Mike and Cressida Cains’ Pecora Dairy has again won accolades at the Royal Sydney Show’s food awards for their sheeps cheese, taking out the Champion Cheese of Show (for its Yarrawa cheese); the Simon Johnson Perpetual Trophy for Champion Sheep, Goat or Buffalo Cheese; and the RAS Perpetual Cheese Board Trophy

“The RASNSW has been supporting Australian farmers for over 200 years,” says Mike.

“Cressida and I couldn’t be more proud to be part of that history, especially with Yarrawa, Australia's first raw milk cheese.

“Very satisfying for our years of hard work to be recognised by Australia’s best judges.”

The past year has been a tough one for Pecora, with their farm at Knights Hill, on the north western edge of the Kiama LGA near Robertson, receiving over 4m of rain and Jamberoo Mountain Road cutting off their access to Kiama.

The Cains with their trophy haul

“We’ve had reduced production because for most of the year the sheep have been cold and wet, using their energy to keep themselves warm,” says Mike.

“Our cheese production has been 50-60 per cent of our normal yield, but the quality is still there.”

With milk production tailing off at this time of the year, the rams are in service at the moment.

“In five months should have plenty of lambs and milk,” says Mike.

Their business has been affected badly in two ways by the closure of Jamberoo Mountain Road since the middle of last year.

“It has made us difficult for us to sell our cheese at Kiama Farmers’ Market, especially given Macquarie Pass isn’t a reliable option, and our custom at our cheese shop and wine bar in Robertson has also suffered, as it hasn’t been easy for people to get here,” he says.

Always an optimist, Mike says, “It’s been a year of a slower pace, but that is OK. The major thing is our quality not suffered.”