Residents and visitors will have the opportunity to take this self-guided tour around the county – from the Sugar House Creamery in Upper Jay to Asgaard Farm & Dairy near AuSable Forks to the North Country Creamery near Keeseville – and meet the cheese makers.

North Country Creamery is located at 931 Mace Chasm Road, Keeseville. Ashlee Kleinhammer and Steven Googin make their cheese from the milk of Shorthorn and Jersey cows. They produce fresh and aged cheeses as well as yogurt and raw milk. Cheeses include Havarti, feta and dill farmers cheese. The property is also home to the Clover Mead Cafe & Farm Store. The phone number is 518-645-2697 and website is www.northcountrycreamery.com.

Asgaard Farm & Dairy is located at 74 Asgaard Way (off Sheldrake Road), AuSable Forks. David Brunner and Rhonda Butler make their cheese from the milk of Alpine and Nubian goats. Some cheese is made in days while other varieties are cave-aged. Their creamery is the former home of legendary writer and artist Rockwell Kent. Cheeses include fresh chevre (with a variety of flavors), Barkeater Buche, Whiteface Mountain, feta and AuSable Valley Tomme. The phone number is 518-647-5754 and website is www.asgaardfarm.com.

Sugar House Creamery is located at 18 Sugar House Way (off Route 9N) in Upper Jay. Alex Eaton and Margot Brooks – along with cheese maker Casey Galligan – make their cheese from the milk of Brown Swiss cows. The cheese is aged in an underground cave next to the Dutch gambrel barn. Cheeses include Dutch Knuckle, Poundcake and Little Dickens. The phone number is 518-300-0626 and website is www.sugarhousecreamery.com.

During the tour, people can expect to explore the farms and meet the people and animals that help create the cheeses. Free samples will be available at each stop. A gourmet lunch will be served with local produce, meats and cheeses from Randy’s Dirty Water Dogs (by Zach Clemans) at the Sugar House Creamery, Northern Feast Catering at Asgaard Farm & Dairy and Clover Mead Cafe at the North Country Creamery. And the farm stores will be fully stocked with cheese and other local food products from the region.

Organizers suggest that people taking the tour bring along a cooler to store their cheese and keep it safe.

For more information, the Essex County Cheese Tour has a page on Facebook.