Christine Solem and John Coles, owners of Satyrfield Farm, haven’t been put off by the General Assembly’s refusal to pass a bill permitting them to sell their unpasteurized cheese. They’re giving it away. In today’s Progress, Liesel Nowak writes:
“Most of our customers are outraged that they can’t buy it anymore. They’re incredulous,” Solem said. “More and more people want raw milk and cheese from the farmer they know.”
If it’s not raining, Solem said, she and Coles give away nearly 80 pounds of chevre at the market, and bring home somewhere between $500 and $600, about $200 more than when they sold it.
Wonder how long before the state finds a way to classify what they’re doing as illegal. When they gave away cheese on prior occasions, I once tried to leave John with a $20 bill in exchange for my couple of heads of garlic and the free cheese, but he wouldn’t accept it. I’m not at all surprised they are raising more money through donations than they did through sales. I doubt I am alone in getting more satisfaction from accepting free cheese and making a $20 donation to their legal expenses every week than I ever did from buying $6 worth of goat cheese. Plus it is damn fine cheese.