Founded by partners Mike Koch and Pablo Solanet in 2002, FireFly Farms makes 10 cheeses using fresh goat’s and cow’s milk from family farms within a 30-mile radius of the creamery. All of the cheeses are handmade from just four ingredients: pasteurized milk, bacterial cultures, vegetable rennet, and salt—no additives, preservatives, stabilizers, or GMOs. Having won multiple medals from the American Cheese Society, Good Food Foundation, and World Cheese Awards, FireFly Farms is one of the most award-winning cheesemakers in the U.S.

Deep in the rural landscape of Western Maryland, FireFly Farms is equally renowned for its responsible approach to production as it is for its cheeses. Koch and Solanet are committed to creating jobs in a part of the country where well-paid work is scarce, and to the environment. Green energy sources, including solar panels, power the cheese production facility and market. Leftover whey is captured and distributed to local farmers for livestock feed. These sustainable practices benefit the dairy animals, the community, and ultimately, the cheese consumer.

Among FireFly Farms exceptional cheeses is Black & Blue, one of the world’s few goat’s milk blues. This luscious cheese is milder and more approachable than most cow’s milk blues, and is delicious on its own, drizzled with honey, or melted on a burger. For an especially inspired pairing, try the medium-spiced, authentic Korean kimchee from Kimchee Girl, aka Joyce Clark Williams. The piquant fermented cabbage is a perfect foil for the creamy, rich Black & Blue.

FireFly Farms

FireFly Farms' cheeses are produced using sustainably-produced, locally‐sourced fresh goat’s and cow’s milk and time‐honored, traditional methods of cheese making. Their cheeses have received national and international recognition for taste and quality since their opening in 2002.