Company you work for and your position title
Johnston Hill Creamery, owner
Educational background
BA in English from the University of Mississippi 2008
What inspired you to take your career path?
I have worked in the food industry since 2009 and have always had a passion for the industry. I began making cheese as a hobby in 2018 and set up a makeshift aging room in my basement. After going to an intensive Cheesemaking bootcamp in Vermont I decided to turn my hobby into a business. I opened JHC in December 2020 in the height of the pandemic but the Oxford community really embraced my vision. It’s truly been
What is the favorite part of your work day?
My family and I have been a part of the LOU community since 2014 and we love living here. Getting to own a business and be a part of the community continues to be one of the most rewarding parts of my day. It’s always fun to hear about people that have fell in love with our cheeses and even shared with loved ones when they visit. To be able to show our customers exactly where the cheese is aging and letting them be a part of the whole process has been a lot of fun!
Volunteer/community/civic engagement
We are always excited to be a part of local charitable events whether it be donating our products or time. We have been involved with United Way, the Lafayette Literacy Council and the Yoknapatawpha Arts Council. Of course, as big Ole Miss fans we are also members of the Grove Collective!
Anything else you would like people to know about you?
The model of our business is very unique. These days, Cheesemaking is much more industrialized, which is so disjointed from how the artistic process began. Cheesemaking started in small villages as a way to utilize surplus milk, feed families and sometimes make a little extra money. I was so inspired by the early cheesemakers, who were often women, and to be able to create a small batch creamery has been a true labor of love.
