Samantha &
Austin Genke

Siblings & Co-Founders

Our Handmade Story
Farm, Family and Cheese

Our family established Boxcarr Farms in 2009 with dreams of working with each other and with our slice of Southern red clay to create something wonderful, meaningful and delicious. We had brought together a talented CIA-trained chef, a graphic design artist, and a seasoned cheese-maker. Our first-generation farming family includes (but is not limited to) Austin Genke, his wife Dani, and his sister Samantha. Presently, a young and energetic second generation of kiddos is along for the ride.

We laid the groundwork for our cheese-making dreams by farming heirloom produce, raising a beautiful herd of dairy goats, several litters of heritage pigs, and flocks of pasture-raised chickens and turkeys. We have sold our growings and makings at local farmers markets, off of our gourmet food truck, through our catering business, and our CSA.

After years of immersing ourselves in the farming and food community and culture, we were able to design and build our cheese-making creamery, at the top of the ridge overlooking our farmstead’s pond. Our first batch of cheese was produced in April 2015 and Boxcarr Handmade Cheese was founded.

We take inspiration from small Italian farmstead creameries. Our local milk is sourced from a few small family-owned dairies who raise their cows with the greatest of care and highest standards. Milk from our own loved herd of mixed-breed dairy goats is also part of the mix! In addition to supporting these small dairy businesses, we employ a handful of locals, teach through internships, and employ youth through Orange County Second Family Foundation.

We distribute our artisan cheeses nationally, while also selling locally to restaurants, shops, and directly to shoppers at the Durham Farmers Market.

Our dedication to family, hard work, and great food are the soul of Boxcarr Farms and Boxcarr Handmade Cheese. We hope you’ll taste that in every bite.

Our Family & Team

Samantha Genke

Moving to North Carolina over 16 years ago, Samantha began honing her craft of cheesemaking at the best creameries in the state. Simultaneously working at the area’s top restaurants, raising goats, and assisting in the first ventures of the newly established Boxcarr Farms, Samantha’s experience culminated in orchestrating the cheesemaking program at the heart of Boxcarr Handmade Cheese. Energy, heart and vision, combined with cheesemaking inspiration from her Italian ancestral roots, inform the ever-developing cheeses that Samantha and her team craft.

Austin Genke

As someone who is able to envision, make, or fix just about anything, Austin is the perfect counterpart to Samantha, as the co-founder of Boxcarr Handmade Cheese. After graduating from the CIA, and with a past of working in well-known fine dining big kitchens, he and his wife Dani moved to North Carolina. They created the ambitious Boxcarr Farms, a food-truck catering business, and began a family now with 3 kiddos! Austin provides Boxcarr Handmade Cheese with a wide range of skills and knowledge ranging from contractor, to face of the sales & deliveries, milk-hauler and all around everything!

Family & Team

Boxcarr Handmade Cheese is truly comprised of our family along side a fabulous team. Grandparents, cousins, great-grandparents, and our children all make what we do possible, from day-to-day tasks to one day stints while visiting. We employ a wonderful hardworking team of momma’s, farmers, youth, and hard-working soles.