artisans.