1886

The Mateo Fiscalini Family emigrates from Switzerland to the United States through Ellis Island.  Mateo gets a job working the railroad, which allows for him to work his way across the country to CA in search of family who already settled in Cambria.  Mateo joins them on the Chorro Dairy and raises his family there.

1912

Mateo’s son, John Baptiste Fiscalini, who graduated from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo with a degree in irrigation, learns that the Don Pedro dam will be built in Northern CA.  He buys 160 acres in Modesto understanding that there will be open land, which he can irrigate and begin farming.

1914

John Baptiste Fiscalini starts a dairy farm with 10 milking cows.

1930

A tuberculosis outbreak necessitates that the entire herd be slaughtered.  While the state mandates that the land must remain animal free for 2 years John continues farming crops.

1933

John’s love for cows and his strong desire to be a dairyman again leads him to Wisconsin where he purchases 30 registered Holsteins.  He rides back to CA in the boxcar with the animals caring for them along the way, making sure they are fed and milked on the journey.

1938

John Baptiste Fiscalini dies of complications from Appendicitis, leaving behind his wife Anne and their son Mathew.  The two of them begin to manage the dairy farm and together they own and operate Mrs. M – Jay – Bee Fiscalini and Son Dairy. 

1944

Mathew Fiscalini marries Marie Weisner, he continues to grow the dairy operation and purchases neighboring land for crop production.  Mathew and Marie Fiscalini have 3 children, one of whom is John Fiscalini.

1974

John Fiscalini graduates from Oregon State with a degree in microbiology. He returns home to join the partnership and participate in management of the farming operation.  The dairy farm by this time has grown to 540 acres and includes wine grapes and walnut trees.

1981

John’s first daughter, Laura, is born closely followed by another daughter, Elaine, and then a son, Brian, in 1984.

1992

The construction of the current state-of-the-art dairy facility begins, which includes a milking parlor and the dairy's first free stall barn.  A year later they grow from 500 to 800 milking cows, Mathew Fiscalini is able to experience and oversee the wonderful expansion before he passes in 1993.

1995

Now called Fiscalini Farms, the dairy operation continues to grow to its current size housing 2800 animals, 1500 of them being milked three times a day.  We convert all our farming land into the rotation of different forages to be consumed by our animals.

2000

After a trip to Switzerland where John Fiscalini learned that the art of making cheese is how his ancestors made a living, he decides to follow in their footsteps and begins processing cheese with a portion of the milk produced by his herd. 

2001

John Fiscalini is introduced to Mariano Gonzalez, a cheesemaker who is originally from Paraguay, who wishes to share his knowledge and craftsmanship with a producer who will appreciate his artisan style.  John’s facility and Mariano’s experience perfectly complement one another and together and they begin producing some of the best cheeses in the world.

2002

Fiscalini Farms Bandage Wrapped Cheddar wins "Best Farmhouse Cheese in America".

2006

By this time Fiscalini Cheese Company is producing various well-known award-winning cheeses.  John’s wife Heather sets out to grow sales and familiarize consumers across the US with the Fiscalini brand. 

TODAY

Four generations later, two of John’s children, Laura Genasci and Brian Fiscalini, oversee the day-to-day operations along with their father.  Both Laura and Brian graduated from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo just like their great-grandfather did 100 years ago.