Cheesemaker from Ukraine finds respite from war, friendship at Illinois farm

From the International Agriculture series

Phyllis Coulter
Feb 3, 2023
Feb 3, 2023

Tetyana Dydechko, a cheesemaker newly arrived from Ukraine, and Sophie Seidel, assistant herd manager at Prairie Fruits Farm & Creamery in Champaign, Illinois welcomed hundreds of guests during an open house in honor of the new cheesemaker on Jan. 14.
Photo by Phyllis Coulter

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CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — On the day a Ukrainian cheesemaker was officially introduced to the public at an Illinois farm where she now works, more disturbing news came from her homeland.

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Ukrainian cheesemaker Tetyana Dydechko holds up cheese made at her new gig at Prairie Fruits Farm & Creamery in Champaign, Illinois. She worries about friends and family back home in Ukraine but says people here treat her like family.
Submitted photo

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In cheese-making attire Tetyana Dydechko shows the fruits of her labor at Prairie Fruits Farm & Creamery.
Submitted photo

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Freshly made mozzarella by Tetyana Dydechko
Submitted photo

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Raclette cheese in molds during dry salting at Prairie Fruits Farm & Creamery
Submitted photo

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dairy goats — For her, another bonus of working on the dairy goat farm is that she loves animals.
Photo by Phyllis Coulter

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In this Series

International Agriculture

Feb 3, 2023
Cheesemaker from Ukraine finds respite from war, friendship at Illinois farm
Aug 7, 2022
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