Why Lively Run Dairy Should Be Your Goat-To Stop This Month

It’s Goat Cheese Month, and honestly, could there be a better excuse to gush over one of New York’s most legendary creameries? Enter Lively Run Dairy, a family-run operation in the Finger Lakes that’s been turning out creamy, tangy, award-winning magic since 1982. If you’re a cheese lover (and let’s be real—you wouldn’t be here if you weren’t), this place deserves a spot on your culinary bucket list.

A Family Affair (with Hooves and Hay)

Back in the early ’90s, Steve and Susanne Messmer packed up their kids, left Europe, and brought the family back to the States. By 1995, they had taken over the reins at Lively Run. While Steve was wrangling hay and tackling barn chores, Susanne was managing the herd and diving headfirst into cheesemaking. Their sons, Pete and Dave, didn’t exactly get off easy either—farm chores became part of their childhood curriculum.

Fast forward a couple of decades, and those early lessons paid off. Pete, now head cheesemaker, has expanded Lively Run’s lineup beyond goat cheese into cow’s milk creations, too. His focus on consistency and quality has put the dairy on the national map—Cayuga Blue snagged first place at the American Cheese Society competition in 2017, while Finger Lakes Gold Reserve took the top prize in 2019 and even made it into the “best of show” spotlight. That’s basically the cheese Olympics.

The Cheeses You Need to Try

Lively Run isn’t about cranking out cheese on autopilot—it’s about crafting small-batch wheels and crumbles that actually taste like the Finger Lakes themselves. Here are some of their stars (and trust me, these are not cheeses you just breeze past in the grocery aisle):

• Cayuga Blue – Tangy, earthy, and bold. This beauty is one of the very few goat’s milk blue cheeses made in the U.S.—and it’s got the medals to prove it. It snagged first place at the American Cheese Society competition in 2017, which basically makes it the Beyoncé of blue cheeses.

• Chevre – Their classic, soft, spreadable goat cheese. Fresh, bright, and slightly tangy—it’s a dream slathered on crusty bread, crumbled over a salad, or eaten straight off the spoon when no one’s looking.

• Goat’s Milk Feta – Briny, crumbly, and salty in the best way possible. Toss it into a Greek salad, crumble it over roasted veggies, or just snack on cubes like it’s popcorn.

• Finger Lakes Gold Reserve – Aged for 12+ months, this hard goat’s milk cheese has that nutty, caramel-like richness you usually find in fancy European wheels. It took first prize at the American Cheese Society in 2019 and even earned a spot in the “Best of Show” round out of more than 1,700 cheeses. That’s cheese royalty right there.

• Lake Effect Cheddar – Proof that the cows at Lively Run get their moment in the spotlight, too. Sharp, smooth, and snackable, this cheddar is aged just long enough to give you a rich bite without overwhelming your taste buds. Perfect for a burger, grilled cheese, or—let’s be honest—just straight from the block.

• Blue Yonder – A cow’s milk blue that’s buttery, creamy, and a little less punchy than Cayuga Blue. It’s the friendlier cousin that wins over people who think they don’t like blue cheese.

• Shire – A semi-soft cow’s milk cheese with a washed rind that gives it that funky, earthy kick. Pair it with a crisp cider and you’ve got the ultimate happy hour snack.

That’s just the highlights—Lively Run’s lineup is basically a masterclass in how diverse (and delicious) goat and cow’s milk cheeses can be.

More Than Cheese—It’s an Experience

Here’s the thing: Lively Run isn’t just about what’s on your plate, it’s about the whole vibe. From May through October (Tues–Sat, noon–5pm), you can swing by the farm, feed the goats (yes, with organic corn), and taste your way through their lineup. Think of it as agritourism with a delicious finish.

And if cheese and goats weren’t enough, Lively Run also partners with Open Spaces Ciders for a Pop-Up Bar series. Because what’s better than cheese? Cheese and cider.

Why Lively Run Matters

Cheese is always about more than flavor—it’s about people, animals, land, and culture. At Lively Run, you can feel that in every bite. Decades of tradition, family dedication, and a love of the Finger Lakes food culture are wrapped up in their cheeses.

So this Goat Cheese Month, let’s raise a cracker (and maybe a cider) to the Messmers, their goats, and the beautiful cheeses that keep us coming back for more.