It’s really important to Monforte to support artists. We’ve already been privileged to have several relationships with visual artists, theatre artists and musicians. Many of these relationships began when Ruth worked as the head chef at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival. Desmond Healey, the very well known theatrical designer designed Monforte’s logo and a postcard.

Now Glenn Elliott, a sculptor,  is reinterpreting this logo into three dimensions using metal – the farm implements many of you donated to us. (You’ll be able to see this in April when you come for the dairy tour as part of the Hootenanny)

Most recently Ruth has been working with local potter Chris Lass. Chris is making short tumblers for Monforte. The idea is they’ll be filled with some of our fresh cheeses – Nika, Belle, Sheep Dip. Once the cheese is eaten, you’ll have a hand made, stamped, tumbler to use for serving wine or for flowers, or whatever inspires you. They’ll make a nice collection.

Chris is also creating brie bakers. One of the cow’s milk cheeses we’re going to make is a Spanish style camembert called Torta.

Last Sunday (was it as sunny a day where you were?) I walked the five blocks over to Ruth’s house to bring her the $13 I owed her for my latest auction purchase. At the door she asked me to come in and stay, saying Chris was on her way over. Chris lives on a farm in Punkeydoodles Corners (really!) with her husband Mark and their children. Mark raises grass-fed beef.

We were very excited to see all the pottery Chris’s been working on for us.

Here’s a few examples of the tumblers and the brie bakers.