COLUMBUS – Pearl Valley Cheese of Fresno won the Swiss cheese contest at the Ohio State Fair.
The contest is the second of five held throughout the year to determine Ohio’s grand champion cheesemaker.
Second place went to Richard and Diane Hicks of Ragersville Swiss Cheese, Ragersville.
Third place went to Pius Felder and Steve Ottiger of Guggisberg Cheese Co., Millersburg.
Other Swiss cheeses were entered by Mike Felton of Steiner Cheese, Baltic; and John Fankhauser and Chad Schindler of Broad Run Dairy, Dover.
Point standings. In overall point standings, Pearl Valley leads the way with 15 points. Felton holds second place and the Hickses stand in third.
Other classes. In the colby cheese division, first prize went to Bunker Hill Cheese; Minerva Cheese Factory, second; and Pearl Valley Cheese, third.
In the third class, for cured cheese other than colby or Swiss, blue ribbons went to Broad Run Dairy, baby Swiss wheel; Bunker Hill Cheese, lacy baby; Oakvale Farmstead Cheese, gouda wheel; and Pearl Valley, marble and pepper jack.
Judges were Robert Owen, cheese grader; and Dennis Biery and Robert Laubscher, cheese buyers.
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