Keeping Tradition Alive
Village Cheeseworks was founded in 2020 with a simple but meaningful goal- to bring high-quality, locally made cheese from farm to table while creating lasting value for Virginia's small family farms.
Established on the grounds of an old creamery site in Upperville, Village Cheeseworks was built to revive a proud local tradition of dairy craftsmanship and reconnect people to the source of their food. Each of our cheeses is named after nearby "villages" once known for their deep roots in dairy, a nod to the region's rich agricultural heritage.
The milk that makes our cheese comes from a small Virginia dairy that has been milking cows for over 100 years, where animal care, environmental balance, and milk quality are held to the highest standard. Every cheese we make reflects that partnership- transforming honest milk into something delicious, historic, and community-centered.
Each time you enjoy it, you help Village Cheeseworks continue its mission to create direct value for small family farms that take pride in their animals, their land, and the excellence of their craft.
Meet Dane, Head Cheesemaker
Having won over 150 national and international awards over his 22 years in the Dairy Industry, Dane started his career at Cedar Grove Cheese in Plain, WI, where he soon obtained his Wisconsin Cheese Makers License and Wisconsin Cheese Grading License. Having a degree in Microbiology and a vast culinary background, Dane soon was given all third party cheese production, producing and developing cheese for 13 other companies including the Wisconsin Sheep Dairy Coop. From there, he was recruited to Georgia where he established the 1st sheep dairy in Georgia and developed a line of US Jersey, Sheep and mixed milk cheese and butter. After Georgia, Dane was recruited to Vermont where he developed a Cheddar Aging Program and a line of Cave Aged Cheeses including American Originals for Grafton Village Cheese. Dane has continued to help small and large dairy producers to improve and develop their products and we are grateful his quest has led him to Virginia to help ours.