Birchrun Hills Farm in Chester Springs has perfected its cheesemaking process to offer delicious cheeses made with homegrown ingredients, writes Sue Miller for PA Proud Blog.
The Miller family, made up of first-generation farmers Sue and Ken Miller alongside their sons Randy and Jesse, oversees the cheesemaking process at their scenic Chester County farm. With high-quality milk from the farm’s eighty cows, the handcrafted cheeses boast rich and unique flavor.
The farm’s pivot to cheesemaking started in 2006. Confronted with a fluctuating dairy economy, Sue decided to learn more about cheesemaking to diversify the farm’s operations.
Sue took a cheesemaking course with Pasa Sustainable Agriculture (Pasa) led by cheesemaker Peter Dixon. The Birchrun Hills Farm team originally used a neighbor’s vacant cheesemaking “house” before opening their on-site facility in 2018.
Now, the family takes great pride in making award-winning cheeses through sustainable, regenerative farming practices. The farm makes cheeses using both raw and pasteurized milks, and ages cheeses in their underground “cave” facility.
Favorite cheeses include the Birchrun Blue, a French-style blue cheese, and the Fat Cat, a semi-soft cheese with a natural rind.
Birchrun Hills Farm cheeses can be found at local retailers throughout the region. The farm also makes use of their close proximity to Philadelphia with appearances at Philly farmers markets and restaurants.
Read more about cheesemaking at Birchrun Hills Farm in PA Proud Blog.
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