Join Vermont cheese makers at the Maker’s Market on the first Sunday of the month at Artisan’s Park in Windsor. On June 5, July 3, August 7, September 4 and October 2, local cheese makers will sample their cheese, music will fill the air, Harpoon will be on tap, and wood-fired pizza will be served up. If that is not enough, pet the calves at the petting zoo, enjoy ice cream, and take a walk through Path of Life Garden. On June 5, enjoy the music of “Sensible Shoes” while tasting the cheese from local makers.

“The vision was simple,” Elena from Vermont Farmstead Cheese Company explains. The Cheese Board at Artisans Park is a local cheese shop, with thoughtfully curated gifts, wine, specialty food, ice cream, and more. “We make cheese and are pretty enthusiastic about it and we wanted to bring together other cheese enthusiasts, makers, and consumers.”

Enter the perfect venue in Windsor at the Artisans Park with The Cheese Board store, a hub for some of the best local grown companies. Some at Artisans Park need no introduction like Harpoon Brewery and Simon Pearce. Others are growing by the day including Silo Distillery, Great River Outfitters, Path of Life Garden, and the soon to be Blake Hill Preserves. So it was born, as they say, a lively, casual market highlighting local cheese makers. No fee to the makers and no commitment to every month. With the lack of structure, innovation flourishes.

Another benefit, Harpoon Brewery is right there as a neighbor so visitors to Maker’s Market can peruse the cheese and local produce while sipping a brew; the best of two worlds in our opinion, says Elena. “Our vision has already expanded beyond cheese makers to include other local producers and farmers (think maple syrup and locally raised meat) which we’re really excited about,” says Elena. “We are surrounded by people who care about their craft, whether it is cheese or maple syrup or humanely raised meat; our local makers take great pride in producing products that have integrity.”

“I think Maker’s Market will grow as residents of the Upper Valley and tourists alike realize all that we have to offer here at The Cheese Board and Artisans Park as a whole.” Located less than a mile off of I-91, Artisans Park is a convenient and fun stop for people who may be traveling home from a weekend or locals wanting to venture out.

“It’s like being at a friend’s backyard party who knows what it means to enjoy the best of Vermont,” says Elena. “Maker’s Market is for, and by, people who love home grown food. Plain and simple.”