Calkins Creamery, a Wayne County agri-business representing generations of farming in Damascus Township, came home from the 2023 Pennsylvania Farm Show with two first-place awards.

Cheesemakers across Pennsylvania submitted products for review by an expert judging panel at show, held January 6-14 at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex near Harrisburg.

One of their products, Georgic, a fresh pasteurized Quark-style cheese earned first place in the soft cheese category. Capturing first in the flavored, cheddar style cheese category was Garlic + Chive Curds, one of the Creamery’s popular fresh pasteurized curd product lines. Georgic is the basis for the creamery's various style dips.

James Regelsky, Calkins Creamery cheesemaker, accepted the awards at the ceremony.

“We’re excited to receive this recognition at a state competition,” said Calkins Creamery owner and cheesemaker, Emily Bryant in a prepared statement. “Our customers love our Georgic spreads and cheese curds and it's rewarding to learn that the Farm Show judges gave these cheeses high marks for body, texture and taste too.”

Calkins Creamery is operated by the Bryant family, which began cultivating the land at Highland Farm in the 1880s.

Their story posted on Calkins Creamery's website explains that Bryant and her husband Jack "Jay" Montgomery moved back to Wayne County from Bakersfield, California, drawn by a "sense of place" connected to her farming heritage. While in California they developed an interest in using farm fresh milk to produce artisan cheeses.

Montgomery had gained experience in California at an ice cream manufacturing firm, and Bryant who had worked at the Penn State University Creamery as a food science undergraduate, took a cheese-making course at Cal-Poly University.

They researched cheese consumption in the United States, market opportunities near Wayne County, and the costs of production. Ultimately, Jay and Emily decided they could successfully combine their creativity, business sense, and desire to help the family farm, making the foundation for Calkins Creamery which started in 2007.

Emily said in an interview that she is the sixth generation Bryant working on the farm, and her children are the seventh. Her father Bill Bryant and brother Zack operate the dairy farm. The creamery is a separate entity; 40% of the milk goes towards cheese production and the rest is sold to a co-op.

Highland Farm, which exceeds 300 acres, presently has a herd of 160 Holsteins, and milks about 90.

Calkins Creamery, Bryant said, sells their cheese products at about 180 retailers in multiple states. Orders are shipped online to all 50 states. Numerous restaurants and resorts make use of their cheese in the local area, with many local retail outlets.

They have about 14 employees at the creamery. They are the only cheese producer in Wayne County, Bryant said. She described what they do as a "team effort" and "labor of love."

They have earned awards at the PA Farm Show before; bringing an award home is a proud moment, Bryant affirmed. The Farm Show also allows opportunity to network among other farmers and agri-businesses and to market the creamer's line of cheeses.

Visit Calkins Creamery at calkinscreamery.com to find a complete list of local retailers who sell cheese or visit the creamery at 288 Calkins Road, Honesdale. Calkins Creamery may be contacted at 570-729-8103.

This article originally appeared on Tri-County Independent: Calkins Creamery, Wayne County wins awards at Pennsylvania Farm Show