Fraga Farm Goat Cheese, Oregon’s sole organic goat dairy, won first prize with its very first entry into the annual American Cheese Society’s annual competition.

•  The ACS conference and cheese judging, held in Portland this year, featured 157 producers and 941 entrees from 28 U.S. states and two Canadian provinces.

•  After six years of making cheese with all organic ingredients, Janice and Larry Neilson decided to make their first entry into the judging this year, and won first prize for Fraga Farm’s raw goat’s milk feta.

•  “We’re a couple of first-timers, and so we’re really tickled,” said Janice Neilson, proprietor of Fraga Farm Goat Cheese with her husband, Larry. “It feels great that a raw milk cheese made organically is one North America’s favorites. It’s a big step for us, and an endorsement of running a small business in a healthy, sustainable way.”

•  The Neilsons began making and selling cheese in 2000 in Willamette Valley farmers’ markets, and have been selling their organic cheese in co-ops, grocery stores and restaurants. As the sole organic goat cheese maker in the state and with only fifty goats, their cheese has been in growing demand. Fraga Farm is certified by Oregon Tilth.

•  The Neilsons learned animal husbandry from Janice’s grandmother, Agnes Fraga, who ran a California farm and is the namesake of Janice and Larry’s company. “My grandmother taught me how to use natural fixes for problems on the farm, like using lemon juice to keep ants away, and herbal remedies for sick animals,” said Janice. “She’s our inspiration.”

•  Their raw milk feta is a cheese brined and aged for at least 60 days. The safe use of raw, unpasteurized milk is becoming widely known for providing health benefits eliminated during pasteurization.

•  Fraga Farm produces fresh cheeses as well as several aged varieties.

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