The end of an era

It is with an incredibly heavy heart that I share the news that Sally Jackson is reportedly retiring from the cheesemaking business.

As many of you already know, she recently cooperated with the FDA in a voluntary recall of all of her products when they were targeted as potentially being positive for e-coli. I had seven beautiful wheels of her cheese in my possession at the time, and having to dispose of them had me choking back tears. A few days later I hear through the cheese grapevine that she was selling off her small herd of several pregnant ewes, some nubian goats, and a few Swiss cows. I admit I wasn't entirely surprised to hear this, but it still made me depressed and sickened; this is not the way any cheesemaker should go out.

The sliver of a silver lining in all of this is that the public is just as saddened by this as I am. Customers have been coming in to ask after her, and the general feedback that I've received is that of sympathy and great love for what she has accomplished. She is quite simply a legacy in American artisan cheesemaking, and her cheese will be dearly missed.

I've also had many people ask what they might be able to do to help. I don't know Sally very well, in fact I've never met her in person or seen her amazing farm, but I do know that she needs our support as she goes through this incredibly difficult transition. I do know that she is among the most humble people I've come across, and it would mean the world to her to hear from you, so please take a few moments during this crazy time of year to write her a postcard or a letter, send her an email, and tell her how much you have loved her cheeses over the years. You can find contact information for her on her website.