Illinois farmstead creamery earns national honors

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Prairie Fruits Farm & Creamery announced that two of its artisanal cheeses have been awarded bronze and silver medals at the 42nd American Cheese Society annual conference in Sacramento.

The farmstead creamery’s Moonglo earned a bronze medal in the highly competitive farmstead category for aged goat’s milk cheeses. This raw goat milk tomme-style cheese features a firm, pliable texture and nutty, fruity taste.

The natural rind is developed through washing with a cultured brew of Moonglow pear tea, Illinois pear wine and pear liqueur, then aged for approximately three months.

Building on its 2023 silver medal success, Moonglo showcases the unique terroir of Prairie Fruits’ spring and fall milk.

Spiced Cranberry Chèvre captured a silver medal in the fresh goat cheese category, continuing an impressive winning streak that includes gold medals in 2022 and 2024 and bronze in 2023 for their chèvre cheeses.

This ultra-fresh cheese, typically only one to three days old when sold, undergoes a long, slow fermentation process before being gently hand-ladled and mixed with sea salt.

The result is a creamy, fluffy cheese with hints of lemon, enhanced with dried cranberries spiced with cinnamon, allspice, cardamom, nutmeg and clove.

Head Cheesemaker Kato Lindholm and Creamery Manager Lisa Little represented Prairie Fruits at the competition, which draws the finest artisan cheesemakers from across America.

“The American Cheese Society competition represents the gold standard for American cheesemaking excellence,” said creamery owner Jeffrey Brokish. “These awards reflect our commitment to artisan techniques and our dedication to showcasing the unique flavors of Illinois through our aged and fresh cheeses.”

The ACS is the leading organization promoting and supporting American cheeses, providing educational resources and networking opportunities while encouraging the highest standards of cheesemaking focused on safety and sustainability.

Prairie Fruits Farm & Creamery continues to build on its legacy of award-winning cheeses, including recent recognition by Culture Magazine naming Little Bloom on the Prairie one of the world’s top 60 cheeses.

Both medal-winning cheeses are available exclusively at Prairie Fruits Farm & Creamery’s on-farm store and its farmers market locations.

Founded in 2005, Prairie Fruits Farm & Creamery, located in Champaign, is Illinois’ first farmstead creamery.

The farm is committed to sustainable agriculture, animal welfare and creating exceptional cheeses that reflect the unique flavors of the prairie landscape.