I won't blame you if you've never heard of the US Championship Cheese Contest before. I hadn't until I ran across an article from a news channel in Southern Minnesota, highlighting a local dairy competing among the 2,200+ entries submitted. I got to thinking that Central Minnesota is dairy country, so there had to be at least ONE local dairy competing, and I found this Rockville dairy was competing. The Rockville dairy that submitted a cheese to the contest is Stickney Hill Dairy.

According to the dairy's website the Stickney Hill Dairy has been in the area for almost 150 years!

In 1870, Truman Stickney arrived in Maine Prairie Township from Erie, New York. He settled with his wife and four children on the south side of what is currently known as Stickney Hill. The Stickney farmstead initially was comprised of cattle, sheep, chickens, tobacco, buckwheat and Indian corn in order to provide for their family. But in a true entrepreneurial fashion, the Stickney family ventured into the production of dairy products. Recorded in the Stearns County Agriculture Report of 1879, Truman Stickney reported 500 pounds of butter production, thus the conception of the first Stickney Hill Dairy. - Stickney Hill Dairy Website

 

Based on their website I'd guess that the Stickney Hill Dairy submitted goat cheese.

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Back in September, the dairy took home a blue ribbon, first place finish, at the Minnesota State Fair.

Joining the Stickney Hill Dairy at the US Championship Cheese Contest from greater Minnesota are:

  • First District Association of Litchfield
  • Redhead Creamery of Brooten

The announcement of the 2023 US Champion will be live-streamed tomorrow February 23 at 2:00 pm (CT) at USChampionCheese.org.

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