ASLF Apprentice Storytelling 2022

ASLF APPRENTICE S T O R Y T E L L I N G

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Stories have a way of moving culture. Anne Saxelby was an incredible storyteller, and by amplifying the work of American cheesemakers and dairy farmers, she opened up space in the landscape of a culinary world where European cheeses had reigned as standard.

The Anne Saxelby Legacy Fund Apprenticeship aims to give aspiring farmers and changemakers the opportunity to live and learn on working farms, similar to the experiences that inspired Anne as a young person.

We invited the inaugural season of ASLF Apprentices to share about their work through photos, videos, art, and written word. This collection of work traverses urban farming, indigenous food sovereignty work, and some of the most prominent dairy farms in the nation, celebrating the people, plants, and animals who nourish us.

BROOKLYN

GRANGE photos and poetry by Bliss Battle

To work with the soil Is to create community To the organisms living within it To the leaves gathering together to make a canopy For the eggplant family To the harvesters conversing in the beating Sun To the farmers chatting with the market goers To sitting at the table with loved ones Eating eggplant parmesan It starts with digging your hands Into the soil

Taking a break in the shade So sweet My mind is in complete peace It feels like A soft embrace A little break in the shade Is all I need To keep tending to the seeds And pulling weeds As the sun smiles down on me

THE ANISHINAABE AGRICULTURE INSTITUTE art and poetry by Julie Gonzalez

Weaving history, memory and new worlds in honor of ancestral medicine and technologies.

THE ANISHINAABE AGRICULTURE INSTITUTE

excerpts from Medicine for Activists zine

by Caterra Cornejo

THE ANISHINAABE AGRICULTURE INSTITUTE On Saving Rural Communities Madison Taylor

On July 31st, I took a plane from Chicago, Illinois, to Fargo, North Dakota. I’d been sent by the Anne Saxelby Legacy fund to continue the mission of one Anne Saxelby, whose work is best described as “a conduit of salvation for rural communities across the country” (Jasper Hill Farm). I’ve spent the last month in Ponsford, Minnesota, working for Anishinaabe Agricultural Institute (AAI), an institution with multiple organic farm sites on the border of the White Earth Reservation.

The 90 minute ride from the airport spanned several corn and potato fields, as well as small outcroppings of gas stations and chain restaurants. It’s the same scenery I’d come to know during every grocery store run or dinner outing during my stay. Most of our dinner outings were Madison Taylor to the same place– the only good Mexican restaurant in Park Rapids, Minnesota– Vallarta’s Mexican Grill. During the protests against the Dakota Access Pipeline, activists who had traveled to White Earth gathered for frequent dinners at Vallarta's. The staff were always kind and welcoming. It wasn’t much out of the ordinary for me. I’ve taken part in many Midwestern road trips, and noticed only one difference here in Ponsford, Minnesota:

On Saving Rural Communities

Here, we keep our car windows closed.

I’d never thought much before about pesticide spraying. I’d never had reason to. But here, we heeded warnings from our coworkers at AAI to avoid breathing in the chemicals they let into the air.

Central pivot irrigation systems are found in fields everywhere, often near roads. We passed multiple that were

Mexican Grill. During the protests against the Dakota Access Pipeline, activists who had traveled these soil types are very well-draining and water soluble chemicals can easily seep into the to White Earth gathered for frequent dinners at Vallarta's. The staff were always kind and watershed. Ponsford’s soil is mostly sand, and most of Ponsford and neighboring town Pine welcoming. It wasn’t much out of the ordinary for me. I’ve taken part in many Midwestern road Point’s water table is 10 or less feet from the trips, and noticed only one difference here in Ponsford, Minnesota: surface. This explains how atrazine gets into water sources.

Here, we keep our car windows closed.

I’d never thought much before about pesticide spraying. I’d never had reason to. But here, we heeded I’d never thought much before about warnings from our coworkers at AAI pesticide spraying. I’d had to avoid breathing in never the chemicals reason Butthe here, they letto.into air.we heeded warnings from our coworkers at AAI to avoid breathing in the chemicals Central pivot irrigation systems are they let into the air. found in fields everywhere, often near roads. We passed multiple that were Central pivot irrigation systems are incorrectly positioned as to spray found in fields everywhere, often near But unfortunately, atrazine is not banned in the continental United States, despite being water directly into the street. Pipes roads. We passed multiple that were banned in several other countries for risks to human health. The chemical has been shown to be structures rotate mounted to wheeled incorrectly positioned as to spray an endocrine disruptor with potential to cause nerve, muscle, heart, and liver highfields in a classic indamage a circuitwith around water directly into the street. Pipes crop “Potatoes, circle pattern.

This technology boasts praise as high as ending the dust bowl. exposure. The study Frogs, and Water” details White Earth Reservation citizens’ fight mounted to wheeled structures rotate to protect their homes from chemical drift. After suing multiple times, citizens the fields in a classic in adidn’t circuithave around funding to continue the legal battle with wealthy agricultural giants.

With advances in technology, center pivot irrigation is used to spray crops crop circle pattern. This technology boasts praise as high as ending the dust bowl. with fertilizerand pesticide-laden water. However, chemicals can be blown by wind or evaporate into the air, for irrigation chlorothalonil, the to the and are found significantly further from theAs application siteisthan products directly With advances in technology, center pivot used tochemical spray applied crops with fertilizerwascan classified in 1999 by the as into the air, soil foliage of plants. andor pesticide-laden water. However, chemicals be blown by wind or EPA evaporate likely human and applied directly to the and are found significantly further from the aapplication sitecarcinogen than products highly toxic to inhale.

Otheror “chemigation”-of of theplants. pesticides applied to crops via chemical irrigation– soil or Two foliage dangers damagean to herbicide. the include chlorothalonil, used to prevent potato blight,include and atrazine, The EPA airways, skin, and advises that not be applied or soils in kidneys. areas with a high water table, as Two atrazine of the pesticides appliedtotosandy crops vialoamy chemical irrigation– orWhen “chemigation”-biologist Teagan McMahon tested these soilchlorothalonil, types are veryused well-draining water soluble can easily seep include to preventand potato blight, andchemicals atrazine, an herbicide.

Theinto EPAthe on frogsand in neighboring town Pine themost fungicide soilbeisapplied mostly to sand, and ofsoils Ponsford watershed. advises thatPonsford’s atrazine not sandy or loamy in areas with a high water table, as concentrations typically caused by Point’s water table 10 or less feet from these soil types areisvery well-draining andthe water soluble chemicals can easily seep into the normal application to crops, "Those surface.

ThisPonsford’s explains how atrazine into soil is mostlygets sand, and most of Ponsford and neighboring town Pine watershed. expected environmental water sources.

Point’s water table is 10 or less feet from the concentrations caused nearly 100 surface. This explains how atrazine gets into percent mortality in all of the water sources. amphibians." Results found that Atrazine is also found, surprisingly “even levels of chlorothalonil four enough, on Christmas tree farms. The Center for times lower than the expected environmental concentration caused high mortality rates in Atrazine is also found, surprisingly Biological Diversity’s 2021 press release details frogs.” Citizens in frequently sprayed areas have reported seeing dead wildlife including hawks. enough, Christmas tree farms.

The Center for the EPA’son plans to prohibit use in Hawaii, as well Biological Diversity’s press anyone release details as US territories.

“The2021 last thing The industrial farming industry is not the unknowable and unstoppable evil that it’s the EPA’swhen plans they to prohibit useain Hawaii, as well imagines, live near forest or bring a made out to be. Due to the hard work of lawyers, environmental scientists and citizens of White thing anyone as US territories.

“Thetolast Christmas tree home their living room, is that Earth Reservation, we know exactly where these injustices are occurring, and who is committing imagines, whenup they near aexposure,” forest or bring they’re signing forlive atrazine says a the crime.

Christmas tree home to their living that scientist Nathan Donley.

“Now theyroom, won’t is have they’re signing will up for exposure,” to, and neither theatrazine salmon, frogsgrowing and says fish.”

R.D. Offut farms is the nation’s largest potato operation and spans multiple scientist Nathan Donley. “Now they won’t have states including Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Missouri, and Wisconsin. After the to, andBut neither will the salmon, frogs and fish.” unfortunately, atrazine istonot in the continental United States, despite being 1980s farm crisis, Offut pounced on the opportunity buybanned land from small farms, and has been banned in the several other countries for risks to human health.

The chemical taking land in and around reservation since. Evelyn Bellanger, resident of Pine Point andhas been shown to be But unfortunately, atrazine is not banned in the continental United States, despite being an endocrine disruptor with potential cause nerve, heart, and liver member of the Elders Indian Affairs Commission says, to “One thing I’ve muscle, learned the hard way is damage with high banned in several other countries for risks to human health. The chemical has been shown to be not to collect rain from the roof into my rain barrels. It turns pink, likely from fungicides.” She an endocrine disruptor with potential to cause nerve, muscle, heart, and liver damage with high describes dead hawks in the yard, absent wildlife, and the smell of pesticide in the air. exposure. The study “Potatoes, Frogs, and Water” details White Earth Reservation citizens’ fight to protect their homes chemical drift.

After suing multiple times, citizensofdidn’t have the Offut knows that they’re skirtingfrom the boundaries of EPA regulation.

Strategic planning funding toEPA continue wealthy agricultural giants. newly acquired land skirts rules the andlegal flies battle underwith the radar.

“Offutt avoided environmental

Atrazine is also found, surprisingly enough, on Christmas tree farms. The Center for Biological Diversity’s 2021 press release details the EPA’s plans to prohibit use in Hawaii, as well as US territories. “The last thing anyone imagines, when they live near a forest or bring a Christmas tree home to their living room, is that they’re signing up for atrazine exposure,” says scientist Nathan Donley. “Now they won’t have to, and neither will the salmon, frogs and fish.”

review by temporarily whittling down the size of its project, ostensibly reducing its potential As for chlorothalonil, environmental impact and, with it, the need for environmental review,” explains Donald Carr of the chemical classified in 1999 the Environmental Working Group. In another attempt to fly under the radar,was Offut sells land to by the EPA as an area farmer under the condition that he lease it back to Offut and apply fora 3likely waterhuman carcinogen and highly to inhale. Other appropriation permits covering 3 of the same wells from Offut’s application that thetoxic Department dangers include damage to the of Natural Resources previously refused to approve without environmental review. airways, skin, and kidneys. When biologist Teagan McMahon tested R.D. Offut and other agricultural polluters will not be allowed to continue poisoning our in on frogs the fungicide

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they’re signing up for atrazine exposure,” says scientist Nathan Donley. “Now they won’t have to, and neither will the salmon, frogs and fish.”

But unfortunately, atrazine is not banned in the continental United States, despite being banned in several other countries for risks to human health. The chemical has been shown to be an endocrine disruptor with potential to cause nerve, muscle, heart, and liver damage with high exposure. The study “Potatoes, Frogs, and Water” details White Earth Reservation citizens’ fight to protect their homes from chemical drift. After suing multiple times, citizens didn’t have the funding to continue the legal battle with wealthy agricultural giants.

As for chlorothalonil, the chemical was classified in 1999 by the EPA as a likely human carcinogen and highly toxic to inhale. Other dangers include damage to the airways, skin, and kidneys. When biologist Teagan McMahon tested the fungicide on frogs in concentrations typically caused by normal application to crops, "Those expected environmental concentrations caused nearly 100 percent mortality in all of the amphibians." Results found that “even levels of chlorothalonil four times lower than the expected environmental concentration caused high mortality rates in frogs.” Citizens in frequently sprayed areas have reported seeing dead wildlife including hawks.

The industrial farming industry is not the unknowable and unstoppable evil that it’s made out to be. Due to the hard work of lawyers, environmental scientists and citizens of White Earth Reservation, we know exactly where these injustices are occurring, and who is committing the crime.

R.D. Offut farms is the nation’s largest potato growing operation and spans multiple states including Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Missouri, and Wisconsin. After the 1980s farm crisis, Offut pounced on the opportunity to buy land from small farms, and has been taking land in and around the reservation since. Evelyn Bellanger, resident of Pine Point and member of the Elders Indian Affairs Commission says, “One thing I’ve learned the hard way is not to collect rain from the roof into my rain barrels. It turns pink, likely from fungicides.” She describes dead hawks in the yard, absent wildlife, and the smell of pesticide in the air.

Offut knows that they’re skirting the boundaries of EPA regulation. Strategic planning of newly acquired land skirts EPA rules and flies under the radar. “Offutt avoided environmental review by temporarily whittling down the size of its project, ostensibly reducing its potential environmental impact and, with it, the need for environmental review,” explains Donald Carr of the Environmental Working Group. In another attempt to fly under the radar, Offut sells land to an area farmer under the condition that he lease it back to Offut and apply for 3 water appropriation permits covering 3 of the same wells from Offut’s application that the Department of Natural Resources previously refused to approve without environmental review.

R.D. Offut and other agricultural polluters will not be allowed to continue poisoning our water, hurting our people, and killing the environment. Organizations like Honor the Earth, the Environmental Working Group, and many others are fighting for our right to freedom from harm and a safe environment. I believe that every person has a responsibility towards stopping industrial agriculture’s environmental injustices, and I will see the recovery of White Earth reservation and every other community impacted by industrial pesticide use.

THE AGRICULTURE

ANISHINAABE INSTITUTE

artwork by Ivan “Chico Brown” Hernandez Salinas (left) and Kristie Cabrera (right)

From a series of portraits and interviews with tribal members of White answering question “What do you hope “What Earth do you Reservation, hope the future brings to you the and/or your community?” the future brings to you and/or your community?”

Portraits of White Earth Reservation

I dyed a bandanna using tobacco flowers that we removed in order to help the plant focus it’s energy on growing the leaves. I then tied the bandana in Julie’s (another apprentice) hair and took pictures of her with a tobacco plant. My intention for this project was to highlight the importance of tobacco, but also reflect on the many different ways we can be in relationship with plants. Similar to hemp, there are countless opportunities to receive not only food gifts from plants, but other gifts too.

“I dyed a bandanna using tobacco flowers that we removed in order to help the plant focus it’s energy on growing the leaves. I then tied the bandana in Julie’s (another apprentice) hair and took pictures of her with a tobacco plant. My intention for this project was to highlight the importance of tobacco, but also reflect on the many different ways we can be in relationship with plants. Similar to hemp, there are countless opportunities to receive not only food gifts from plants, but other gifts too.” - KC

Kristie Cabrera, Anishinaabe Agriculture Institute

Ivan “Chico Brown” Hernandez, Anishinaabe Agriculture Institute

ANISHINAABE THE INSTITUTE AGRICULTURE

ASLF Anishinaabe August crew: clockwise from top left, Isabel Mosley, Ivan Hernandez Salinas, Kristie Cabrera, Madison Taylor, Caterra Cornejo, Julie Gonzalez

Cheesemaking at Upl

reflections by Isabel Mosley (left) photos by Madison Taylor (below)

Isabel Mosley, Anishinaabe Agriculture Institute

THE AGRICULTURE

ANISHINAABE INSTITUTE

ASLF Anishinaabe July crew and AAI team: clockwise from top left: Dianna Georges, Anvita Sharma, Eli Champoux, Maya Cohen, Kyra Bingham.

THE AGRICULTURE

ANISHINAABE INSTITUTE

art and poetry by Anvita Sharma

Learning Lessons A swim in the lake , under the light of the full moon.

Black and blue bugs buzz, as the crickets croon.

Each night is illuminated, by starry constellations.

While each day begins early, filled with little revelations.

What is it like to work those lands?

It’s seeing dreams, brought to life by many hands.

It’s confronting the fear, of dexterous spiders, buzzing bees, or stinging ants.

By remembering what is promised here, in these tender saplings and green plants.

As the four of us pick weeds with hands that care, despite our soreness we are honored to work, understanding the responsibility we bear.

This land is sacred, and so is the water.

But pesticides, potatoes, and pipes push for its slaughter.

Those rivers and lakes that bear fish and rice, If they aren’t with us, We’ll all pay a high price.

Through native tradition, art, and spoken word, This more than about the promise of plenty, It’s about reclamation, the planet, and being heard.

THE ANISHINAABE AGRICULTURE INSTITUTE an essay by Eli Champoux If you told me I would be spending nearly a month on a farm on Anishinaabe land in Minnesota at the beginning of the year, it would be surprising news to me. I have been at the University of Vermont for a year now studying environmental science, sustainability policy, and geography. So it would be surprising, but also sensible after all the things that I learned in my first year of school. However, the experience at AAI was so much more than what was on the website. I had no idea that I was about to enter a whole new world.

I was not ready for life on the farm, and quickly realized how out of place I was. Now when I say out of place, that doesn’t stem from anything negative about the experience. It means that I was a bit of an outsider. A white man from the suburbs of Boston dropped in an Indigenous, rural landscape in the middle of the country. Luckily I would be grouped with some amazing women who also felt like they were somewhat outsiders in this new territory. I want to preface by saying that life as we know it is far from perfect. This journey was a rollercoaster of amazing highs and troubling lows. However, experiencing it with these people helped get me through extended struggles, and ultimately allowed me to find a grand purpose in myself that I will cherish for the rest of my life.

I stepped out of our Jeep onto the dirt-grass road at AAI. I felt the warm air on my skin. I was greeted with open arms by Kyra and Maya, two of the farm’s managers of daily operations. That night was shared with laughs and telling stories of ourselves and I already felt an innate sense of community. From there, we began work the next day. A 15- minute drive out to the Northside hempire. This farm grew everything from hemp, to cucumbers, to potatoes, to beans.

Everyday, we performed tasks such as pulling weeds, killing potato beetles, mulching the soil, and various others. It was hard work and often occurred under a hot sun.

The farm crew are some of the most intelligent, hard-working, resourceful people I have had the fortune of meeting. The communal aspect of the farm’s work environment was the key to getting through those long days in the fields, understanding goals of different operations, and keeping the atmosphere fun and relaxing.

After a hot day of farming, the best part of the day came; jumping into Bass Lake. The amazing Winona Laduke suggested that we jump in the lake as often as we could. This always felt like the right way to end the day, and a blessing to feel the water cool down my hair. I found comfort in the lake. Whether it was skipping stones, trying to catch fish with my hands, or feeling the reeds on my legs as I sauntered in. The lake was special and it felt like I had the power of peace in my own mind when I was there.

Reflecting on the experience at AAI, I have to say again that the spirit of the community was what made it so great. At Shell Camp, you felt the vibe of a historical, vibrant and kind group of people. We all shared a common purpose that united rather than divided. I get emotional thinking about the indomitable spirit that humans have, and all that we can achieve while striving for the good. That was the greatest takeaway about my time at AAI, and it made me believe in total good, truly, I think for the first time. It’s easy to get lost and caught up in the cruelty and unacceptable in this world. Thanks to the initiative of ASLF, Anne’s legacy and AAI’s vision, I was able to find my way.

THE ANISHINAABE AGRICULTURE INSTITUTE a poem by Leilani Barnes

LE IL ANI B A R NES

PULLING OUT WEEDS and swimming in the stars

Traveled to Minnesota Where the waters reflect the sky A tangle of many forces But where does the truth lie Apprentices we are We came here to learn I traveled with two bags The mosquito bites already burn My expectations were driving but experience took a turn As the unknown grabbed the wheel And unexpected lessons took a turn

My body swings in delay As i brace for the drive Staring out the window Watching my false assumptions pass me by I guess i imagined it differently Maybe a farm of dreams But that picture is pretty privileged The experience is trying to wake me Somewhere an alarm goes off It is loud and sounds like reality The sunrise ask, Is it true? Can it be?

Is it a lot harder than it seems?

With my eyes half open I reply, “we shall see”

I guess i thought i could run But here I needed to walk I guess I wanted to sing But here together we learned how to talk But how does the baby bird expect to soar When it is still resting in its nest And how can a cub roar At few weeks old a pur is best

So we must pull out the weeds And dig really deep From the land and in our minds It has been abandoned for some time If we want to grow We need to slow our roll And look past the surface This hard work is worth it Water is life Nothing is more true It is the basis of me It is the basis of you Why are we struggling for answers While the indigenous have clues Why do we do a lot of talking When we should really listen too

In order to climb a mountain We must start at its base In order for a farm to flourish There are key things we must face The potential is high But we must build a foundation So the soil, plants, and people can thrive For the possibility of future cultivation

Protect these waters Stop line 3 I should stop pointing fingers Because it can start with me Protect the soil And plant some hemp trees Protect the children And strengthen the community

I am here in this moment I can do my part Each and every day I choose to work hard

What's a versatile gift that works well for any occasion?

I am blessed for this opportunity I am grateful for this farm A community that chooses life Over the profit of a man A farm that fights for what is right Who gives mother nature a hand Together they sing an anthem Fresh flowers!

An alliance as a band We should listen to their music And take care of the land

I feel the water all around me I feel it all within The tears of the indigenous The rain kissing my skin Water is life That much is true Protect it for me Protect it for you Fight for it under the sun And pray for it under the moon

Dear Anne Saxelby Mahalo nui loa for your radiant shine Thank you for your passion And the beautiful gifts you left behind

ahalo n i loa

And thank you to her angels Who carry on her dreams While getting me one step closer to mine With this wonderful opportunity It was truly a blessing A lot more complex than it seems A bridge between academics and experience You don't know how much this means

CONSIDER

BARDWELL

FARM

a letter from Aji Fatou Njie

Dear Anne, I want to say thank you. Thank you for everything you’ve done to shape the lives of these young apprentices. It means so much to follow in your footsteps. You have created a route for me, and I know that I am headed in the right direction.

You keep giving me the courage and strength to do what I love to do. Sometimes we do not get to meet those people that inspire us, and I am one of those young people that you inspire despite never meeting you. I always close my eyes and think of that strong lady that you were. I try to compile all these amazing stories about you, and want to make sure that I see Anne in real life with all of those beautiful personalities. You make the world a better place to live in. I am motivated to keep working towards my dreams because of you. I have learned so much from your strong character and I would want to be a great person like you were, so that I can make a difference in people’s lives like you did for me. I wish I had the chance to give you a hug and let you know how amazing you are. Anne, you will forever be an inspiration in my life.

Love, Aji

VON &

TRAPP FARMSTEAD MAD RIVER TA S T E PLACE

photos from Gabriella Perez

THANKSGIVING THE

CENTER

FOR

FARM

AT

DISCOVERY

photos from Jordy Cazales

MEADOW

CREEK

DAIRY

flower pressings, photos, and writing by Molly Pfeffer

Flower pressing is like making cheese.

The first step is to collect the flowers and grasses for certain qualities. Just like the cows are picky about which forage they are in the mood to munch on, I am particular about what catches my eye on a hike. Each day’s yield is unique, it may be sweeter or earthier, delicate or brightly colored, and it also depends on what’s in season - and that makes things interesting. Pressing is the defying step. Of course, flowers don’t need rennet or cultures, but they do need to be prepared and handled with care. When pressing, it’s important to set up curds and stems just right; nothing should be poking outside the edges of the press, hydraulic for cheese, diy for the flowers. Pressure should be as level as possible to ensure balanced moisture release. Then you must wait. Patience and care, folks, is an important ingredient. We wait for flowers to dry out and for cheese wheels to age in the cellars, but also for pasture grasses to regrow after grazing, and for patience with yourself as you curate your pressed flower collage. The final result is a one-of-a-kind piece of art, albeit one is wrapped in cheese paper to be eaten and one is framed to be hung on the wall. But both preserve the nature of a place using a similar process and I find that parallel beautiful.

TA L B O T T

&

ARDING illustrations by Margo Miller

JASPER

HILL

FARM

photos and artwork from Sage Taylor, Emma Hamilton, Evie Fabricant, Lucas Friedman-Spring, and Jacob Burnett

Cellars

“We were back in the caves today. Started off turning cheese, mostly Harbison and Moses Sleeper. I learned that Moses Sleeper is named after a Revolutionary War soldier also named Moses Sleeper, the same is true for Alpha Tolman apparently. After that I cleaned Vaults 1 and 6. Spiked some more Bayley Hazen. Bayley Hazen Blue was apparently served for Francois Hollande when he visited the White House in 2014. I crumbled some Bayley Hazen Blue into my lentils today for lunch today which was ridiculously good. It gave me a new appreciation for both the cheese and the lentils.” journal excerpt from Lucas Friedman-Spring

Outside, There is only the sound of breeze grazing the grass.

Bales of hay pushed together like curd so that a complete total unit is created.

Inside the cellars- operation!

Turning!

Washing on our friend, Gruffy! Then washing Gruffy.

Turning again!

Cheese up to the roof- a modern city thriving.

A place microbes can call home.

by Jacob Burnett

FARM HILL JASPER

Nightly view of Caspian Lake in Greensboro!

Anne's Beer Cheese Inspired by Anne's recipe, we decided to make her beer cheese with Jasper Hill

CHEESE TOUR Recipes Inspired by Jasper Hill Cheese and Anne Saxelby

staples including Alpha Tolman, named after a philanthropic dairy farmer in Greensboro. Whitney, the award winning raclette style cheese named after Tim Whitney, the longest standing employee of Jasper Hill. Cave-aged cheddar and Vault 5 are produced at Cabot Creamery and aged in the Celllars at Jasper Hill.

With this unique blend of cheese to create a perfect taste of Greensboro!

Ingredients : 2 cups of shredded Jasper Hill Cheese (We used Alpha Tolman, Whitney, Vault 5 Cheddar and Cave Aged Cheddar)

1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce 2/3 cup of beer (We used a local brew from Hill Farmstead

CREATED BY SAGE TAYLOR, EMMA HAMILTON AND EVIE FABRICANT

called Anna)

Pepper to taste

Procedure : 1. Combine cheese in a sauce pan and continuously stir.

2. Add Worcestershire and 2/3 cups of beer.

3. When cheese is incorporated and melted, pour into bowl.

4. Serve with bread, crackers and apples!

MOSES' SUMMER SALAD

JASPER HILL

Pastalaya Notes

Inspired by finding a package of Andouille sausage combined with Emma's Louisiana roots we wanted to make a dish that combines Vermont cheese and local ingredients with Louisiana spice!

Ingredients Ingredients one bag of Black Dirt Farms mixed green 4 slices of bacon from Pete’s Greens, fried Quarter wheel of Moses Sleeper

Method 1. Combine vinegar, oil, onion jam, and salt and pepper in a small bowl 2. Slice apples, Moses sleeper, and bacon strips 3. Toss all ingredients with the salad greens in a large bowl and enjoy

apples 3 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar 1 tablespoon of olive oil 2 tablespoons of Blake Hill onion confit jam Freshly cracked salt and black pepper

This dish was inspired by Moses Sleeper, a soft cheese named after a revolutionary war general, and apples picked from the tree in our yard. Tossed with fresh greens from Black Dirt Farm, a local regenerative farm, crispy bacon, and a balsamic and onion vinaigrette, this salad makes a perfect summer dish!

1 package of Jasper Hill Andouille sausage 1 lb chicken breast 2 Tbsp olive oil 2 cups chopped local tomatoes 2 cups of diced Trinity (onion, celery, bell pepper 1 cup chicken broth 3 cloves minced garlic 2 Tbsp Creole seasoning 1 pound spaghetti Shaved Whitney to serve

Method

1. Melt butter in large dutch oven.

2. Add chicken and sausage and cook until lightly browned.

3. Remove from pot, shred chicken and slice sausage.

4. Add Trinity to pot and cook until softened.

5. Add shredded chicken, sliced sausage, tomatoes, chicken broth, garlic and creole seasoning to the pan.

6. Bring large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta according to directions on the box.

7. Bring pastalaya sauce to boil and reduce to a simmer until chicken is cooked through.

8. Stir in cooked pasta with 1/2 cup of pasta water and serve with shaved Whitney on top!

Dessert Harb Perfect as a sweet cheese course!

THANK YOU! THANK YOU FOR THIS AMAZING OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN ABOUT SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE AND FOOD PROCESSING! WE ARE SO GRATEFUL TO HONOR ANNE'S LEGACY BY SUPPORTING JASPER HILL IN THEIR MISSION TO OFFER A

SERVINGS: 2

PREPPING TIME: 15 MIN

COOKING TIME: 30 MIN

INGREDIENTS

DIRECTIONS

1 wheel of Harrison

1. Cut the top off of the wheel of Harbison and place

Locally sourced apples Vermont maple syrup Sugar Crackers or bread Dash of cinnamon

on a baking sheet.

2. Dice the apples and combine them with 1/2 tsp of cinnamon and 1 1/2 tbsp of maple syrup.

3. Stew the apple mixture on the stove in a sauce pan and cook until apples are tender and vibrant.

4. Pour apple mixture on the wheel of Harbison and sprinkle some sugar on top.

5. Broil the cheese on high until a caramel color is formed.

6. Serve warm with crackers or bread.

NOTES ABOUT HARBISON Harbison is named after Anne Harbison known as the grandmother of Greensboro, Vermont where The Cellars at Jasper Hill are located. Anne volunteered at the local library, ran a bed and breakfast and Harbison is a soft bloomy rind cheese wrapped in locally sourced spruce cambium that gives the cheese notes of rich creaminess and vegetal notes.

TASTE OF PLACE. WE ARE GRATEFUL TO THE OWNERS OF JASPER HILL MATEO AND ANDY AND THE TEAM MEMBERS WHO HELPED SHAPE OUR EXPERIENCE AT THE CELLARS, FARM AND CREAMERIES INTO A WHOLISTIC PICTURE OF WHAT CHEESEMAKING IS. THANK YOU TO THE TEAM AT ASLF FOR SUPPORTING US AND GIVING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLORE OUR PASSIONS AND LEARN ABOUT NEW SPACES OF INNOVATIVE AND SUSTAINABLE CHEESE. AND THANK YOU TO ALL THE FRIENDS WE HAVE MADE ALONG THE WAY!

With Gratitude, Sage, Emma and Evie

SPRING

BROOK

FARM

Gabriela Sanchez and Sadie Hammarhead with illustrations by Sadie

SPRING

BROOK

FARM

Sadie Hammarhead, Spring Brook Farm Cheese

at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro Ar. and am pursuing a degree in Agricultural Education. Agriculture has always been an important part of my life. During my time as an apprentice I have learned many valuable things that I hope to carry with me into my future career.

Being able to take part in this apprenticeship is something I am very thankful and NEWMAN FARM honored to be a part of. I am inspired by Annes story and how passionate she was about the field notes on Heritage Berkshire pig breeding thing that she loved.

A few of my records

by Braden Hufstedler

MyDuring name my is Braden Hufstedler and I amFarm fromI did Thayer Missouri.

I am apprenticeship at Newman a variety of tasks such as currently a student at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro Ar. and working/processing baby pigs and feeding hogs, sheep, and cattle. My main responsibility was am pursuing a degree in Agricultural hasinseminate them (AI). In to organize a breeding program for a group Education. of gilts and Agriculture then artificially been an important part of myand life.keep good records. My day consisted of getting orderalways to do this I had to be very organized to the farm early in the morning to feed the gilts. I then went through every single one of them and checked heat to see if they were ready to be bred. When it was all said and done I had 3 different groups (there were 94 gilts). Here are some pictures and videos of me artificially inseminating and caring for the gilts.

Artificial Inseminating a gilt

Feeding

During my apprenticeship at Newman Farm I did a variety of tasks such as working/processing baby pigs and feeding hogs, sheep, and cattle. My main responsibility was to organize a breeding program for a group of gilts and then artificially inseminate them (AI). In order to do this I had to be very organized and keep good records.

My day consisted of getting to the farm early in the morning to feed the gilts. I then went through every single one of them and checked heat to see if they were ready to be bred. When it was all said and done I had 3 different groups (there were 94 gilts).

During my time as an apprentice I have learned many valuable things that I hope to carry with me into my future career. Being able to take part in this apprenticeship is something I am very thankful and honored to be a part of. I am inspired by Annes story and how passionate she was about the thing that she loved.

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excerpts from CUNY City Tech curriculum journal & photos by Hattie Hill

July 5, 2022 Stony Pond Farm is idyllic. It is a working dairy farm, with 61 Jersey cows for milking, 25-30 calves, a herd of heifers (young female cows that have yet to have a calf), two Jersey bulls for breeding, some beef cattle somewhere on the farm, seven pigs and a home garden. The Webbs also share their farm with a younger farming couple who work part-time for them while setting up their own chicken farm.

Melanie is the cheesemaker at Stony Pond Farm and she will be my main work partner and mentor over the course of the month I will be on the farm. She could not be more warm, welcoming and enthusiastic about her craft. Melanie has been making cheese for only three years and has had an impressive amount of success during that time.

Melanie’s cheeses are sold at a wide variety of excellent cheese shops and markets throughout Vermont and beyond, including a cheese shop in Boston and at Saxelby Cheesemongers in the Chelsea Market. In the short time I have been working with Melanie, I have come to truly appreciate her commitment to her business, her work ethic (12-14 hour days, 7 days/week!!), her total lack of pretense and posturing, her willingness to let me jump right into her cheesemaking, and her amazing cheeses, of course!

While she has had some cheesemaking training and has been working with a cheesemaking consultant of late, she is largely self-taught and falls in the camp of “learning while doing,” which is so impressive. She is thorough, rigorous, detail-oriented and utterly committed to improving her knowledge and skills. She is also friendly, funny and interesting and is just so pleasant and fun to be around!

July 18, 2022 ●

All clogs and other cave equipment stay in the cave to prevent cross-contamination cheese types After brushing or turning cheese, sweep the floor so that the mold and cheese particles on the floor don’t get tracked in and out Clean and pasteurize the ash boards between batches

I was blown away when I learned Rule 36: “You can make four thousand cheeses with just four ingredients.”

● As you begin your apprenticeship, there will be a significant learning ● curve. Read rules 36 through 42 of The New Rules of Cheese by Anne Saxelby.7/26/2022 How does your practical experience bring to life the words on the pages?

Be specific andmust reference atrule least ofhappens the rules Rule 28 is “Cheeses, like children, be raised.” This deals four with what after thein cheese has been made and now needs to be aged. What comes next is affinage, which is the this section.

French term for cheese aging. An affineur is the person who works in the cheese aging cave and, as Anne writes, “is responsible for maturing or aging cheese to its perfect expression of flavor and ripeness.”

Rule 36: You can make four thousand cheeses with just four At Stony Pond Farm, I have been lucky to get a lot of exposure to the cheese aging process. ingredients.

Melanie’s cave is a large (approximately 18’ x 24’) walk-in refrigerated room set to about 55 F 95% humidity. Cheese likes a cool, damp environment because it allows the cheese to Rule 38:and Microbes are our friends! develop properly. The room has three walls of metal cheese aging racks where boards made of ash wood can be hungthe to hold the aging cheese.

The boards must be washed with soap and a Rule 40: Understand coagulation process. scrub brush, fully air-dried, and then pasteurized in a 170 F oven for an hour before they can be Rule 41:hung Cheese is aThefood worth itscement salt.floor and the walls are covered in white in the racks. cave has a smooth

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plastic anti-bacterial wall paneling.

I definitely thought that different flavors and additives might be added to the milk while making it (and that is probably the case with some industrial cheeses).

July 19, 2022

But on Day 1 at Stony Pond Farm, we started with one vat of milk and within 24 hours had two completely different cheeses, a camembert and a spreadable cheese. About four hours into the make, the now pasteurized milk was divided and treated differently (different cultures were added and they were treated differently), but otherwise the ingredients were the same (the same milk, salt and animal rennet). I was so surprised that it was that simple. Not easy,

Rule 47 is “Cheese is art.”

July 26, 2022

In this rule, Anne discusses how unlike many people’s perceptions, art actually involves a lot of hard work. It’s not as glamorous or as easy as it looks. Much of making art is following rules, doing research, toiling over canvases and other materials, and a lot of “technical and repetitive” actions.

Saxelby argues that cheesemaking is the same. It is more about “dishwashing and science” than creativity, although creativity does come into play.

Rule 28 is “Cheeses, like children, must be raised.”

This rule deals with what happens after the cheese has been made and now needs to be aged. What comes next is affinage, which is the French term for cheese aging. An affineur is the person who works in the cheese aging cave and, as Anne writes, “is responsible for maturing or aging cheese to its perfect expression of flavor and ripeness.”

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photos and reflections by Oliver Prince (left) and Jubal Bernstein (right)

Cheesemaking at Uplands Cheese

Cows enroute to milking

Milk pouring into vat directly from farm

Cultures and rennet added to milk.

Cheese resting after salting

Cheese brushed in yeast solution

Cheese aging in cave

“At the end of the day, this was a once in a lifetime trip for me. I learned more about cheese than I ever could have imagined. I met some of the kindest, most incredible people, made some of the best cheese, and had an incredible time doing it.”

Aging completed and ready to be wrapped

Wrapped cheese ready to sell

Admiring all our hard work!

liver rince, plands heese

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photos from Alexander Sethi and Julian Giusti-Smith

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A Day in the Life of a Cheesemaker

by Sage Thomason

I did not know much about the process of making cheese when I began my apprenticeship at Big Picture Farm in Vermont. For some reason, I did not imagine that it was a very time consuming or precise activity, but I was quite mistaken.

After sanitizing every surface that the milk will come in contact with, we begin by transferring the milk from its storage tank to the large metal vat where it will be heated to the perfect temperature.

After heating for a little while, we add the bacterial cultures.

Then, the rennet is added which is the agent that makes the milk come together into a curd.

The next step is cutting the curd into small pieces that have a larger surface area and can release more water, allowing the cheese to become more solid. The curd is soft and delicate, and feels a bit like silken tofu at this stage. After cutting the curd, we separate out the whey, or excess liquid, and begin shaping the curd in molds. We move fast at this stage because it is important that each wheel of cheese drains for the same period of time so that the texture is consistent in the final product.

Cheese making on the farm begins at 9am. Or really, at 7am when the goats are milked. Or more realistically, in the Spring when the milking goats give birth to their kids and begin producing milk. Then, from Spring onwards, the goats are milked every day, fed grain and alfalfa, and then go out to graze on their pasture. Throughout the week, their milk is transformed into delicious goat’s milk caramels, but Sunday is cheese day.

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There is lots of liquid leaving the curds at this point and the consistent draining of whey creates a melodious tinkling sound in the cheese making room.

After about 5 minutes, it is time to flip the draining cheese wheels so that the moisture is expelled evenly on both sides.

It can be a bit tricky to flip a softer cheese, as it still has a lot of moisture. The alpine style cheese, Sonnet, has less liquid and is easier to flip satisfyingly.

After the first flip, longer and longer durations of time pass between the flips as more and more of the liquid is lost. As we wait for the excess whey to drain, we begin cleaning.

At the very end of the day, once all of the cleaning is complete, the fresh cheese wheels are dunked in a saltwater solution that will give the cheese the perfect amount of saltiness.

The wheels are removed the next morning and begin their long slumber in the cheese cave.

Once in the cheese cave, the wheels will be flipped once a week and the excess mold will be patted off of them with a cloth.

And finally, after 3 months or so, when it is time to try the fruits of your labor, you get to try the best cheese that you have ever tasted.

THANK YOU Anne once wrote, “I hope I can continue to do this job until I am old, well-aged, and hopefully more complex! Like a good wheel of cheese.” But she left us unexpectedly in the second act of the play.

She was taking on obstacles of an ambitious plot with grace and dignity — growing a business, raising a family, making art, deepening a vast web of personal connections. The resolution of her story will never be a proper one, but she lived her life in such a way that many actors are filling in to write it. Thirty-three Apprentices traveled the country to 18 farms, following in her footsteps, and many more will embark in the years to come.

Thank you to everyone who has given to the Anne Saxelby Legacy Fund, and supported the first season of ASLF Apprenticeships in Anne’s name. To help make future seasons possible, please visit: www.annesaxelbylegacyfund.org/make-a-donation.

© 2022 Anne Saxelby Legacy Fund, Design & Cover Illustrations by Maya Netzer