Blue Jacket Dairy, Logan County’s artisan cheesemaker, announces that three of its artisan cheeses earned top awards at the 2025 Ohio State Fair Cheese Competition, which took place July 17 in Cleveland.
Silver Lake Chevre, a silky, clean-tasting goat cheese, captured 1st place in the “Open Class for Other Mammal Milk.” Lightly tangy with a smooth, creamy consistency, this chevre captures the simple elegance of farm-fresh goat milk—sourced just a few miles from the creamery.
Lemon Jewel Quark, made with pasteurized whole cow’s milk and real lemon zest, took second place in the “Fresh Spreadable” category. Its smooth texture and naturally sweet citrus finish make it a morning favorite — whether spooned over berries or spread on a toasted bagel.
Also earning recognition was Arrowhead Chevre, a savory, herb goat cheese that claimed second place in the same “Open Class for Other Mammal Milk.” With notes of tarragon and garlic, it’s a flavorful nod to a family vegetable pie recipe and a standout for topping toast, enhancing pasta, or building a beautiful cheese board.
“These awards are really a win for the farmers we work with,” said Angel King, cheesemaker and co-owner. “Their dedication to quality milk gives us the foundation for every cheese we make.”
For those heading to the Ohio State Fair, which continues through Sunday, Aug. 3, don’t miss the iconic Butter Cow, and be sure to peek in the nearby display case, where you’ll find this year’s cheese competition award-winning cheeses from across the state, including Blue Jacket Dairy’s.
Each of Blue Jacket’s winning cheeses tells a local story:
• Silver Lake Chevre is named for the nearby lake where generations of families have camped, swum and fished.
• Arrowhead Chevre honors the arrowheads often found in Logan County fields — including those collected by co-owner Jim King’s grandfather.
• Lemon Jewel Quark draws inspiration from “These Are My Jewels,” the first monument on the Ohio Statehouse grounds, honoring influential Ohioans.
Angel King, who also serves as president of the Ohio Cheese Guild, added, “It’s exciting to see a true cheese revival happening across the state. Ohio was once one of the nation’s top cheese-producing regions, and today, that heritage is being renewed with a growing number of passionate cheesemakers. The quality, creativity, and collaboration happening right now in Ohio’s cheese community is something to celebrate.”
Since 2008, Jim and Angel King and their hardworking team have been crafting small-batch, farmstead cheeses at their Bellefontaine creamery, located at 1434 County Road 11, Bellefontaine.
Blue Jacket Dairy’s lineup includes fresh cheese curds, feta, aged cheeses, Gretna Grillin’, chevre and quark — available at specialty stores, farmers markets, restaurants and cheese shops across Ohio. The owners noted that the support of chefs who embrace farm-to-table dining has been vital to this revival, bringing incredible creativity to their menus and proudly featuring local ingredients like Blue Jacket cheese.