Winners from Lebanon, Allegheny and Lancaster County
Farmer Rudolph’s Creamery of Lebanon, Lebanon County, won Best in Show with its cheese, Sir Farmer, during the cheese competition on opening day of the 2020 Farm Show.
Deputy Agriculture Secretary Cheryl Cook announced winners of the sixth annual competition.
In early December, expert judges evaluated 57 entries in 15 categories from 18 creameries across Pennsylvania. Entries ranging from Swiss to soft cheeses and smear ripened and smoked illustrated the diverse range and quality of Pennsylvania-produced cheeses.
Cheese makers submit cheeses in whole wheels or blocks which are judged by a team of six technical and aesthetic judges on flavor and aroma; appearance and packaging; body and texture; and cheese-specific characteristics.
Pennsylvania ranks third in the nation for Swiss cheese production, at 9.1 million pounds per year and fifth in Italian cheese production, at more than 250 million pounds per year.
During the 104th PA Farm Show, visitors can sample cheeses from the competition at the Cheese Guild booth located in the Main Hall. Pennsylvania produced cheeses can also be purchased at the brand-new Main Hall Farmer’s Market.
First, second and third-place winners in each category are:
Cow’s Milk Cheeses
Cheddar, Colby, and Monterey Jack
1- Conebella Farm Cheese Sharp Cheddar- Oak Shade Cheese LLC, Kirkwood, Lancaster County
2- Green Tree Colby Cheese- Oak Shade Cheese LLC, Kirkwood, Lancaster County
3- Conebella Farm Cheese Cheese Curds- Kirchenberg Farm, Fleetwood, Berks County
Soft Cheeses
1- Clover – Valley Milkhouse, Oley, Berks County
2- Quark- Keswick Creamery at Carrock Farm, Newburg, Cumberland County
3- Whole Milk Ricotta– Keswick Creamery at Carrock Farm, Newburg, Cumberland County
Mold Ripened Cheeses
1- Blooming Clover – Clover Valley Creamery, Quarryville, Lancaster County
2- Hummingbird- The Farm at Doe Run, Coatesville. Chester County
3- Thistle- Valley Milkhouse LLC, Oley, Berks County
Semi-Soft, Semi-Hard, Hard Cheeses
1- Sir Farmer – Farmer Rudolph’s Creamery, Lebanon, Lebanon County
2- Cape Cod- Farmer Rudolph’s Creamery, Lebanon, Lebanon County
3- Baby Gouda – Farmer Rudolph’s Creamery, Lebanon, Lebanon County
Goat’s Milk Cheeses
Soft Cheeses
1- Chevre – Cheese Goatees, Waynesboro, Franklin County
2- Fresh Chevre – Goat Rodeo Farm and Dairy, Allison Park, Allegheny County
Mold Ripened Cheeses
1- Milky Way – Clover Valley Creamery LLC, Quarryville, Lancaster County
Semi-Soft, Semi-Hard, Hard Cheeses
1- Hootenanny- Goat Rodeo Farm and Dairy, Allison Park, Allegheny County
Sheep’s Milk Cheese
Open Class
1- Olivia’s Smile Tomme- Revittle LLC, Harrisburg, Dauphin County
2- Sheep Dreams- Clover Valley Creamery LLC, Quarryville, Lancaster County
All Milk Cheeses
Pasta Filata Cheeses
1- Fior de Pizza- Caputo Brothers Creamery LLC, Spring Grove, York County
Blue-Veined Cheeses
1- Birchrun Blue- Birchrun Hills Farm, Chester Springs, Chester County
2- Blue Bell- Valley Milkhouse, Oley, Berks County
3- Pirate Blue- Clover Creek Cheese Cellar, Williamsburg, Blair County
Washed Rind and Smear Ripened Cheeses
1- Battled in Victory- The Farm at Doe Run, Coatesville, Chester County
2- Bamboozle- Goat Rodeo Farm and Dairy, Allison Park, Allegheny County
3- Elsa Mae- Calkins Creamery, Honesdale, Wayne County
Smoked Cheeses
1- Smoked Mozzarella- Caputo Brothers Creamery, Spring Grove, York County
2- Smoked Gouda- Farmer Rudolph’s Creamery, Lebanon, Lebanon County
3- Smoked Horseradish Cheddar- Whispering Brook Cheese Haus, Chambersburg, Franklin County
Flavored Cheese from Goat Milk, Sheep Milk, or Mixed Milk
1- Wild Rosemary- Goat Rodeo Farm and Dairy, Allison Park, Allegheny County
2- Figgy Blue- Birchrun Hills Farm, Chester Springs, Chester County
3- Hot and Spicy Cheese Curds- Calkins Creamery, Honesdale, Wayne County
The Pennsylvania Farm Show draws hundreds of thousands of visitors to our capital city every year for a mid-winter celebration of Pennsylvania agriculture. It is the largest indoor agricultural exposition in the nation, featuring nearly 12,000 competitive exhibits, including more than 5,200 animal competitions, plus 300 commercial exhibits and hundreds of educational, entertaining events. Visitors get a peek into the industry that employs nearly half a million people and contributes $135.7 billion to Pennsylvania’s economy every year.
The 2020 show runs January 4-11 from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily, except Sunday, January 5, when it runs 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Saturday, January 11, when it opens at 8 a.m. and closes at 5 p.m. Admission is free, and parking is $15.
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