Merlin Backus and Rebecca Velazquez started Barn First Creamery, located in Westfield, Vermont, in 2013 on part of the Backus family farm. In the beginning, they started as two humans and two goats, and they hand-milked their small herd of Alpine goats, making small batches of cheese in the farmhouse kitchen. They soon became vastly outnumbered, and in 2016, with a growing herd and growing demand, the whole family of goats and people moved into a new barn and processing facility. They now milk 47 does to produce pasteurized bottled goat milk, as well as seven types of award-winning aged goat cheeses. All of the goats are pastured when the weather allows, and their milk tastes like the fields and woods where they roam. The goats are milked seasonally, with a resting period every winter when the animals get ready for kidding in March. Merlin and Rebecca emphasize their dedication to the farm, stating "we love our animals and we work every day, year-round, to keep them in optimal health and good production. We believe that great cheese begins with great milk, and tasty milk speaks for itself".
