Your Destination Guide to Philadelphia

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© Jennifer Dickert

While the Garden State's artisan cheese making is far, far smaller than, say, Wisconsin or Vermont's, its three locations – all established this decade – thread a needle through the central and northwest portions of New Jersey, allowing the curious the opportunity to taste test the entire industry in one day.

From Philadelphia, hop onto I-95 North for about 50 minutes, get off at Exit 7A/ Route 206 North and within two miles you'll be at Cherry Grove Farm, an eight-year-old meat and cheese farm on 400 preserved acres. Located on the outer portion of Lawrence Township's historic Lawrenceville district, the area has a modest "farm belt," with a seasonal roadside produce stand, year-round apple orchard and community-supported agriculture farm (confusingly named Cherry Grove Organic Farm) all nearby. The area also features the prestigious Lawrenceville School, established in 1810 and home to such famous alumni as environmental pioneer Aldo Leopold, former Disney CEO Michael Eisner, and "hip to be square" musician Huey Lewis.

Cherry Grove's cows graze on 230 organic-certified acres, and their milk is used to make a modest variety of cheeses, including a salty blue, creamy smooth brie, and the cheddar-like Toma Primavera. In addition to cheese, which can be purchased at the farm's shop (and several other locations), Cherry Grove Farm carries whey-fed pork and lamb raised on the farm, free range eggs from its own chickens, and a selection of products from other New Jersey farms and small businesses. The farm's grounds are open to the public for lingering, including watching the cow milking every day around 4 pm.

Head north on Route 206 for about an hour, passing through Mercer, Somerset, and Morris counties and find Valley Shepherd Creamery, in Long Valley. Opened in 2005, former developer Eran Wajswol took his love of cheese and used the income from building high rises in Hoboken to purchase 120 acres in this scenic section of Washington Township. The state's only sheep milk cheese maker with over 400 sheep, Wajswol's cheese making facility is the most sophisticated of any in New Jersey, costing $3 million before even opening its doors. Nearly two dozen cheeses are available to tempt tastebuds – from the immensely edible Califon Tomme, made with a combination of sheep and cow's milk, to the caraway seed-infused "Carameaway."

Besides cheese and the tongue-in-cheek named "Ewegurt", Valley Shepherd Creamery's "Sheepe Shoppe" carries home decor and craft items with dairy, farm and sheep themes. Annual shearing festivals usually bring hundreds out to the creamery. Late year tours of the farm include a visit to its "aging cave," created by blasting 150 feet into the side of a hill. The creamery is located about an hour from New York City.

Drive just over another hour north to Bobolink Dairy and Bakeyard, the final stop on New Jersey's artisan cheese making tour. While located on another 400-acre preserved farm like Cherry Grove Farm, its deeply rural surroundings are a world away from the usually busy Route 206. On all sides, land stretches out to touch the horizon. Wild grasses mingle with large, craggy trees that look older than Sussex County itself. And a short walk down the road within shouting distance of the New York State border lounge the cows that produce the milk for Bobolink's cheeses.

Enjoy a chat with Bobolink co-owner Nina White about the nuances of flavor in one cheese over another. Spread the aggressive Baudolino over a bite-size wedge of flaxseed bread, made fresh in the farm's custom-built brick oven earlier that morning. Though the surroundings — yellow concrete walls reflecting low light from small, cloudy windows — are simple and rustic, the whole affair has the vibe of an elaborate wine tasting. Guided tours are available for $5 a person.

- John Dunphy

Header Photo: © michaelwm25

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