About Jacobs Creamery
Some people look at my product offerings and assume that I was pried out of a 40-pound block of perfectly aged cheddar! (Or that I came from a long line of dairymen and cheesemakers). The truth is I was born in Dublin, Ireland and immigrated to the states at a young age. Among the scattering of lawyers, doctors, teachers and entrepreneurs in my family, not a single one had ever set foot on a farm, (let alone touched a cow’s udders!). Having come to the states at a young age, I consider it home, but deep down I’m a Dublin girl and love Ireland. Influenced greatly by my grandfather, I was adamant about pursuing a career in law. I graduated early from both high school and college and was the youngest person admitted into my law school. But before the year was out, however, I realized the path I was on - working in a large firm, paying off my school debt all through my 20s and 30s, then hopefully making partner and working for someone else the rest of my life - was not what I wanted for myself. I dropped out and ended up settling down in White Salmon, WA where I started an online business and enjoyed long hours gardening, cooking and reading.
One day I was reading a book about a family living on and running a farm in the Alps. I came to the part where the grandmother was taking her granddaughter on as an apprentice, to teach her how to make the family cheese. This moment was the start of my love affair with cheese. I put the book down and realized I had never even thought about how cheese was made! ( It was similar to that “aha” moment when I was in middle school and saw my math teacher, Mr. Dillion, buying a toothbrush at the grocery store and realized that he too, brushed his teeth!) I called up a company offering cheese classes in the Berkshires and although they had a waiting list three months long, someone had just cancelled and I was given their spot! Timing is everything.
Although I only knew a few solid facts about how cheese is made, I had an active imagination and was tremendously excited about going to learn cheesemaking! The gas station attendant, the ladies at the post office and my local bartender all heard about my trip and were excited to taste my experiments upon my return. Their excitement fueled my excitement, which in turn left me trembling in anticipation for the knowledge I hadn't yet acquired. After the class I decided to open my own creamery! Having three full days of solid experience I felt I was set, but really I had no clue what I was diving into! Bit by bit with tons of hard work and long hours thrown in things came together. I rented facility space when I first started but since 2012 I have been nestled on a quiet and beautiful 40 acre spread in Chehalis, smack dab between Portland and Seattle. The excitement I started out with has not diminished, it grown along with the business in the last six years.
I love the creation process, but even more so, I love the excitement and happiness cheese brings to people. I am always in awe of what can be done with a tank of milk and how much people appreciate it.
At Jacobs Creamery, the customers’ happiness is our goal and we strive to bring it to new heights every day.
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