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expect if most of the historical cheese- making knowledge in Poland regards quark? Most small-scale producers in Poland are highly experimental, and their outcomes do vary. Interest around them is on the rise, however, due in part to their intriguing bizarreness.One example is the Kaszubska Koza fam- ily farm. Honorata and Tomasz Strubińscy are a couple who escaped city life and moved to the small village of Robacz- kowo, nestled within the Bory TucholskieBack to the soilIn many countries around the world, the economy is going through a period of crisis. As a result, many people have started returning to the countryside. Here, employment is growing, companies are developing, and interest among young peopleis increasing, thanks to new opportunities offered by technology.National Park. Tomasz does the market- ing, while Honorata makes the cheeses. The pair is known for their characteristic sense of humor, and for the traditional Kashubian costumes they wear every day. Traditional methods, old books and their travels inspire their raw milk goat’s cheeses. Unusually, they let their goats feed on pine bark and wild hawthorn, im- proving the quality and taste of milk. Other producers include Bożena Sokołowska from Kozia Łąka in Łomnica, who in 2011 created a very surprising cheese inspired by Norwegian Geitost. Mateusz Purgał from Malinowa Zagroda is famous for his unique cheesemaking mindset. Nicknamed “the monk,” Ma- teusz has also created monastery chees- es, which are regarded as metaphysical because they taste as mystical as they sound. Last but not least, Marek Grądzki and Sylwester Wańczyk, whose cheeses are regarded as some of the best in Po- land, are also worth mentioning.Often approaching cheesemaking as a hobby rather than job, these new small- scale producers pay particular attention to the aspects that affect quality. The environment the animals live in and their diet are very important. Producers also maintain that the individual features and characteristics of a cheese are crucial. Feed types, animal well-being and ag- ing conditions differentiate the products and give them a characteristic identity. These small producers are beginning to change the Polish cheese landscape, filling in the blanks in the story of Polish artisanal cheese production. Most im- portantly, they are bringing promise of a greater interest in an agrarian return to the countryside.81© arChIVIo Slow Food