Author Topic: Cheese Making Room - Layout  (Read 28789 times)

MiaBella Farm

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Cheese Making Room - Layout
« on: August 18, 2009, 08:38:51 PM »
I am getting ready to build a new cheese room and wanted opinions...

What do you think of this lay out?

New Plan:

« Last Edit: September 16, 2009, 07:59:36 PM by MiaBella Farm »

FRANCOIS

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Re: Cheese Making Room - Layout
« Reply #1 on: August 18, 2009, 08:42:20 PM »
I think you cut and pasted the wrong layout, this one has hay storgae, feed troughs and hay racks in it.

MiaBella Farm

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Re: Cheese Making Room - Layout
« Reply #2 on: August 18, 2009, 08:44:17 PM »
I think you cut and pasted the wrong layout, this one has hay storgae, feed troughs and hay racks in it.

Fixed it...hubby's fault! He sent me the wrong link  ;)

linuxboy

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Re: Cheese Making Room - Layout
« Reply #3 on: August 18, 2009, 09:27:12 PM »
Where are you brining the pressed cheese? How about drying them afterward at a moderate humidity and temp environment before moving to the cave (this influences rind formation)? Also, where are you packing the aged wheels for retail? All on the table next to the freezer?

How is milk getting to the vat for heating? Manually?

FRANCOIS

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Re: Cheese Making Room - Layout
« Reply #4 on: August 18, 2009, 09:50:04 PM »
How is the vat heated?  In my cheeseroom in the states the inst. heater, valves etc. took up considerable space.  If you get the commercial RUDD you can run your sink and vat off it with an isolation valve.  Is it a combo pasteurizer (even more wall space needed)?

You are, in my opinion, better off putting the presses against the wall and the vat in the center of the room so you can work around it and a second person can assisit. 

Packaging etc, depends on what cheese you will be making.  With an aging room I assume you will be doing some hard cheeses.  It also depends on how you are allowed to sell it (i.e. cut form wheels at market or prepackaging required).  All in all ok, it's the finishes etc. that are important for durability.

Offline DeejayDebi

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Re: Cheese Making Room - Layout
« Reply #5 on: August 18, 2009, 10:08:32 PM »
Looks like you have plenty of space to fool around in but As Francois mentioned - presses can go almost anywhere vats and brining areas should be your first consideration. I'd put the brining area close to your aging room if I where you make it easier to wash your cheeses. Maybe even in the same room. Cheese on one side and brine on the other?

Good luck!

linuxboy

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Re: Cheese Making Room - Layout
« Reply #6 on: August 18, 2009, 10:14:10 PM »
Depending on your volume, you can use the 5-8 gallon plastic rectangular tubs (make sure they are food grade) to brine and as brine storage for washing. You can put these tubs on the lowest shelf in your aging room so they're easily accessible and movable if need be. They fit really nicely on most shelves, and as an added bonus help with the humidity a little.

MiaBella Farm

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Re: Cheese Making Room - Layout
« Reply #7 on: August 19, 2009, 01:30:55 AM »
Brining will be done in the chest freezer...I saw this done at another cheese place over the weekend, they just filled the chest freezer with brine water and from what they said, you never have to change it...it gets better with age...but you do have to add more salt when the levels are low.  I supposed I could move it into the cave, you see any problems with doing so?

The vat we don't have yet, just made space for future use.  I will start out making cheese on the stove and then get the vat at a later date.  Still looking for one that has a reasonable price tag.  But when I do get the vat, the milk will be put into the vat using a specific hose powered by the vacuum pump that is outside the building (covered of course).  The milk will be heated by water that is also pumped into the vat.

Since the presses will not be permanently affixed to the table they are on, I can move them and then I can do my packaging there for the market...I will be vacuum packing them in approx. 8 oz packages. OR I can do my packaging in another room that I already have available where I currently make soap and process the milk.

I will have some shelves in the main area that the cheese will sit on to form a rind, before going into the cave and I will also have a humidifier in that room.

THANKS for all the feedback!  This is very helpful!

FRANCOIS

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Re: Cheese Making Room - Layout
« Reply #8 on: August 19, 2009, 02:01:48 AM »
You have to boil your brine occasionally.  It's a contamination vector for listeria.

siegfriedw

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Re: Cheese Making Room - Layout
« Reply #9 on: August 30, 2009, 12:29:46 PM »
I don't know what the regulations are like in your state but my inspector (in NC) would require a central floor drain.

What material are you using to build it (bloc, poured concrete, framed etc)?

Any idea of cost you expect for this?

MiaBella Farm

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Re: Cheese Making Room - Layout
« Reply #10 on: September 16, 2009, 07:19:08 PM »
We are going to have a floor drain, it is not required by our County, but we are putting one in anyway, just in case.

The building will be on a concrete slab with 2x6 lumber walls, lots of insulation because my husband is an energy saving freak...and washable smooth surfaced interior walls.  The bathroom is a requirement as well...even though the building is about 20 ft. from my house!

We expect it to cost around $11,000.  We will get a break on the concrete slab because my father-in-law will be finishing it, as he used to work for a local concrete company and they give him a discount! ;)

Offline DeejayDebi

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Re: Cheese Making Room - Layout
« Reply #11 on: September 16, 2009, 09:22:02 PM »
Kewl! Can't wait to see it!

wharris

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Re: Cheese Making Room - Layout
« Reply #12 on: September 16, 2009, 11:48:52 PM »
A construction project that i am envious of....

siegfriedw

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Re: Cheese Making Room - Layout
« Reply #13 on: September 17, 2009, 01:20:41 AM »
"We expect it to cost around $11,000.  We will get a break on the concrete slab because my father-in-law will be finishing it, as he used to work for a local concrete company and they give him a discount!"

That is a real deal. Can he build on like this in NC for me for that cost?

siegfriedw

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Re: Cheese Making Room - Layout
« Reply #14 on: September 17, 2009, 01:21:51 AM »
".and washable smooth surfaced interior walls."

Can you tell me exactly what you are using for the walls?