Cheese Please ~

Having dairy goats is more than a hobby for us. They are an essential part of our food chain and lifestyle. The "girls" and Samson have become members of an ever widening circle of "farm critters" we have obtained over the past 3 years. Dairy goats were the second phase of our attempt to eat a FRESH natural diet. The first being the chickens I got as a Birthday present. Our original flock of 16 has grown to one numbering over 60. Being informed can at times appear to be detrimental to those around you. Hence the shocked look on my husband's face when I asked for them three years ago. He is now an avid spokesman for home grown eggs among other natural food sources. Usually it is not those within the family you have to educate but those on the perimeter. Most of our friends, old and new have at one time or another given us puzzled looks when we mention our chosen lifestyle. But I digress ~

What I wanted to share was how one thing always leads to another. In this case I am talking about our dairy goats who produce the sweetest milk, which we LOVE. I have been a milk drinker since birth. Just ask my Mom, she will tell you how I could never go to bed without a glass. There haven't been many days in my life that I haven't sipped a cold glass of either cow or my now favorite, goat. Lon on the other hand only drank milk occasionally with a meal. Never enjoying just a glass by itself. That is until we got Amber, our first dairy goat. Amber has in the past 3 years given us sweet milk each day of her lactations. I even froze some last year to get us through the winter months. Extra work? You bet, but is worth it for a glass of yummy goodness with all of the essential nutrients still inside and NO added junk from a "milk producer." But hers wasn't the only milk I saved. Along the way we've added several other milking does to the family.

Up until this past Spring we were milking only 3 over the past couple of years. Amber, Sugar and Anna were our "milk cow" so to speak. Birthing kids is a necessity in any milk production operation. You just can't have one without the other. So last Autumn, we bred not only the original trio, but their daughters as well. Glory, Cinnamon and Annabelle were born the year before. Guess you can tell where this is leading to. Having the potential of 6 milkers was real. Long story short, we sold one ~ Annabelle this year after kidding. Leaving us with 5 does in milk and a surplus of it too! Besides our milk drinking, I make buttermilk and occasionally yogurt out of it. I also use it in all of my cooking and baking needs too. But with Amber alone giving us nearly 1/2 gallon at each milking it doesn't take long for it to add up. Filling all the available space in not one but two refrigerators. The second one is being used primarily for storing eggs, so there isn't much space in it. What to do now?

We had been sharing some of the extra with the chickens and our dogs. Who by the way absolutely love it as much as we do. That is until I decide to start back in the classroom. The cheese making one I started last year. My feeble attempts back then left me with a desire to know more so I could produce a consistent outcome. Chevre is a fairly easy goat's cheese to make and makes one wonder how could you mess it up. Believe when I say, you can. Inspired by all the recipes I've collected. Seeing all the nice pictures of cheeses that others have produced. Having made a new friend who is fearless in her attempts to make cheese and having an abundance of milk. Well ~ I decided to wade into the deep end of the cheese making pool of milk once again.

Confidence bolstered I placed an order for some old and new to me cheese cultures. Pulled out my cheese books and spent the day with my new like-minded friend. A couple of weeks ago Debbie invited me to join her and another friend, Pam in making cheese and sampling some she had been aging. (Thanks again for the invite!) Plans were to make mozzarella and feta on that day. Notice here I said plans were. We did make the mozzarella and enjoyed it fresh out of the pot along with slices of the Caerphilly she had been aging for 3 weeks.


Mozzarella cheese (thanks for sharing the photo, Pam)

The Feta never quite made it out of the pot. As the 3 of us got caught up in the talking, sharing of cheese, life as we live it and homesteading books. Milk is a temperamental thing you know when placed over a hot water bath and high heat. Requiring that it be kept in the fore front of your thoughts. Hence, why we never made the Feta. Too much time on the stove with too little supervision was it's demise. It is times like this when you want to kick yourself in the pants, but don't dare asked anyone else for they would be too happy to oblige you. Such is the classroom of cheese making. Among the victories there are going to be a lot of defeats in learning this craft. We tried to think of a new name for the concoction we did make. Debbie finally decide to call it "Turkey Cheese," for that is who got the chance to enjoy it. But I wonder now if the name might even be a subtle hint at name calling towards the 3 of us. Hmmm? Doesn't bother me none, I've been called worst I am sure over the years. The afternoon was delightful and I came away with rich memories in my pocket. Enough to carry me through a few more cheesy defeats myself.

Goat's Milk -check, cultures -check, cheese making books - check.
Ready for the next cheese adventure,

Deborah