I loved this interview! Matthew McMahon is a “force of nature” with unlimited energy and big plans for the future. He seems to have a rare combination of people skills, practical knowledge and the willingness to work hard. Spending time with him was an absolute pleasure.
Matthew is the farm manager at Gould Farm, a residential treatment community in the southwest corner of Massachusetts. It’s dedicated to helping adults with mental health challenges. It was founded by Will and Agnes Gould in 1913, making it the oldest treatment center of it’s kind in the US.
They haven’t had a single case of Covid on the farm and they are determined to keep it that way. I was asked to scan my vaccination card and email it to Matthew in advance of my visit.
Guests stay there typically for 9-12 months. While there, they choose whichever aspects of the farm they want to learn about and participate in. While I was interviewing Matthew, he was teaching a guest to make cheese.
Matthew is originally from Richmond, MA, about 30 miles northwest of the farm, on the NY border. Before he came to the farm 3 years ago, he worked at farmstead cheese creameries and mental well-being communities. The creameries include Hawthorn Valley Farm in Ghent, NY where he learned from Peter Kindel, Round Mountain Creamery in Black Mountain, NC and Cricket Creek Farm in Williamstown, MA.
Once a week, he makes cheese with the milk from 6-8 cows.
The farm team is working on crossing Jerseys with Guernseys (genetically similar) in hopes of getting a gentler version of Jerseys. (As you can imagine, the cows are milked by different people all the time, so gentleness is important and Jerseys can sometimes be a bit tempermental.)
He describes the farm as a micro-dairy. At peak production, he gets 150 gallons of milk/week.
That’s more than the farm can use, so they make yogurt, ice cream, Neufchatel, fromage blanc, quark and cheddar. They sell it at their farm store, which is more like a diner and at restaurants and grocers in the area. (They are in the process of raising funds to renovate the farm store so it is temporarily closed.)
They are also in the process of renovating their make room.
Traditionally, they have always made cheddar at the farm.
There is quite a lot of it in their cave.
But, Matthew is hoping to move in a new direction with their cheese. He is working on a cheese he calls Agnes, after the founder of the farm. Agnes is smaller (5 lbs) and is pressed in a basket mold.
He’s still experimenting but, so far, it slices and melts better than their cheddar.
Agnes can be aged for 2 months but it’s more interesting after 4 months. Basically, Matthew is working at capturing the terroir of the farm.
His hope is that once he has the recipe secured, anyone on the farm can make the cheese. He explained to me that his emphasis will always be on the social interactions at the farm rather than the efficiency and profitability of the cheese.
In other words, the cheese will be made and eaten, but Matthew’s work as a guide through the process is much more important.
Gould Farm
100 Gould Rd.
PO Box 157
Monterey, MA 01245
(413) 327-9670
Website – https://www.gouldfarm.org/
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/GouldFarm
Susan says
What a fabulous story for any time of the year, and especially during the holidays. Matthew and the farm are doing such important and inspirational work, making dairy products while improving mankind. Most of my eggs, poultry, lamb and pork come from a local ranch doing a similar type of work with troubled young men. Kudos and gratitude for Matthew and others like him who are changing lives for the better!
Kaya Alptunaer says
What a nice comment! Just as important as what Matthew is doing is to acknowledge and encourage others to do the same. Thank you!
Karol A Dyer says
I wish there had been a place like this for field trips with the kids I did support group with in middle schools and high school…
Great purpose…
Karol
James Harrington says
Enjoyed this story so much. Matthew sounds like someone we need more of. Thank you
Becky Collins Brooks says
What an inspirational place, and Matthew what good, good work you are doing. How fortunate to be able to both make cheese AND help people at the same time. One day we will take a day trip to taste some of your cheddar and visit the farm store. We, too, have a microdairy, and also have a Milk Plan bulk tank, although ours is smaller. What an amazing place that has obviously attracted a wonderful person.
Catherine Marques says
Love this…..so many are moving forward…this wonderful soul seems to be preserving the best of humanity and the past….
Ricki Carroll says
Matthew, thank you so much, not only for sharing part of your story with our readers, also for doing what you do in the world. The integration of this type of hands on work with people is so important, you are carrying it out with grace, love, dignity and integrity for all. Good luck with Agnes, and what an honor to have a cheese named after the founder and a nod to I assume another phenomenal women. May 2022 flow for you as you continue to take the farm on it’s continuing journey.
In Peace, Love and Cheese, Ricki