The The Farm at Doe Run again was honored at the Pennsylvania Farm Show for its exceptional cheese.
HARRISBURG — Chester County farmers and producers received high marks from Pennsylvania Farm Show judges in Harrisburg this past weekend, resulting in an impressive array of ribbons in the show’s 101st year of operation.
Chester County cheesemakers, led by three-time repeat champions Matt Hettlinger and Samuel Kennedy of The Farm at Doe Run (Coatesville, Pa), were again victorious across several categories in this year’s cheese competition. Most notably, The Farm at Doe Run’s “Seven Sisters” cheese won “Best of Show” honors, the same cheese that has topped the rankings since the Farm Show began their cheese competition three years ago. Yellow Springs Farm (Chester Springs, Pa.), Amazing Acres Goat Dairy (Elverson, Pa.), and Meadowset Farm and Apiary (Landenberg, Pa.) also took home a collection of medals in different subcategories rounding out an impressive roster of wins by area cheesemakers.
As the top growing mushroom region in the nation, it is no surprise that Chester County also ranked well in the mushroom competition. The southern part of the county was well represented by category wins from companies including To-Jo Mushrooms (Avondale, Pa.), Country Fresh Mushrooms (Toughkenamon, Pa.), Mother Earth Mushrooms (Landenburg, Pa), Needhams Mushroom Farms (West Grove, Pa.), Phillips Mushroom Farm (Kennett Square, Pa.), Oakshire Mushroom Sales (Kennett Square, Pa.) and Buona Foods (Landenburg, Pa.).
“It’s wonderful to see so many Chester County farmers and producers receive statewide recognition for the quality and distinction of the farm products they produce,” says Chester County Ag Council Director Hillary Krummrich. “Our farmers and food artisans make Chester County one of the top foodie destinations in the region, so word has certainly gotten out that this is the place to be for growing, producing and sourcing award winning farm products.”
The Pennsylvania Farm Show, the largest indoor agricultural exposition in the nation, hosts nearly half a million visitors, 6,000 animals, 10,000 competitive exhibits and 300 commercial exhibits every year in Harrisburg, Pa. This year’s show runs until January 14th.
For a complete list of Farm Show winners: www.farmshow.state.pa.us/results.aspx
The Chester County Ag Council raises awareness of the economic impact of the local farming industry and promotes excellence in farming. This outreach assists county farmers market their businesses, helps create an environment to attract new farmers, and informs residents and municipal officials about the importance of local agriculture. We also partner with other organizations to address agricultural issues. For more information, visit us at www.chesco.org/agdev, Facebook and Instagram pages.
