Ken Skovron is the owner of Darien Cheese and Fine Foods, based in Darien Connecticut. One of first original cheese stores opened 36 years ago, Darien Cheese and Fine Foods focuses their selection on the heart and soul of cheese making; the artisan cheese maker. In addition to cheese, the shop also offers fine oils and vinegars, chutney, mustards, pasta, olives, teas, oven breads, and much more. Tune in to learn more about the shop, as well as the art of running your own cheese business from an established veteran. This program was sponsored by Academie Opus Caseus

"I'm not a textbook person, I'm a hands on person . You're not a great cheese maker/bread maker without getting involved with your hands." [6:00]

"You gotta love the product and be willing to do the work." [8:00]

"I didn't get on the counter for a full year, there's alot of behind the scenes work, you need to know how to present it to the customer, know your "lingo" kind of things." [10:00]

"I think the people that are successful [in this industry] have a passion about cheese." [10:30]

--Ken Skovron on Cutting the Curd

Anne Saxelby reviews some recent cheese headlines on this week's episode of Cutting the Curd. Anne is joined in the studio by founder of Heritage Foods USA, the Heritage Radio Network, and husband, Patrick Martins, to sort through all of the true and false cheese stories of the past year. Find out how much stolen muenster was found in the back of a tractor trailer. Learn more about government cheese, and cheese and pizza chains. How is tennis player Novak Djokovic linked to donkey cheese? Tune into this episode to hear about some recent cheese fires in Norway, and how some farmers are using smartphones to milk their cows! This program has been brought to you by Academie Opus Caseus

Today's episode of Cutting the Curd is all about goats! Tune in as Anne Saxelby and Sophie Slessinger chat with Louisa Conrad of Big Picture Farm in Vermont about all things goat. Learn how she fell in love with goat cheese and what makes kidding season such a crazy time of year. Find out about how the seasons affect the milk and cheese and what makes goats such unique creatures! Later on, they catch up with Gregory Bernhardt and Hannah Sessions of Big Picture Farm who are also in full-blown goat mode. This program was sponsored by Hearst Ranch.

"I've always been totally obsessed with cheese and farming. It wasn't until I got to Blue Ledge that I learned the mystical magical power of goats and fell head over heels."

--Louisa Conrad of Big Picture Farm on Cutting the Curd

"Our goats seem to milk best with longer daylight. Once we pass the longest day of the year their milk starts to decline."

--Hannah Sessions of Blue Ledge Farm on Cutting the Curd