One to One with Bill Goodman:
Kenny Mattingly
aired June 15 and 17, 2007
If you’ve got the crackers, Kenny Mattingly and family can supply the cheese.
Mattingly, proprietor of Kenny’s Farmhouse Cheese, joins host Bill Goodman on this edition of One to One to talk about his family’s cheese-making operation.
The Mattinglys moved to a farm in Barren County in the 1970s, following Kenny’s father’s dream of becoming a dairy farmer. After two decades of producing and selling milk, they switched gears in 1998 and began focusing on cheese as the main product. Initially, Mattingly says, it was a business decision, because he was worried about the viability of small-scale dairy operations. But he has come to think of the making of cheese as something of an art form in itself and takes pride in mastering different varieties.
Made from the milk of purebred cows raised without the use of synthetic hormones, Kenny’s Farmhouse Cheese is hand-processed at every stage. The Mattinglys produce traditional American favorites such as Colby and cheddar as well as gourmet specialties like Gouda and Havarti. They’re sold by mail order and at fairs and festivals, and the Mattinglys have teamed up with other Kentucky entrepreneurs to offer gift baskets featuring their cheeses along with candies, preserves, crackers, and sausages.
