hi,

tried to send you a message asking how
cheese making was going since i was
thinking of curds today.

so now that i've posted it here...

how's the cheese making going?


songbird

In article ,
"songbird" wrote:


how's the cheese making going?

Just got "Making Artisan Cheese" yesterday. Quick perusal inclines me
not doing mold and bacteria type still lots to try.

http://www.amazon.com/Making-Artisan...n/dp/159253197
0/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1290201715&sr=1-1

I basically make just yogurt and pickle stuff. Charlie I heard was
into sourdough breads. One issue I read about in the book was trying to
get milk that is not pasteurized. Dan L having a cow circumvents this
issue.

I buy cheese from these folks but it has new owners now on second year
and who knows. Still my extended family says same order as last year.

http://www.leraysvillecheese.com/Products.aspx

--
Bill S. Jersey USA zone 5 shade garden

Bill who putters wrote:
In article ,
"songbird" wrote:


how's the cheese making going?

Just got "Making Artisan Cheese" yesterday. Quick perusal inclines
me
not doing mold and bacteria type still lots to try.

http://www.amazon.com/Making-Artisan...n/dp/159253197
0/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1290201715&sr=1-1

I basically make just yogurt and pickle stuff. Charlie I heard was
into sourdough breads. One issue I read about in the book was trying
to
get milk that is not pasteurized. Dan L having a cow circumvents this

issue.

I buy cheese from these folks but it has new owners now on second
year
and who knows. Still my extended family says same order as last year.


http://www.leraysvillecheese.com/Products.aspx

My emails will never work on a public forum.Nor will you find me on face
book or any other social network

Jersey Bessy will not produce milk until around the end of March. Her
calf will need milk for a few months after that. I am hoping to get some
milk around April. She did escape from her pasture two days ago, but did
not venture far away. How in the world she busted through triple welded
wire and without a scratch is beyond me. Now I am considering an
electric fence. My guess she almost weighs 800 pounds.

The book you bought, I do not have. It looks like a book for advanced
cheese makers. I have not yet made any. I have three books planning for
the future.

I am not positive, but I do not believe regular pasteurized milk
prevents cheese making. Ultra High Pasteurization will prevent cheese
making. I not sure, but I believe homogenized milk prevents some forms
of cheese making. My knowledge is book only at this time. I think one
can add cultures to pasteurized milk to make cheese, a step I will not
need. One can buy milk that is not homogenized and a low heat
pasteurization called "Cream-Line" milk. Raw milk is strictly illegal
for sale in Michigan, however having your own cow is the only way to get
raw milk.

My first attempts will be butter, yogurt and soft cream cheeses. Reading
books states that soft cheeses is the easiest and cheapest way to go and
can be made in days if not hours. Hard Cheeses is a whole new game.
These are require expensive equipment, cheese presses, specialized
refrigerators that control humidity and temperature for mold control. I
will attempt hard cheeses someday, that maybe a year later. I must learn
to walk before running. Being on the side of of caution, I will use slow
low heat pasteurization for my personal milk consumption.

Now making you own sour dough breads. That is a real treat, low cost and
easy!
I have "Peter Reinhart's Artisan Breads Every Day [Hardcover]"
ISBN-10: 1580089984 ISBN-13: 978-1580089982
Baguettes anyone, fresh out of the oven, the smell, the taste, Mmmmm...
Gluten does bother me, but sometimes worth the discomfort later.

Have fun on the cheese making!
My books are focused on the HOME making end.

The Home Creamery [Paperback]
Kathy Farrell-Kingsley (Author)
ISBN-10: 1603420312 ISBN-13: 978-1603420310

Home Cheese Making: Recipes for 75 Delicious Cheeses [Paperback]
Ricki Carroll (Author)
ISBN-10: 1580174647 ISBN-13: 978-1580174640

200 Easy Homemade Cheese Recipes: From Cheddar and Brie to Butter and
Yogurt [Paperback]
Debra Amrein-Boyes (Author)
ISBN-10: 0778802183 ISBN-13: 978-0778802181

--
Enjoy Life... Dan L (Garden in zone 5a Michigan)

In article ,
dude says...

Jersey Bessy will not produce milk until around the end of March. Her
calf will need milk for a few months after that. I am hoping to get some
milk around April. She did escape from her pasture two days ago, but did
not venture far away. How in the world she busted through triple welded
wire and without a scratch is beyond me. Now I am considering an
electric fence. My guess she almost weighs 800 pounds.

My grandma had a lead cow that perfected the art of leaning on fences.

She'd lean until the fence broke and then took the herd through the gap
with her.

They were never able to break her of the habit and being a farming
family...

phorbin wrote:
In article ,
dude says...

Jersey Bessy will not produce milk until around the end of March. Her
calf will need milk for a few months after that. I am hoping to get
some
milk around April. She did escape from her pasture two days ago, but
did
not venture far away. How in the world she busted through triple
welded
wire and without a scratch is beyond me. Now I am considering an
electric fence. My guess she almost weighs 800 pounds.

My grandma had a lead cow that perfected the art of leaning on fences.

She'd lean until the fence broke and then took the herd through the
gap
with her.

They were never able to break her of the habit and being a farming
family...

I suspect that is how she did it. But how to prevent it again?

--
Enjoy Life... Dan L (Garden in zone 5a Michigan)

In article , dude says...

My grandma had a lead cow that perfected the art of leaning on fences.

She'd lean until the fence broke and then took the herd through the
gap
with her.

They were never able to break her of the habit and being a farming
family...

I suspect that is how she did it. But how to prevent it again?

I've no idea.

....There are times when I feel a little bit like the child of
'immigrants to the city' because all I have are their stories of the
farm culture, the farm and farming but all I really know are some
stories.

Their solution was quite practical and final.

You might find the following url useful.

http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/sho...d.php?t=344049

On 11/19/2010 7:32 PM, phorbin wrote:
In ,
dude says...

Jersey Bessy will not produce milk until around the end of March. Her
calf will need milk for a few months after that. I am hoping to get some
milk around April. She did escape from her pasture two days ago, but did
not venture far away. How in the world she busted through triple welded
wire and without a scratch is beyond me. Now I am considering an
electric fence. My guess she almost weighs 800 pounds.

My grandma had a lead cow that perfected the art of leaning on fences.

She'd lean until the fence broke and then took the herd through the gap
with her.

They were never able to break her of the habit and being a farming
family...

We had a Holstein cow inside a two-wire electric fence. She ate the
grass up to within one foot of the wire, no closer. Unfortunately she
could tell, somehow, when the power went down. Once it did she was in
the vegetable garden within seconds.

The pigs would get out of the sty once in awhile, they would go through
the electric fence squealing like crazy, taking the fence down, into the
garden would go the cow.

Being a farm family, both pigs and cow....

George Shirley wrote:
On 11/19/2010 7:32 PM, phorbin wrote:
In ,
dude says...

Jersey Bessy will not produce milk until around the end of March.
Her
calf will need milk for a few months after that. I am hoping to get
some
milk around April. She did escape from her pasture two days ago, but
did
not venture far away. How in the world she busted through triple
welded
wire and without a scratch is beyond me. Now I am considering an
electric fence. My guess she almost weighs 800 pounds.

My grandma had a lead cow that perfected the art of leaning on
fences.

She'd lean until the fence broke and then took the herd through the
gap
with her.

They were never able to break her of the habit and being a farming
family...

We had a Holstein cow inside a two-wire electric fence. She ate the
grass up to within one foot of the wire, no closer. Unfortunately she
could tell, somehow, when the power went down. Once it did she was in
the vegetable garden within seconds.

The pigs would get out of the sty once in awhile, they would go
through the electric fence squealing like crazy, taking the fence
down, into the garden would go the cow.

Being a farm family, both pigs and cow....

I found the cause today. Surprisingly the fence failed at a week point
where the fence ends meet with connector wires. After repair and made
the fence stronger, put her back into the pasture. First thing she did
is run straight to the week point and leaned into it, this time she
failed. I have greatly under estimated the intelligence of cows. She
must have been testing the fence looking for an escape.

--
Enjoy Life... Dan L (Garden in zone 5a Michigan)

On 11/20/2010 9:08 PM, Dan L wrote:
George wrote:
On 11/19/2010 7:32 PM, phorbin wrote:
In ,
dude says...

Jersey Bessy will not produce milk until around the end of March.
Her
calf will need milk for a few months after that. I am hoping to get
some
milk around April. She did escape from her pasture two days ago, but
did
not venture far away. How in the world she busted through triple
welded
wire and without a scratch is beyond me. Now I am considering an
electric fence. My guess she almost weighs 800 pounds.

My grandma had a lead cow that perfected the art of leaning on
fences.

She'd lean until the fence broke and then took the herd through the
gap
with her.

They were never able to break her of the habit and being a farming
family...

We had a Holstein cow inside a two-wire electric fence. She ate the
grass up to within one foot of the wire, no closer. Unfortunately she
could tell, somehow, when the power went down. Once it did she was in
the vegetable garden within seconds.

The pigs would get out of the sty once in awhile, they would go
through the electric fence squealing like crazy, taking the fence
down, into the garden would go the cow.

Being a farm family, both pigs and cow....

I found the cause today. Surprisingly the fence failed at a week point
where the fence ends meet with connector wires. After repair and made
the fence stronger, put her back into the pasture. First thing she did
is run straight to the week point and leaned into it, this time she
failed. I have greatly under estimated the intelligence of cows. She
must have been testing the fence looking for an escape.

You want smart animals get pigs. Darned things are escape artists and
can run like greased lightning. Cows are dumb alongside a pig and both
are stupid alongside a mule. I've had experiences with all of them where
they figured things out. Had an old mule that learned to open the gate
out of her enclosure. Was a simple thing, a loop of wire over a gate
post and the fence post, never had a critter figure it out before but
Kate did. She got out one time to many and Mom shot her with my .22
rifle while I was at school. Seems Kate got out and headed for the
kitchen garden each time. Dad and I drug her out into the pasture with
the FarmAll Cub tractor and burned her, too much trouble to bury a mule.

Friend has a Golden Retriever who can open the screen door, has the
handle you have to push to open and the dog figured it out. Now they
have to lock the door to keep him in.

OB: edible gardens, harvested enough broccoli crowns today for dinner
tonight. Also need to harvest a bunch of sweet chiles and have about a
six-quart bucket of hot chiles ready to pick. Okra has pretty much given
up but the tomatoes are putting on fruit again. If we don't get a hard
freeze this winter we might make it.

George, in USDA Zone 9b

George Shirley wrote:

[SNIP]

Friend has a Golden Retriever who can open the screen door, has the
handle you have to push to open and the dog figured it out. Now they
have to lock the door to keep him in.

OB: edible gardens, harvested enough broccoli crowns today for dinner
tonight. Also need to harvest a bunch of sweet chiles and have about a
six-quart bucket of hot chiles ready to pick. Okra has pretty much
given up but the tomatoes are putting on fruit again. If we don't get
a hard freeze this winter we might make it.

George, in USDA Zone 9b

My dog is a yorke. He is always with me outside. My little dog comes and
goes as he pleases though the doggie dog. Still alive and going on six
years old.

My gardens have been put to rest for the winter. One small salad garden,
4x12 ft, just off my back deck. A canning garden, 20x20ft fenced in. A
third raised bed garden under development, 50x100 ft, for cutting
flowers and for small fruits, a five year project, soil all clay. Some
day I would like a small greenhouse in that area. Money is tight now
that I am retired... For the time being

I look at this way. Beyond fruit and vegetables, eggs and milk to me are
useful food groups. Almost every recipe has milk or eggs. However, if
funds get too tight, Bessy will be the first to go. She is expensive and
takes allot of space, time and work. Chickens are super easy. Chickens
are easier than removing weeds or taking care of a dog.

Will be starting some seed kits indoors in February.
Also got my first seed catalog yesterday from pine tree.

http://www.nadrhel.com/

--
Enjoy Life... Dan L. (Garden in zone 5a Michigan)

Dan L wrote:

I found the cause today. Surprisingly the fence failed at a week point
where the fence ends meet with connector wires. After repair and made
the fence stronger, put her back into the pasture. First thing she did
is run straight to the week point and leaned into it, this time she
failed. I have greatly under estimated the intelligence of cows. She
must have been testing the fence looking for an escape.

Time for some beef. Domesticated animals are supposed to be selectively
bred for docility.

George Shirley wrote:
On 11/19/2010 7:32 PM, phorbin wrote:
In ,
dude says...

Jersey Bessy will not produce milk until around the end of March.
Her calf will need milk for a few months after that. I am hoping to
get some milk around April. She did escape from her pasture two
days ago, but did not venture far away. How in the world she busted
through triple welded wire and without a scratch is beyond me. Now
I am considering an electric fence. My guess she almost weighs 800
pounds.

My grandma had a lead cow that perfected the art of leaning on
fences. She'd lean until the fence broke and then took the herd through
the
gap with her.

They were never able to break her of the habit and being a farming
family...

We had a Holstein cow inside a two-wire electric fence. She ate the
grass up to within one foot of the wire, no closer. Unfortunately she
could tell, somehow, when the power went down. Once it did she was in
the vegetable garden within seconds.


We had a horse that would test electric fence. He would lean forward very
slowly and caustiously until a whisker or nose hair would touch.

He also mastered the art of pulling out pig-tailed pickets with his teeth.
The power would be on so he would lean over the wire and grasp the top of
the insulated ring on the picket, pull it out of the ground and drop it.
When the picket went down the wire went down and he stepped over.

He could also open a gate that was fastened with chain and hook if there was
no safety ring on the hook by simply pulling the hook out of its staple and
then jiggling the gate with his shoulder until the chain worked loose. He
did this trick before dawn on a very frosty winter morning, we got a phone
call from a neighbour saying "did you know all your horses are running up
and down the road?".

David

On 11/21/2010 11:50 PM, Dan L wrote:
George wrote:

[SNIP]

Friend has a Golden Retriever who can open the screen door, has the
handle you have to push to open and the dog figured it out. Now they
have to lock the door to keep him in.

OB: edible gardens, harvested enough broccoli crowns today for dinner
tonight. Also need to harvest a bunch of sweet chiles and have about a
six-quart bucket of hot chiles ready to pick. Okra has pretty much
given up but the tomatoes are putting on fruit again. If we don't get
a hard freeze this winter we might make it.

George, in USDA Zone 9b

My dog is a yorke. He is always with me outside. My little dog comes and
goes as he pleases though the doggie dog. Still alive and going on six
years old.

Our old rat terrier had to be put down at age 11.5, she had cancer
really bad. About broke our hearts. Less than a month later we got
another rat terrier and now she has stolen our hearts. Both learned to
use the dog door quickly. One goes through the back door into the garage
and another is in the west wall of the garage. I've seen the terrier go
through both doors so fast they seem to make the same sound at the same
time. Usually they are after squirrels, a primary pest in our gardens.


My gardens have been put to rest for the winter. One small salad garden,
4x12 ft, just off my back deck. A canning garden, 20x20ft fenced in. A
third raised bed garden under development, 50x100 ft, for cutting
flowers and for small fruits, a five year project, soil all clay. Some
day I would like a small greenhouse in that area. Money is tight now
that I am retired... For the time being

We've been in this house for twenty years now. We have a veggie garden
that is 17X24, a back fence garden that is 3X70 and a west side garden
that is 3X75. Not to mention the odd flower beds, etc. In the backyard I
have two plum trees, a peach tree, a Japanese persimmon, a St. John's
quince, and two kumquat trees. Did have a nice pear tree and a nicer
lemon tree. The winter of 2009/2010 did them both in, we had several
hard freezes for the first time in our twenty years here. Luckily the
pear and the lemon are self-propagating and we now have scions that have
come up from the roots. I will replant them in better places come January.

I look at this way. Beyond fruit and vegetables, eggs and milk to me are
useful food groups. Almost every recipe has milk or eggs. However, if
funds get too tight, Bessy will be the first to go. She is expensive and
takes allot of space, time and work. Chickens are super easy. Chickens
are easier than removing weeds or taking care of a dog.

No livestock of any kind in our small town, the only thing we can't do
anything about are the grackles and the squirrels, the whole blamed town
is a wildlife refuge.

Will be starting some seed kits indoors in February.
Also got my first seed catalog yesterday from pine tree.

http://www.nadrhel.com/

I had bad luck with Pine Tree last year and the year before, very low
germination rate on the seeds I had ordered. Since we are planning on
moving back to East Texas next year we may not plant a spring garden.
I'm hoping to find a place somewhere around Livingston, TX that has
about a half to one acre that we can afford and then start my orchard
and gardens all over again. Livingston is about an hour drive from where
our descendants, all eighteen of them, live. Close enough to visit but
not so close they will drop the great grands off for us to baby sit.
Devious minds are old minds. G

George Shirley wrote:
On 11/21/2010 11:50 PM, Dan L wrote:
George wrote:

[SNIP]

Friend has a Golden Retriever who can open the screen door, has the
handle you have to push to open and the dog figured it out. Now they
have to lock the door to keep him in.

OB: edible gardens, harvested enough broccoli crowns today for
dinner
tonight. Also need to harvest a bunch of sweet chiles and have about
a
six-quart bucket of hot chiles ready to pick. Okra has pretty much
given up but the tomatoes are putting on fruit again. If we don't
get
a hard freeze this winter we might make it.

George, in USDA Zone 9b

My dog is a yorke. He is always with me outside. My little dog comes
and
goes as he pleases though the doggie dog. Still alive and going on
six
years old.

Our old rat terrier had to be put down at age 11.5, she had cancer
really bad. About broke our hearts. Less than a month later we got
another rat terrier and now she has stolen our hearts. Both learned to
use the dog door quickly. One goes through the back door into the
garage and another is in the west wall of the garage. I've seen the
terrier go through both doors so fast they seem to make the same sound
at the same time. Usually they are after squirrels, a primary pest in
our gardens.


My gardens have been put to rest for the winter. One small salad
garden,
4x12 ft, just off my back deck. A canning garden, 20x20ft fenced in.
A
third raised bed garden under development, 50x100 ft, for cutting
flowers and for small fruits, a five year project, soil all clay.
Some
day I would like a small greenhouse in that area. Money is tight now
that I am retired... For the time being

We've been in this house for twenty years now. We have a veggie garden
that is 17X24, a back fence garden that is 3X70 and a west side garden
that is 3X75. Not to mention the odd flower beds, etc. In the backyard
I have two plum trees, a peach tree, a Japanese persimmon, a St.
John's quince, and two kumquat trees. Did have a nice pear tree and a
nicer lemon tree. The winter of 2009/2010 did them both in, we had
several hard freezes for the first time in our twenty years here.
Luckily the pear and the lemon are self-propagating and we now have
scions that have come up from the roots. I will replant them in better
places come January.

I look at this way. Beyond fruit and vegetables, eggs and milk to me
are
useful food groups. Almost every recipe has milk or eggs. However, if
funds get too tight, Bessy will be the first to go. She is expensive
and
takes allot of space, time and work. Chickens are super easy.
Chickens
are easier than removing weeds or taking care of a dog.

No livestock of any kind in our small town, the only thing we can't do
anything about are the grackles and the squirrels, the whole blamed
town is a wildlife refuge.

Will be starting some seed kits indoors in February.
Also got my first seed catalog yesterday from pine tree.

http://www.nadrhel.com/

I had bad luck with Pine Tree last year and the year before, very low
germination rate on the seeds I had ordered. Since we are planning on
moving back to East Texas next year we may not plant a spring garden.
I'm hoping to find a place somewhere around Livingston, TX that has
about a half to one acre that we can afford and then start my orchard
and gardens all over again. Livingston is about an hour drive from
where our descendants, all eighteen of them, live. Close enough to
visit but not so close they will drop the great grands off for us to
baby sit. Devious minds are old minds. G

I never ordered anything from pine tree, just the first seed catalog. I
purchased seeds from Baker Street heirloom seed company. I too had a
poor germination rate. I believe many of these seed companies buy seeds
from a common source. I tend to have good rates with Johnny Seeds.
Johnny Seeds does not have that wide variety of heirlooms. I still have
not gotten into seed saving for veggies. I seed save for my annual
flowers.

My little yorkie is great mouser, almost like a cat. The Ospreys do not
seem to bother him.

Many communities now allow Hens to be raised. Especially in suburban
areas. No roosters but most certainly egg laying hens. Chickens are
really super easy to take care of. Convert a garden shed. Punch a hole
in the garage. If you do no need to mow the back yard.

--
Enjoy Life... Nad R (Garden in zone 5a Michigan)