bourbiza mohamed
More than Cheese
Astonishingly, Stepladder is way more than just a cheese company, and the Rudolph’s ponder their many layers themselves. Both Jack and Michelle are Rare Fruit Growers and every tour includes a seasonal fruit tasting as well as a cheese tasting. The goats get some of the orchard fruit too, but ironically, avocados (their biggest crop) are poisonous to goats. Speaking of tours, that option is a unique component for us customers, a chance to visit Stepladder for an immersive, educational experience in cheesemaking and farming. Plus, with Michelle’s background in hospitality, they offer an agritourism element with the opportunity to actually stay overnight at the ranch. Their cheese club, with a quarterly release, is a really fun way to get a literal taste of their Research and Development, such as the goat milk Reblochon they are currently experimenting with. You can also join the “sponsor a goat” program, giving you first naming rights for the animal who receives “a princess dairy goat life,” admits Michelle. All these goats have photo bios on the website, so you can meet them anytime.
To dive deeper into Stepladder, check out their highly underappreciated Youtube channel, with a ton of great videos about all of the cheeses, goats and guided tastings. They also have a great blog (with some recipes!) and a rich social media presence.
“We really just try to engage with the public a lot!” says Michelle, which is lucky for us indeed.
