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When you first pull up to Osceola Cheese you're actually quite shocked that the building is as small as it appears. Billboards for miles have boasted 21 acres of parking and 8 bathrooms for weary travelers. All of that is true, but it's also packed with cheeses, local honeys, jams, snacks and more. In fact, at times it can feel that if one more piece of cheese was added to the shelves, the entire building might explode (fondue anyone?).

There are travelers from all around crammed down a pathway in front of open face coolers to examine different varieties of cheese. Some are old, some are new, some squeak and others are blue (thank you Dr. Seuss). Everyone fighting for a taste of something delicious and toothpick sample after toothpick sample, arms and small baskets steadily fill with cheeses that you're just not sure could live without taking home (we left with 6 different varieties, 3 snacks and some Sorghum).

They've been in business since 1944 and still make all the cheese themselves supporting over almost 1,000 local dairy farmers, which is a job well done in our book. Plus, there's a giant purple mouse out front, which is always a signal for great cheese.

If you're headed to the area make sure to stop by for some taste tests and the best honey this side of the Mississippi! If Missouri isn't in your travel plans, they ship most their products world wide!

Related: Where Does Milk Come From? A Tour of Shatto Dairy in Kansas City

(Images: Sarah Rae Trover)