We are so fortunate to have an operation like Green Dirt Farm in our midst. Located near Weston, MO, it’s a true gem. Owned by Sarah Hoffman and Jacqueline Smith, the farm raises sheep and produces the highest quality lamb and farmstead cheeses. They also hold farm-to-table dinners, cheese making workshops, and cheese appreciation events in the spring, summer and early fall. The farm-to-table dinners feature area chefs who relish the opportunity to use the farm’s lamb and cheeses to create a spectacular four course meal.

I attended one of the cheese appreciation events on a cool late summer day in September. Led by Sarah, who is the farm’s cheesemaker, it was a delicious and informative two hours.

Following the directions we received by email, we drove up to the barn, a beautifully made structure that looks very much like a church. Walking in, it felt like being on a movie set. One long table ran the entire length of the room and was beautifully set for thirty people with flowers in lovely watering cans and vases, loaves of bread for all of the cheeses we would be eating, and bowls of dried fruit and nut mix. At each place was a clipboard of information about the individual cheeses and a pencil for note-taking. A hint of things to come, in front of each plate a row of 5 glasses sat tantalizingly empty.

Each cheese appreciation event focuses on different cheese and drink pairings. “Blues and Brews” is a fun theme, with blue cheeses from around the country paired with beer from our local Boulevard Brewery. We were there for the “Comparative Milk Types” session, which paired goat, cow and sheep’s milk cheeses with wines from Kansas City’s own Amigoni winery.

Tony Glamcevski, Tour and Events Manager for GDF,  had meticulously cut and scooped 6 cheeses onto individual white rectangular plates, which he served to each guest to get the afternoon started. Sarah then held court, discussing the origins of each cheese,  how it was made, and its particular qualities. We started with the lightest cheeses like Fromage Blanc  and worked our way up to some heavy-duty ones, Green Dirt’s Wooly Rind,  and California’s Humboldt Fog.  Michael Amigoni and his wife Kerry poured their wines in the same fashion, while Michael explained the attributes of his wines and why each pairing worked.

What a fun way to spend an afternoon! We felt like we had gone on a mini-vacation, or at least a field trip.  And as if we hadn’t had enough cheese, we stopped at Pizza Bella on the way home for dinner! A perfect ending to our adventure.

Unless there are still seats available for next weekend’s classes, it’s too late to get in on this gig in 2011. Mark your calendar for next May when they will start up again.

The cost is $40 per person and they only have room for 30 people per session, so be sure to reserve online ahead of time.