Tahoe Cheese Company of Carson City receives USDA grant

Three Nevada food producers have been awarded federal grants including Fallon’s Frey Ranch Estate Distillary and the Tahoe Cheese Company of Carson City.

The grants totaling $105,596 were awarded under the USDA’s Value Added Producer program, according to USDA Rural Development Director Sarah Adler.

The distillery owned by Ashley and Colby Frey, who also own Churchill Vinyards, will receive a $49,000 grant to help market their products. They have scheduled a grand opening for Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Frey Ranch.

Owners Charles Turner and David Green of Carson City will receive a $49,700 grant to help Tahoe Cheese increase production and marketing of their raw milk artisan cheeses.

Tahoe Cheese, the first aged cheese plant in Nevada, is producing Alpine Bleu, a farmstead cheese, and Tome de Sierra, an artisan parmesan cheese made with milk from Nevada dairies.

Tahoe Cheese products are sold at Great Basin Food Coop in Reno.

Finally, Elizabeth McCleary of McCleary Ranch was awarded a $6,896 grant to develop a marketing strategy for her operation at the old List Ranch in Washoe Valley just north of Carson City. The ranch sells vegetables, fruit and berries.