There are numerous farms within a short drive from Dorset. Some of them produce artisan products you won't find anywhere else. Begin with a visit to the Consider Bardwell Farm on Route 153 in West Pawlet. This farm produces a line of cheeses from sheep, goats and cows grazing on pesticide- and fertilizer-free grasses, including their famous Mettowee Chevre.

East of Manchester on Route 11 is Taylor Farms. Specializing in various types of Gouda cheeses, Taylor Farms also has other farm-related activities, including hay rides and sleigh rides. Visitors are welcome.

From Taylor Farms, continue east on Route 11, and turn north on Route 100. About 4.5 miles north of Ludlow, turn right on Route 100A. In Plymouth Notch is the Plymouth Cheese Company, a noted producer of cheddar cheese. You can also tour the birthplace of Calvin Coolidge in Plymouth.

Retrace your steps back to Ludlow and take Route 103 to Chester, and then take Route 35 down to Grafton. Grafton is the home of Grafton cheddar, one of Vermont's many award-winning cheeses. Grafton is interesting in other ways - much of the town is owned by a preservation trust, so Grafton looks much the way it did 100 years or so ago.

For more cheese destinations, visit the Vermont Cheese Council.

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