August 15, 2000

Sheep Cheese Named Best of Show;

Vermont Butter and Cheese Company Leads with 3 First Place Finishes

Rohnert Park (Sonoma Valley), CA — Vermont cheesemakers have a reason to celebrate this week as they brought home 18 awards presented at the 17^th annual American Cheese Society and Conference and Awards Ceremony held here August 13. Ten Vermont companies, all members of the Vermont Cheese Council, won awards.

            Vermont Shepherd, a sheep milk cheese made by Major Farm in Putney, VT, was named “Best of Show.”

            “Winning 18 awards, including ‘Best of Show,’ is a continued testament that our reputation in the trade—and with consumers—grows, increasing the demand for Vermont cheeses,” said Allison Hooper, president of the Vermont Cheese Council.

             Vermont Butter and Cheese Company led the state contingent with three first place finishes and five awards overall.

            The Websterville company took top honors in the following categories: Butter, Cultured Cheese/Cow and American Made International Style/Goat.

            Vermont Butter and Cheese Company also finished with third place results in the Feta Cheese/Goat and Flavored Cheese/Cow categories.

            Shelburne Farms earned four total awards, including two first place finishes in the Smoked Cheese/Cow and the Cheese Spread/Cow category. Shelburne Farms also finished second in the Farmhouse Cheese/Cow categories and third in the Cheddar/Aged category.

            Also winning first place awards were Blythedale Farm of Corinth (American Original/Cow), Willow Hill Farm of Milton (American Original/Sheep or Mixed Milk), Orb Weaver Farm of New Haven (Farmhouse Cheese/Cow), and the Major Farm (Farmhouse Cheese/Sheep). Blythedale Farm also won a third place award.

            Cabot Cheese Company of Cabot (Cheddar/Flavor Added) and Grafton Village Cheese Company of Grafton (Smoked Cheese/Cow) each won second place results.

            Lazy Lady Farm of Westfield (Farmhouse Cheese/Goat) and Taylor Farm of Londonderry (Smoked Cheese/Cow) won third place awards.

Hooper credited some of Vermont’s newest cheesemakers like Willow Hill Farm and Lazy Lady Farm who have won awards in consecutive years.

            “It’s not luck when a company wins two years in a row,” she said. “It really shows the consistent quality being produced here.

“To see the new cheesemakers do so well,” Hooper continued, “is a testament to the cheesemaking support and expertise they receive from Dr. Paul Kindstedt of the University of Vermont and Peter Dixon, a cheese consultant in Putney.” 

            The Vermont Cheese Council was incorporated in November 1997. It combines the efforts of Vermont cheesemakers to create a larger marketplace for Vermont-made cheeses and provide technical assistance to cheesemakers. More information is available at www.vtcheese.com.

            The American Cheese Society is a not-for-profit organization that encourages the understanding, appreciation and promotion of America’s farmstead and natural specialty cheeses. Additional information is available at www.cheesesociety.org.

Award-winning Vermont Cheeses

Blythedale Farm, Corinth

First Place                    American Original/Cow                                     Mountain Cheese

Third Place                   Cheddar/Blue/Cow                                            Jersey Blue

Cabot Creamery, Cabot

Second Place                Cheddar/Flavor Added                                       Green Olive Cheddar

Grafton Village Cheese Company, Grafton

Second Place                Smoked Cheese/Cow                                        Maple Smoked Cheddar

Lazy Lady Farm, Westfield

Third Place                   Farmhouse Cheese/Goat                                    Le Petit Tomme

Major Farm, Putney

Best of Show                Farmhouse Cheese/Sheep                                  Vermont Shepherd

First Place

Orb Weaver Farm, New Haven

First Place                    Farmhouse Cheese/Cow                                      Orb Weaver Cave Aged

 Farmhouse Cheese

 Shelburne Farms, Shelburne

First Place                    Smoked Cheese/Cow                                       Smoked Cheddar

First Place                    Cheese Spread/Cow                                         Cheese Spread

Second Place                Farmhouse Cheese/Cow                                   Raw Milk Farmhouse

Clothbound Cheddar

Third Place                   Cheddar/Aged                                                  Raw Milk Farmhouse Cheddar

Taylor Farm, Londonderry

Third Place                   Smoked Cheese/Cow                                        Maple Smoked Gouda

Vermont Butter & Cheese Company, Websterville

First Place                    Butter                                                               Vermont Cultured Butter

First Place                    Cultured Cheese/Cow                                        Vermont Quark

First Place                    American Made International Style/Goat Vermont Fontina

Third Place                   Feta Cheese/Goat                                              Vermont Goats’ Milk Feta

Third Place                   Flavored Cheese/Cow                                       Vermont Basil Torta

Willow Hill Farm, Milton

First Place                    American Original/Sheep/Mixed Milk                 Autumn Oak

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