O’Mara: Saturday's Finger Lakes Cheese Festival great chance to support local agriculture, tourism ~ Reflects on own family’s connection to the industry, praises current producers

Odessa, N.Y., July 19—State Senator Tom O’Mara (R-C, Big Flats), a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, today reminded area residents that the 5th Annual Finger Lakes Cheese Festival takes place this Saturday, July 23, at Sunset View Creamery in Schuyler County.

“The Finger Lakes Cheese Festival offers a great opportunity to sample many locally made cheeses and help bring attention to an important sector of New York State’s agricultural industry,” said O’Mara, who also serves as one of the 10 state legislators on the joint, bipartisan Rural Resources Commission. “Cheese making has long played an important role in so many upstate New York communities, including Schuyler County.  The great news is that it’s still going strong and has an exciting and promising future.”

O’Mara also took the occasion of this year’s festival to recall his own family’s history in New York State cheese making.  O’Mara’s grandfather, John, was a cheese maker and operated the Colosse Cheese Factory in Oswego County in the mid-20th century.  Colosse Cheese won several awards at the New York State Fair over the years, including 1st Place medals for cheese making in 1937 and 1941 when O’Mara’s grandfather operated the factory.  The senator’s father, also named John, grew up working in the factory throughout his high school and college years.  Colosse Cheese is still produced and sold in central New York, but the O’Mara family is no longer involved in the business.

Sunset View Creamery is a Farmstead & Artisan Cheese Production Facility that’s operated on Hoffarms Dairy, a century-old farm located in Odessa, New York, just south of Watkins Glen.  Fourth and fifth generation Hoffmans operate the farm and all the milk used in their cheese making comes from their predominantly Holstein herd. 

For more information on other local cheese makers, including the schedule for this Saturday’s Finger Lakes Cheese Festival and other upcoming events, visit the Finger Lakes Cheese Trail online at http://flcheesetrail.com/.