The Monks Who Made Thomas Merton's Monastery Famous Now Make Bourbon Fudge. And It's Incredible.
What happens when Trappist monks at one of America's most storied monasteries turn their hands from prayer books to fudge and fruitcake—and build a thriving business that has endured for generations?
Meet Gethsemani Farms—the commercial enterprise of the Abbey of Gethsemani, a Trappist monastery nestled in the rolling hills of central Kentucky. Founded in 1848, the abbey is perhaps best known as the home of Thomas Merton, the monk and author whose autobiography The Seven Storey Mountain became one of the most influential Catholic books of the twentieth century. Today, the monks carry on their tradition of prayer and manual labor by producing handcrafted bourbon fudge, fruitcakes, and other artisan goods—all made by hand within the monastery walls.
A Monastery Rooted in American Catholic History
The Abbey of Gethsemani is not just any monastery. It is one of the oldest and most significant Trappist communities in the United States.
Trappist monks arrived in Kentucky from France in 1848, establishing their community in a rural landscape that reminded them of the European countryside they had left behind. The name "Gethsemani" evokes the Garden of Gethsemane, where Christ prayed before his Passion—a fitting name for a community devoted to a life of prayer, silence, and sacrifice.
For nearly two centuries, the monks have followed the Rule of St. Benedict:
- Rising before dawn for Vigils
- Gathering throughout the day for the Liturgy of the Hours
- Celebrating Mass together
- Filling the spaces between prayer with manual work
- Observing silence as a spiritual discipline
The monastery's guest house has welcomed countless retreatants seeking silence and spiritual renewal. The abbey church, simple and austere in the Cistercian tradition, remains a place of extraordinary peace.
Thomas Merton's Legacy
The abbey's fame exploded in 1948—exactly one hundred years after its founding—when Thomas Merton published The Seven Storey Mountain.
Merton's autobiography tells the story of a restless young man—a Columbia University graduate, an aspiring novelist, a man of the world—who heard the call to become a monk and answered it. He entered Gethsemani and spent the rest of his life there, becoming one of the most important Catholic writers of the twentieth century.
His books on prayer, contemplation, social justice, and interfaith dialogue have sold millions of copies. Works like New Seeds of Contemplation, Conjectures of a Guilty Bystander, and The Sign of Jonas continue to shape Catholic thought and spirituality.
Merton's legacy still draws visitors and retreatants to Gethsemani. But the monks themselves would be the first to tell you that the community is not a museum. It is a living monastery where men continue to take vows, pray the Office, and seek God in silence.
The work of Gethsemani Farms is part of that living tradition.
The Products: Bourbon Fudge, Fruitcake, and More
Gethsemani Farms is best known for two signature products: their bourbon fudge and their traditional fruitcake. Both are made by the monks themselves, using recipes that have been refined over decades.
The bourbon fudge is rich, dense, and unmistakably Kentucky. Made with real bourbon—this is Trappist country, after all—it has a depth of flavor that sets it apart from mass-produced confections. The fudge comes in several varieties, including chocolate, vanilla, and mint.
The fruitcake defies every joke you've ever heard about fruitcake. Dense, moist, and packed with fruits and nuts, it's the kind of cake that converts skeptics. The monks' version has earned a devoted following, with customers ordering year after year, especially during the holiday season.
Beyond these flagship products, Gethsemani Farms also offers cheese and other seasonal items. Each product carries the quiet assurance of monastic craftsmanship: no shortcuts, no compromises, no rush.
Ora et Labora: The Benedictine Balance
The Trappist tradition holds that work is not separate from prayer—it is an extension of it.
When the monks of Gethsemani stir a batch of fudge or pack a fruitcake for shipping, they are fulfilling the same Benedictine mandate that has sustained monastic communities for fifteen hundred years: ora et labora, pray and work.
This is what sets Gethsemani Farms apart from every other artisan food company:
- The products are made in an environment of silence and prayer
- The monks aren't building a brand or chasing growth metrics
- There are no investors demanding quarterly returns
- Every product is made with the same care as a prayer
They are sustaining a way of life that the modern world has largely abandoned—and they are inviting you to participate in it, one box of fudge at a time.
The Retreat Experience
Gethsemani is not only a place to buy fudge. It is one of the most beloved retreat destinations in Catholic America.
The monastery's guest house welcomes men and women of all faiths for silent retreats. Guests follow the monks' schedule—rising early, attending the Hours, eating simple meals, and spending long hours in silence and prayer.
For many retreatants, the experience is transformative. In a world of constant noise and distraction, Gethsemani offers something increasingly rare: uninterrupted quiet.
When you support Gethsemani Farms, you also support this retreat ministry—a gift to the countless souls who arrive at the monastery exhausted and leave renewed.
Why This Matters
The Abbey of Gethsemani has been praying continuously since 1848. It is the monastery that formed Thomas Merton, whose writings brought the contemplative tradition to millions of readers worldwide. Gethsemani Farms is how the monks sustain this way of life -- every box of bourbon fudge and every fruitcake sold keeps the abbey's lights on, the guest house open for retreatants, and the Liturgy of the Hours echoing through the Kentucky hills. Without this commercial enterprise, one of the most important monastic communities in American Catholic history would face the same financial pressures that have closed monasteries across the country. When you buy from Gethsemani, you are not just purchasing artisan food; you are underwriting nearly two centuries of unbroken prayer.
How You Can Support
- Order online at gethsemanifarms.org — the bourbon fudge and fruitcake make exceptional gifts
- Plan a retreat at the Abbey of Gethsemani — experience monastic hospitality firsthand
- Give their products as gifts for Christmas, Easter, birthdays, or any occasion that deserves something truly special
- Share the story of the monks and their work with your parish, Bible study group, or Catholic community
- Pray for vocations to the monastic life—the monks need new brothers to carry the tradition forward
Discover More Monastic Enterprises — Go Paid
Gethsemani Farms is one of several monastic enterprises in our directory -- from Trappist breweries to Benedictine coffeemakers to cloistered communities crafting candles and soaps. Paid subscribers get our monastic goods guide, the perfect resource for gifts that sustain contemplative communities.
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Have you tried the famous Gethsemani bourbon fudge or fruitcake? Have you ever visited the Abbey of Gethsemani on retreat? Share your experience in the comments below.
Gethsemani Farms
- Website: gethsemanifarms.org
- Location: Trappist, Kentucky (Abbey of Gethsemani)
- Category: Monastic Goods / Artisan Foods
- Phone: (844) 202-8806
- DCB Listing: Find Gethsemani Farms on Discover Catholic Business
Sources: Gethsemani Farms, Abbey of Gethsemani, Discover Catholic Business