Chasing Down a Dream
Instead of a business suit, successful cheese maker Rory Chase wears denim and milk-stained plaid at his multi-generational family farm, the Chaseholm Farm Creamery, in Pine Plains, New York. He spends his days lovingly crafting delicious and healthful artisanal cheeses, and his story is nothing short of a romantic American dream.
Chase grew up on his family farm that was started by his grandfather in the 1930s. “A theme that runs throughout the farm is all that he built, which we are still using today,” says Chase. He spent his youth helping his parents raise Holsteins at a time when family dairy farming was still prevalent. “I grew up appreciating being so involved in this small farm community,” he says. “Your family might not take vacations every year, but you’re making hay all summer together. It was special.”
Chase’s ambitious and well-traveled parents ushered their children away from the obligations of agriculture. “They recognized it was a life decision they’d made, a tougher one… they were not compelling us to stay,” he recalls. So when it came time, Chase left small-town life in pursuit of higher education. Unsure of his path, he took his chances studying English and film. But even upon graduation, Chase was uncertain of his calling.
He traveled to California, spending the next few years amongst friends and dabbling in film production, but the work failed to stir him. So Chase sampled a variety of odd jobs, including his first restaurant position, which offered exposure to artisan food. He heard that California Polytechnic was starting their inaugural class in farmstead cheese making and immediately enrolled.
Back on the farm, Chase’s father decided it time to retire, and with his children already established in other endeavors, he prepared to sell the farm. But Chase traveled back to his hometown Chasing Down a Dream by Elle Marie of Pine Plains to claim his family farm.
Today, Chaseholm Farm is still a family operation. Chase’s sister, Sarah, cares for the cows, feeding them more grass than grain, and using an intensively managed rotational grazing system that yields a low environmental impact. Her efforts make for delicious, hormone-free, raw milk; the basis for the Creamery’s spectacular farmstead cheeses.
Many of Chaseholm’s cheeses are out of the French tradition, yielding crafted, surface-ripened varietals. The process is magnificent; the cheese develops through the cultivation of enzyme-producing surface mushrooms, ultimately resulting in different flavor profiles. This method helps create a classic Camembert, mild and buttery in texture, along with what he considers Camembert’s cousin, Chaseholm’s Moonlight Chaource.
While the Chaseholm Farm Store is now open for business, aficionados can certainly get these delicious cheeses elsewhere. The Chaseholm Farm Creamery is a frequent vendor at many Hudson Valley farmers’ markets and they have also launched an online store, shipping to anywhere in the U.S. Consumers in the Hudson Valley can also find Chaseholm’s products at Whole Foods Market stores in Paramus, Ridgewood and Edgewater.
Through a tremendous amount of ardor and self-exploration, Chase discovered his love and made it his life. The community has also been a tremendous supporter, with local Hudson Valley stores stocking Chaseholm’s products and spreading the word.
For more information, visit ChaseholmFarmCreamery.com.
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