The Olympic Peninsula's first artisan creamery is celebrating its 10th anniversary of cheesemaking this year.

Mt. Townsend Creamery was founded in 2006 by Ryan Trail, Matt Day and Will O’Donnell. The founders and their young families partnered with the goal of producing artisan cheeses using milk from local dairies. The creamery made its first batches of Cirrus, Seastack and Trailhead in March of that year.

Mt. Townsend was on the forefront of a movement that gathered steam quickly: When the creamery started, there were fewer than 10 cheesemakers licensed in Washington state; 10 years later, there are more than 30.

As artisan cheese increased in popularity, Mt. Townsend became well regarded in the Northwest for its soft-ripened, natural rind cheeses, which were different from the styles of artisan cheese being made at the time.

The creamery’s unique products and constant focus on quality and consistency helped set its products apart, and Mt. Townsend garnered national attention by winning several awards at national and international competitions. Every one of Mt. Townsend's major cheeses has earned a top-five finish at the country’s most highly regarded cheese competitions.

Despite its national recognition, most of the creamery’s sales are in Washington and Oregon.

"We have bootstrapped everything we have accomplished over the last 10 years," Trail said in a press release. "None of it would have been possible without the support of our local customers, employees, community investors and our local dairy partners who have worked with us over the years."

To demonstrate its appreciation, Mt. Townsend has supported many local causes, and in 2015 donated more than $15,000 worth of products and cash to organizations and events.

While the recognition has been a boon to the creamery’s business, it has also presented challenges, as Mt. Townsend currently has no extra capacity to make more cheese, Trail reported. Every year, the creamery completes projects that help improve efficiency and quality, but the creamery facility doesn’t have the space to produce more cheese throughout the year.

Last year, the creamery purchased vacant land in Port Townsend and is planning to build a 12,500-square-foot facility in 2017, which would enable significant growth in capacity, according to a press release.

Tenth-anniversary celebration plans include the release of a limited-edition celebration cheese at the Port Townsend Artisan Food Festival on May 28. Trail has been working on a special batch that is to be available at the festival; more information is to follow as the festival approaches.