George R. R. Martin once said, “Give me a good sharp knife and a good sharp cheese and I’m a happy man.”  The author of the books on which the HBO series Game of Thrones is based, is on to something.  Whether it’s good and sharp, smooth and mild, or delicate and peppery, a good cheese can make one very happy, indeed.

If your menu calls for fresh, natural, delicious, award-winning cheese, the Pineland Farms Creamery has what you need. The Creamery produces not only good sharp and extra sharp cheddar, but also Monterrey Jack, pepper Jack, feta, baby Swiss, fresh cheese curd, naturally smoked varieties, and natural cheese spreads.

Under the experienced hand of Creamery Manager Mark Whitney, the Pineland Farms Creamery has won numerous awards and earned national recognition for naturally made, high quality cheese. Whitney has been making cheese for more than 20 years, the last eight of them at Pineland Farms.

Founded in 2006, the Pineland Farms Creamery sits right next to the pastures and barns that are home to Pineland’s premier herd of Holstein cows. Their lineage goes back to the first Holsteins imported from Europe in the 19th century. The cows graze in Pineland’s grassy pastures all spring, summer, and autumn, and in winter, they feed on Pineland hay and hand-selected grains. Pineland farms never uses artificial growth hormones. Only the freshest, purest milk is used in Pineland Farms cheese.

Once the cows are milked, the serious cheese making begins. Mark Whitney has led this process from the beginning, with a blend of tradition and state-of-the-art technique. “I’ve always looked at what I do as an art form steeped in tradition,” said Whitney. “The milk we use comes from our own cows and those of local farmers. It’s as fresh as can be. We add the cultures and work the curds by hand,using minimal mechanization.”

This is a feat unto itself, considering that the Pineland Farms Creamery produces more than 700,000 pounds of cheese annually—using seven million gallons of locally produced milk.  (A visit to Pineland Farms can easily include a first-hand viewing of the cheese making process.)

For his effort and expertise, Whitney and his staff of cheese makers have been rewarded with blue ribbons from the American Cheese Society (ACS)for both their Monterrey jack and feta cheeses.The ACS is a national organization dedicated to the promotion, support, and best practices for American-made specialty and artisanal cheeses.  “We won our first blue ribbon only one year after we started making cheese at Pineland. We’re pretty proud of that,” said Whitney.

While all Pineland Farms Farms cheese is available at The Market at Pineland Farms, it’s also found in Whole Foods, Hannaford, Shaw’s, Kroger, Market Basket, and other grocers nationwide. It’s also available in U.S. Military Commissaries and online at www.pinelandfarms.org.

Superior taste and texture, natural and sustainable farming, artistry and cheese making tradition all make Pineland Creamery Cheese the most delicious choice.