Valley View Farmstead

About the Farm

Valley View Farm carries a rich history dating back to the early 20th century, when previous owners transformed an 1830s farmhouse into a gentlemen's summer home, giving the property its enduring name. Perched on a high hill with expansive views of the Ipswich River and the rolling hills of Essex County in northeastern Massachusetts, this scenic location has maintained its agricultural heritage through changing times.

Peter and Elizabeth Mulholland began Valley View Farmstead Cheese in 1998 on Elizabeth's family farm, creating what remains the only working dairy in Topsfield and one of only a few licensed cheese producers in Essex County. Elizabeth, who studied history at Bowdoin College and historic preservation at the University of Pennsylvania, brings her passion for preserving New England's architectural heritage to the farm. Peter, who grew up in neighboring Ipswich with interests in machinery and carpentry, saw farmstead cheese making as a path to a renaissance lifestyle, combining his roles as animal husbandman, mechanic, carpenter, and Master Cheese Maker. The farm is actually owned by Elizabeth's mother Mary Brown, who plays a critical role in daily operations, particularly caring for the annual crop of goat kids and delivering cheeses throughout the North Shore.

With kids both human and goat running through the kitchen, yard, and barn, Valley View produces handcrafted farmstead goat milk and artisanal cow milk cheeses for fine restaurants, caterers, specialty food stores, and groceries, while also offering limited onsite retail sales. The farm takes pride in preserving rural scenery, small town atmosphere, and the farming way of life into the 21st century. Beyond cheese making, Valley View raises chickens and bees, and every March transforms sap from the farm's and neighboring maple trees into 40 to 75 gallons of syrup, demonstrating their commitment to diversified, sustainable farming practices.