Blessed are the cheesemakers
 

Any of you guys cheesemakers?

I am really interested in getting into cheese production on a home scale.

I want to learn all there is about it and practice techniques, maybe starting from yogurt and moving up.

I would be buying raw whole milk from a local farmer as my resource.

I was wondering if anyone here would recommend specific books or web sites that may prove helpful, or if they can share some general advice to me.

For example, I found this web site quite informative:
http://biology.clc.uc.edu/fankhauser...ese_course.htm

Re: Blessed are the cheesemakers
 

I have only made goat cheese one time. And it was years ago. I plan on making it as soon as my new goat decide to drop some babies and start giving me some milk! I have been buying supplies anticipating the blessed event! I found this cheese press at www.hoeggergoatsupply.com
http://www.hoeggergoatsupply.com/xcart/files/d_516.jpg I was pretty impressed with it. Gives you two sizes. The price was pretty good compared to other stores. They have all kinds of stuff you would need for butter, cheese ect.

Re: Blessed are the cheesemakers
 

I just bought a book on simple cheesemaking.... it's a skill to learn on my short list.... right after getting a couple of goats.

Ima, what breed goat did you get? Great link for the presses!

Re: Blessed are the cheesemakers
 

I got Nubians. They are only about 9 months old, and I dont know if they are bred. They have been with a buck for a few months! So I am crossing my flangies! Nubians have a higher butter fat. I may end up buying another breed, that I know for sure is prego or has just freshened. There is a guy down the road that has nubians but he is very proud of them and wants a mere 900.00 each. I am torn, most of the show goats have had tons of vaccinations, but have a proven milking history. His goats give up to 2 gallons a day. But that is with lots of grain and hi pro feed. I would rather buy 2 goats that has been naturally raised and get that production. Most of the people around here have Alpine, I think they are very ugly and am having a hard time buying one!

Re: Blessed are the cheesemakers
 

Darn!!!! Them is sum jugs!

http://www.royalbluenubians.com/Does...BeriRU2007.jpg

http://www.royalbluenubians.com/Does/finesserear.jpg

Re: Blessed are the cheesemakers
 

Re: Blessed are the cheesemakers
 

QWAK,"Blessed are the cheesemakers for they will have CHEESE!":yes:

Only problem I can imagin is --- "WHO CUTS the CHEESE:questionm and IF there is suficient VENTELATION when they DO:questionm"

Matches should be avalable to ALL CHEESE CUTERS!:yes::hahaha::36_1_25::111::4_1_72:

The DUCK :signs14: Just could NOT resist the TEMPTATION! :15_1_70v:

Re: Blessed are the cheesemakers
 

I am glad you picked up on the reference :smile:

Re: Blessed are the cheesemakers
 

So you're a goat snob, too, huh? :504:

I have a huge affinity for the long eared goat breeds... but I've had alpine-type goats in the past, and loved them dearly. Back then, I don't recall ever having any problems or issues with our goats and we bought from a cousin who raised them for meat and milk, not showing. I have the same concerns about buying from a show animal raiser..... a goat shouldn't cost $900. I don't care if it does have ribbons or whatnot.

2 gallons of milk a day is a lot. The gov't is making it difficult for small farms to sell their extra, especially if it's not pasteurized.

Those ARE some jugs!! Goats are in my future, but the chickens are first..... gotta build a coop this year.

Re: Blessed are the cheesemakers
 

I had considered getting a mini jersey for milking. But they want 3000.00 + for one! I have also had dexters. The one I had was wild, I never got to milk her but did like the out come of the calves. I figure goats will be easier to hide than cows - no matter what size. And with two goats you can stagger the breeding times so you are in milk all year long. Even though you can freeze goat milk, fresh seems better! One gallon a day is enough, with personal drinking and giving it to the other farm animals, its usually gone by evening!

Re: Blessed are the cheesemakers
 

Just found these on Craigs list.....45.00

http://images.craigslist.org/3nb3oe3...491be81d89.jpg

Re: Blessed are the cheesemakers
 

Ohmygoodness.... they are adorable!

Must. Get. Fence. Finished.

Re: Blessed are the cheesemakers
 

Try this site out. Dig deep, lots of info.

http://fiascofarm.com/dairy/index.htm

Re: Blessed are the cheesemakers
 

Do like me, get the goats then the fence! I make my hubby so mad because I wait and wait for an area to put them, it never happens so I just get the animal and tell him we need a fence! There has been many times I put my goats on a rope and tie them to the fence so they can clear out the weeds. They leash train pretty good!

Re: Blessed are the cheesemakers
 

I'm with you MF 900 hunderd (hunderd is mountain talk) is a bit steep for my blood especially when half the time around here the nannys wind up becoming mountain lion feed....the last we had were like a Swiss milk goat and nubian cross. All's I know is the Billys were damn big! darn near big as a donkey!
ISYN.

Re: Blessed are the cheesemakers
 

Thanks FasTTcar, that is a wonderful site. Lots of links to where to get stuff.
I have been looking for rennet and just found it!

Re: Blessed are the cheesemakers
 

I'm not buying it! I guess the key qualifier is "up to." One goat, one time! The top producing milk goat is the Saanen and they don't even come close to averaging 2 gallons a day. I used to have two of them and I might have gotten "up to" 1 gallon a day from each. But my average was probably more like 3 quarts a day each. This guy is supposed to have a herd of Nubians that can actually produce 2 gallons each with some regularity? Like I said, I don't buy it. I would have to be standing right there watching the milk fill the jars before I would believe it!

We've had goats since 93. Started with another Swiss dairy breed, Toggenburgs. We would sometimes be milking 3-4 a day. We finally decided to move to meat goats and started buying Boers. The herd was up to 80+ this fall before I sold some off. We still have about 35-40 does out there. Plus two Nubians that we keep around for milk production. If you have livestock on a ranch, you always end up needing milk sooner or later. Plus my children prefer the goat's milk they grew up with compared to store bought cow milk.

We've mainly had problems with parasites with the Boer's. This year we decided to try an end run. Boers are from near desert conditions where worms would have been rare. So, as a breed, they have a lot of issues with wet conditions. Kikos came from New Zealand where they got 2-3 times as much rain as we get in NE Oklahoma. So Kiko's are much more resistant to worms than Boers. We leased a Kiko buck to breed to our Boers. They will all kid this spring and it is going to be very interesting to see if we see any difference.

And, to get back to the thread subject, I've also thought about making cheese but never have gotten around to it!

Gregg

Re: Blessed are the cheesemakers
 

Here is a pdf on making cheese
http://d.scribd.com/docs/2kgvauflc5pdr4n0mp1w.pdf
:shine: