Editor’s note: Made in Cascadia highlights makers and artisans in Whatcom and Skagit counties.
Ferndale Farmstead might be known for Italian-style cheeses, but its flavors are pure Whatcom County. The third-generation, single-source creamery specializes in artisan cheese made with traditional European methods, but every element of the process — from the grass cows eat to the milk they produce — originates in Ferndale.
“We really love highlighting that ‘taste of place’ through our seed-to-cheese philosophy,” said Daniel Wavrin, co-founder and cheesemaker at Ferndale Farmstead. “And we’re also very proud to do so in a regenerative fashion for the planet.”
The farmstead’s smoked provolone was recently awarded first place in its category at the prestigious World Championship Cheese Contest. It was selected out of more than 3,300 other category entries from around the globe, and 25 countries and 32 American states were represented in the contest overall.
But the provolone isn’t the only Ferndale Farmstead cheese worth sampling: From melty mozzarella to smoked scamorza and rich aged fontina, everything is made with equipment and cultures imported from Italy. This fusion of old-world techniques and local, farm-fresh ingredients results in exceptional cheeses — and flavors that can’t be replicated outside of Whatcom County.
From the fields to the dairy farm
Wavrin’s family entered the dairy industry in 1990 and created Ferndale Farmstead in 2011. He said the farmstead is still “100 percent a family operation,” employing 10 cheesemakers including himself and his wife, Nidia Hernandez. The couple take their roles as stewards seriously, utilizing a range of sustainable farming practices in day-to-day operations.
Wavrin was inspired to learn cheesemaking after witnessing his father and uncle’s passion for agriculture. After years of study and apprenticeship, he began crafting cheeses in 2015.
“The cows in Ferndale are producing a very rich milk that has higher butterfat and protein than many other regions in the U.S., so naturally, our cheeses shine,” he said. “We literally turn the milk into cheese within minutes of it being harvested from the cow, and in this way, we ensure that the quality of the flavors is pure throughout the year.”
These cows are the “stars of the show” in what Wavrin refers to as Ferndale Farmstead’s “seed-to-cheese” philosophy. The closed-loop process begins with 900 acres of grass, grown within a 2.5-mile distance of the farm. This grass is used to feed the cows, whose milk is processed into cheese just 50 yards from the dairy barn. Cow manure is used to fertilize the grass fields, and the cycle begins again.
Early in Wavrin’s cheesemaking apprenticeship, the farmstead’s single-source methodology caught the attention of Raffaele Mascolo, an Italian cheesemaker who would become his mentor. Mascolo hails from Naples, the birthplace of Neapolitan pizza and mozzarella cheese. Under his guidance, Wavrin decided to go “all-in on Italian cheeses” — but rather than going to Italy to learn the craft, Wavrin said Italy came to Ferndale to help him set up shop.
Along with a team of Italian cheesemakers, Mascolo imported equipment and starter cultures directly from his home country and taught Wavrin the ropes. This assistance allowed Ferndale Farmstead to use traditional cheese-making methods not always seen in the U.S.; for example, their mozzarella’s flavor derives from starter cultures, not vinegar.
Ferndale Farmstead now produces an impressive range of heritage Italian cheeses. Some of them, such as fior di latte (fresh mozzarella) and provolone, are familiar to American palates. Others, such as scamorza and caciotta, are less common. Ferndale Farmstead also specializes in smoked cheeses, including a smoked scamorza and their award-winning smoked provolone.
“We’re very proud to make these using our Washington milk from the Washington dairy farm that we have, and offering a different version of these cheeses for the West Coast,” Wavrin said. “But in general, we always pay respect to the Italian origin.”
The cheesemaking process
Wavrin said cheese consists of just four ingredients: rennet, starter cultures, salt and, of course, milk. Creating it is “a simple process, but it’s also an art,” he continued.
Ferndale Farmstead cheesemakers begin this process by pasteurizing milk. Next, they add the imported Italian cultures, which vary in flavor depending on the type of cheese being made. Rennet is then added as a coagulant, which Wavrin said “gives you the curds you’ve heard of in some nursery rhymes.”
Salt is the final ingredient; once incorporated, the cheese is ready to be formed. Cheesemakers stretch it in hot water until it becomes a malleable, “liquid-solid” consistency that’s easily molded.
Ferndale Farmstead uses imported Italian drums to shape different sizes of mozzarella logs, ranging in size from 8 ounces to 2 pounds. Aged wheels are formed in a cylindrical container called a “hoop.” Scamorza is hung so that air can completely envelop it, which in turn allows the cheese to dry more evenly.
“[Scamorza] is, I would say, one of the most interesting-looking cheeses because it actually hangs from a rope,” Wavrin said. “And when you buy it in a store, you’ll actually get a piece of Italy that you can take home with you in the form of that rope.”
The aging process varies from cheese to cheese: Some varieties, including scamorza, are “young cheeses” and only require days to age. Others are left to develop flavor for weeks or even months. This process is known as “affinage,” derived from a French term meaning “to refine.” As the cheese ages, Wavrin said his team will flip, scrub and care for it daily to ensure it “stays beautiful throughout the whole process.”
When the cheese dehydrates, it develops a natural yellow rind and turns from white to yellow. Cheeses like Parmesan have rinds up to half an inch thick, whereas the scamorza’s rind is “paper-thin,” allowing for a pleasant textural experience.
The merits of regional cheese
Nearly a decade into production, Ferndale Farmstead’s cheeses have garnered a reputation among consumers and industry professionals alike. Wavrin said during their first year in production, he entered one of Mascolo’s recipes for caciotta-style cheese into a Washington State Cheesemakers Association event. When the cheese took home a people’s choice award, Wavrin knew he was onto something good.
“Every year we enter competitions, whether it’s the Good Food Awards or the American Cheese Society Competition, [and] we have won awards almost every year,” Wavrin said. “We feel very lucky to be recognized at these competitions. But certainly our most prestigious award would be, recently, the smoked provolone taking first place in the world in the Italian cheese category.”
Ferndale Farmstead also produces select cheeses under the brand Daniel’s Artisan and Hernandez’s project, Familia del Norte, the latter of which specializes in Latin-style cheeses and won an award for its panela cheese at the World Championship Cheese Contest.
Some might feel inclined to save award-winning cheeses for special occasions — but Wavrin said his products shouldn’t be limited to wine tastings and charcuterie boards. He’s a proponent of artisan cheese at “breakfast, lunch or dinner,” whether it be mozzarella in scrambled eggs, smoked provolone on a cold-cut sandwich or scamorza atop a Neapolitan-style pizza. (Fun fact: Wavrin recently represented Ferndale Farmstead at Las Vegas’ International Pizza Expo.)
“We really believe that cheese is a nutritious part of the diet,” Wavrin said. “But getting it to the people and helping them to understand how great it is, not only for their diet but also for their enjoyment, I would say is the most challenging part — and also the most fun part.”
As for Wavrin’s personal favorite? He’s a fan of Parmigiano Reggiano, aka the “king of cheeses.” But as much as he loves Italian cheeses, Wavrin also thinks American cheeses are underrated — especially when they’re local.
“Cheese from your region — whether that be Washington state, the Pacific Northwest, the West Coast — these are going to be the cheeses that reflect the flavors of your home the best,” he said.
More specifically, Wavrin continued, “The fact that we control everything in the process should really allow people to get a taste of Ferndale.”
Ferndale Farmstead’s cheeses can be purchased at retailers including the Community Food Co-op, Haggen, Safeway, Whole Foods and Fred Meyer. To learn more or schedule a farm tour, visit ferndalefarmstead.com.
Cocoa Laney is CDN’s lifestyle editor; reach her at cocoalaney@cascadiadaily.com; 360-922-3090 ext. 128.
