We’re choosy about our cheese. So when we find similarly passionate people, like the Wavrin family at the Ferndale Farmstead, we get pretty excited. They keep generations of artisanal Italian cheesemaking traditions alive right here in western Washington, using heirloom cultures and enzymes from a small culture house near Naples.
Every one of their fresh and aged cheeses are made by hand, right on their own farm—using only milk they produce themselves, from cows they raise, on crops that they grow. Through this seed-to-cheese process, the Wavrins can focus on purity and flavor. As a result, their cheeses bring you a unique sense of place, as though you’re tasting coastal Italy and coastal Washington in the same bite.
How do you say “OMG” in Italian?
Want a memorable life moment? Take a taste of their Ferndale’s Fior Di Latte (fresh mozzarella). This fresh, whole milk mozzarella has the most delicate-yet-full flavor and texture. It’s absolute heaven melted on a homemade pizza. And as they say at Ferndale Farmstead, “Life’s too short for bad mozz!”
Looking for a bolder, more buttery cheese? They age their Pacific Northwest-style Scamorza to perfection by hanging it on ropes—an Italian technique that goes back hundreds of years. This “stretched curd” cheese has won national awards, and if you try it in your next lasagna, you’ll understand why.
Good work that goes beyond the cheese board
But Ferndale Farmstead’s award winning isn’t limited to its brilliant cheesemaking. In collaboration with Western Waves Dairy, the home of Ferndale Farmstead, they’ve worked so hard to ensure the water quality in nearby Drayton Harbor is as clean as possible, they received the Drayton Harbor Watershed Steward Award in 2018.
“A large part of our philosophy is our "seed-to-cheese" process and we are committed to that 100%. We firmly believe that stewardship of our natural resources is a community responsibility,” said owner Bill Wavrin.
“We sincerely appreciate all of our customers and friends that support us in the market through Ferndale Farmstead which allows us the privilege of continuing these efforts in our community through sustainable farming practices!”
Here at the market, we’d be thrilled to offer you cheeses of this quality made by any local producer. But knowing that taking care of our environment is an integral part of creating their products makes us especially proud to call Ferndale Farmstead our partner. Come and find it at our deli counter next time you’re in the market, and in the mood for something that will make you love cheese even more than you already do.