Photographing cheese in the mountains of North Carolina has been such a joy! This is our third stop for the May 2026 Our State Magazine story ”In Search of Cheese” by Hannah Lee Leidy. Spinning Spider Creamery is family owned artisan goat dairy in Bailey Mountain. I love goats, so I knew this would be fun!
I have a passion for family farms and Spinning Spider is a grand example. The whole family in involved in the day to day care of the goats and the cheesemaking. Chris, the matriarch of the clan and chief cheesemaker. She graciously welcomed me onto the farm and we photographed her going through the steps of shaping and putting ash onto some rounds of cheese. It is mesmerizing to watch. Then I selected some cheese to photograph and set up my portable studio (i.e. we found a table + table cloth and set it up on a porch and I did add a light and some fill). I could stack and re-stack cheese for hours . . . but I had to curtail my exploration because there were goats to photograph and portraits to create.
Cullen, the oldest son, oversees the primary care of the goats. He and his Dad Jeff took me out to the beautiful fields to hang out with the goats. They are just such quirky and endearing creatures. After some meadow frolicking, we all headed back to the barn. I positioned myself down the chute and we let the goats come trotting down. I noticed how much they looked to Cullen as their shepherd (or maybe food supplier?). Very sweet.
I was deciding where I should take the family portrait and I found this charming building. It is the self-built tiny home of Morgan, the youngest son. He even hand forged the hinges and handles. A perfect place to photograph I think.
There are so many amazing things about photographing these stories. I get to meet the most interesting and inspiring people. And sometimes I even get the eat the the props. I adored all the cheese from Spinning Spider. I’ll admit, I dream about all the lovely cheese that I can’t get here in Nova Scotia. I guess it’s time to investigate the cheesemakers of Nova Scotia next!
“The only reason I work out is so I can eat more cheese.
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“Many’s the long night I’ve dreamed of cheese—toasted mostly.”
