A teardrop trailer amongst rows of canopies at a farmer’s market is sure to be an eye-catcher. That was the thought of the owner of the Beehive Cheese Company when they were looking for a way to make their booth stand out from the others at weekend farmer’s markets.
A sign hanging out the window points toward the door of the TAB, inviting visitors to step inside to try their award-winning cheese.
Since 2005, Beehive Cheese has been making unique cheeses in its Uintah, Utah creamery. The business was the culmination of a vision Tim Welsh shared with his best friend and brother-in-law Pat Ford. The pair started by soliciting help and advice from Western Dairy Center, the leading cheese research institution of the western U.S.
Knowing the importance of having high-quality milk to achieve their goal of creating the best cheeses, the pair turned to Wadeland South. A fourth-generation family creamery, Wadeland South’s herd of Holstein and Jersey cows produced milk with high butterfat, giving the end product its consistent, rich quality.
Standing out from the crowd
The award-winning cheese varieties — Barely Buzzed, Queen Bee Porcini, and Teahive are just three of the flavors — can be purchased in stores at its retail location, Kroger stores, and Sprouts Farmers Market. It can also be shipped across the continental U.S. However, the company wanted to expand its local reach. So, in 2007, Beehive decided to add one more way to bring its quality product to its customers: via its 2004 TAB 320 clamshell, nicknamed The TAB.
“Mostly, we use The TAB for farmer’s markets on Saturdays, from May to September,” said Katie Schall, Beehive Director of Marketing. “It attracts so much attention. I guess you could call it our ‘Booth Babe’ at the farmer’s market. People love a teardrop trailer, and it matches our family-oriented, outdoorsy vibe. It’s just good fun, and people love it!”
What led the company to choose The TAB to put their cheese products on wheels? “Our owners were looking for a small trailer that would have a wow factor, but could be easily towed and stored,” Katie explained. “The TAB was exactly what we were looking for!”
Taking the TAB to other events
Having The TAB available also gave Beehive the opportunity to be part of the annual Friends of Acoustic Music (a.k.a OFOAM) Festival — a three-day campout bluegrass festival held in Ogden on the Ogden River. “Our TAB serves as a Green Room for artists who perform at the OFOAM Festival,” she added. “We pop open the back and serve wine and cheese from the back.”
Besides the weekend farmer’s market appearances and the OFOAM Festival, Beehive’s TAB is also used for other “cheese-scapades.” “In 2019, I was able to attend a women’s retreat in Moab representing Beehive Cheese,” recalled Katie. “It was my dream come true. I got to host a wine and cheese pairing at The TAB. We would have continued doing this event, but… COVID.”
As a perk of working for Beehive, employees can borrow The TAB to camp with their families. “Employees take The TAB about twelve times a year,” she said. “I had an operations employee who would take The TAB up into the Uintah Mountains and fish for the weekend.”
Since acquiring The TAB, the company has skinned it twice, said Katie, “Once with the OG logo and recently when we branded. But we didn’t need to make any modifications. The bed that switches to a four-person table is perfect for entertaining an intimate group or sharing a meal. The back-end kitchen has a ton of grazing space and a place to wash up. What more could you ask for?”
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