When Dr. Michael Catapano and his wife Karen opted to purchase eighteen goats in 2001 with the notion of producing cheese on a family farm, little did they know that this decision would pioneer a booming operation. The result included a herd that grew to more than eighty goats, a relocation to a larger lot complete with a newly constructed barn to better accommodate the growing family business and a stellar line of artisan crafted, award winning cheeses.
Fed up with beaurocracy and budgetary constraints, Dr. Catapano and his wife, a nurse, left Southampton Hospital. Dr. Catapano subsequently devoted his medical skills to patients at a walk-in clinic, but Karen longed to embrace a life of the land. The couple acquired the one-acre dairy farm in Mattituck with no knowledge of goat farming whatsoever. The two jumped in with both feet and have made a success of their endeavor. Dr. Catapano and his wife tend the goat farm, which produces approximately 6,000 pounds of cheese each year. Still practicing medicine at the walk-in clinic, Dr. Catapano’s role involves the actual cheese making as well as the occasional helping hand in the birthing of kids every spring. Karen lovingly raises and cares for the goats and markets their products. In addition to a creamy, fresh chevre that earned a prestigious award in 2005 at the American Cheese Society’s annual competition, aged goat cheese is also produced, such as their Summer Cloud, as well as soft goat cheeses infused with garlic, lemon, pepper, lavender, honey, herbs and other seasonings. Other Catapano goat cheeses include feta, ricotta, a goat’s milk cheddar and Peconic Mist, a goat’s milk blue cheese that earned first place in the 2008 competition. Many local farm stands carry some of these goat cheeses for purchase. In 2013, the farm expanded its cheese-making repertoire to producing sheep’s milk cheese, which earned the national award for best sheep’s milk cheese in America at the American Cheese Society competition held in Wisconsin.
While cheese is a primary focus, the shop also offers other edibles, such as yogurt and fudge, all produced from the goat’s milk. Karen has developed a complete line of soaps and skin care products, called The Delicate Doe Goatique, produced from the goat’s milk.
Situated in Peconic on Long Island’s North fork, the Catapano Dairy Farm is ideally located along the North Fork wine trail. Stop in, visit the friendly goats who relish social interaction, and select some cheeses to enjoy with the locally produced wines that you have picked up along your route. The farm is open to the public from April to November. Visit www.catapanodairyfarm.com for directions and hours of operation.
Fed up with beaurocracy and budgetary constraints, Dr. Catapano and his wife, a nurse, left Southampton Hospital. Dr. Catapano subsequently devoted his medical skills to patients at a walk-in clinic, but Karen longed to embrace a life of the land. The couple acquired the one-acre dairy farm in Mattituck with no knowledge of goat farming whatsoever. The two jumped in with both feet and have made a success of their endeavor. Dr. Catapano and his wife tend the goat farm, which produces approximately 6,000 pounds of cheese each year. Still practicing medicine at the walk-in clinic, Dr. Catapano’s role involves the actual cheese making as well as the occasional helping hand in the birthing of kids every spring. Karen lovingly raises and cares for the goats and markets their products. In addition to a creamy, fresh chevre that earned a prestigious award in 2005 at the American Cheese Society’s annual competition, aged goat cheese is also produced, such as their Summer Cloud, as well as soft goat cheeses infused with garlic, lemon, pepper, lavender, honey, herbs and other seasonings. Other Catapano goat cheeses include feta, ricotta, a goat’s milk cheddar and Peconic Mist, a goat’s milk blue cheese that earned first place in the 2008 competition. Many local farm stands carry some of these goat cheeses for purchase. In 2013, the farm expanded its cheese-making repertoire to producing sheep’s milk cheese, which earned the national award for best sheep’s milk cheese in America at the American Cheese Society competition held in Wisconsin.
While cheese is a primary focus, the shop also offers other edibles, such as yogurt and fudge, all produced from the goat’s milk. Karen has developed a complete line of soaps and skin care products, called The Delicate Doe Goatique, produced from the goat’s milk.
Situated in Peconic on Long Island’s North fork, the Catapano Dairy Farm is ideally located along the North Fork wine trail. Stop in, visit the friendly goats who relish social interaction, and select some cheeses to enjoy with the locally produced wines that you have picked up along your route. The farm is open to the public from April to November. Visit www.catapanodairyfarm.com for directions and hours of operation.