Italy is a place where, learning a craft in a family business is not unusual — even in 2009. I have been fortunate to visit a dairy called Il Palagiaccio, located in the countryside just outside of Florence, Italy. The farm where the dairy cows are raised is on the same property where the dairy is which means that there is close watch over the way the cows are raised and also a very, very short time between when the cows are milked and when the milk is bottled and the cheese is made.

The farm and dairy are dedicated to sustainable, natural and humane methods of raising their animals and working with their products.

Dr. Luigi Bolli works at the dairy and in the cheese making facility and he took me on a tour of the small, but very productive business.He explained the different processes that are used to make fresh cows milk cheese like ricotta to various aging processes for stronger flavored cheeses. The most important step is to start with the best milk possible which is not a problem for them since they raise the very cows that provide them with the milk. Some of the cheeses are aged with peppercorns, and some are coated in ash and then put into aging rooms that are closely monitored. Lots of the cheese they make is fresh cheese, which means that it is young, soft and really bright white in color.

Just outside of the sterile cheese making room, there is a beautiful shop where people can come in and buy a big selection of their cheeses as well as milk, yogurt and gelato. It is so nice to visit a business with a great history of farming and craftsmanship. Cheese making is not something you can just read about or go to school and be instantly good at.

To make a beautiful product, years of practice and apprenticeship are necessary. The young people who were there, learning and working, were passionate about what they were doing and took a great pride in the final result.