ACCIDENT — FireFly Farms, producer of artisan goat cheeses, recently earned recognition for the excellence of its products.

“2009 marks our eighth competition season. These six new awards bring our individual cheese award tally to 35,” said FireFly Farms’s head cheese maker, Matt Cedro.

FireFly Farms competition season began on Aug. 7 at the American Cheese Society judging in Austin, Texas. At this silver anniversary judging and competition, cheese makers turned out in record numbers — 197 producers from 32 states, Canada and Mexico entered a historic 1,327 cheeses and cultured dairy products, 119 more than the previous record, set in Burlington, Vt., in 2007.

FireFly Farms aged goat cheese, Bella Vita™, received a second place ribbon, competing in an open class against other goat’s milk cheeses.

The season continued at the World Cheese Awards held Oct. 3. The annual competition, run by the UK’s Guild of Fine Food, was staged this year in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, Spain.

FireFly Farms’s aged goat cheese, Cabra LaMancha™, received a silver medal, competing in a class against other rind washed cheeses made from various milk types.

FireFly Farm’s competition season concluded at the American Dairy Goat Association Goat Cheese Competition Oct. 13‐14 in Buffalo, N.Y.

FireFly’s aged goat cheese, Cabra LaMancha, received a third‐place ribbon competing in a class against other unflavored rind washed cheeses made from goat’s milk. FireFly’s soft‐ripened blue cheese, MountainTop Bleu™, received a second‐place ribbon, competing in a class against unflavored blue‐veined goat’s milk cheeses with exterior molding.

Its Bella Vita received an ADGA second place ribbon.

The farm’s aged goat cheese, Black & Blue™, earned a first place ribbon competing in a class against other rindless, unflavored blue‐veined goat’s milk cheeses.

FireFly Farms was established in 2000.