I'm in Oregon

[Freeholder]

Hi, I just found this forum!  I've been keeping goats for most of the last twenty-six years, but only started having success with cheese-making a few years ago (prior to that I had three children still living at home and we seldom had any surplus milk!).  Right now I only have one doe milking, and she's getting ready to dry off, but by the middle of April I should have two does freshened and lots of milk pouring in.  Mostly I've been making kefir and some soft cheeses, but I really want to learn how to make hard cheeses -- although I think I will have to get another refrigerator to keep in the garage for aging them.  I'd also like to try Brie.  I already have two sizes of presses.

I live with my 96-y-o grandmother and my 29-y-o mentally handicapped youngest DD, work part time as a secretary/ministry assistant for the local Child Evangelism Fellowship office, have a small garden, a few meat rabbits, some chickens, and three goats -- two Oberhasli/Alpine does and a Nigerian Dwarf buck.  We all like cheese, including the soft goat cheeses I've been making, but cheddar and parmesan are the store-bought cheeses we use the most.  I'd get Brie more often if the budget allowed, and we like pepper jack.  I've made gjetost a few times, too, but you really need a wood stove to make that practical!

Kathleen

[justsocat]

Hi and welcome Kathleen!
At my opinion one can find the answer for almost any question at this forum.
Good luck with your further goat cheeses :)

[Cheese Head]

Hi Kathleen, welcome to the forum, several members here dairy goats (is that the right thing to say?), if you search this forum I believ ethere are a few posts on gjetost, primarily from some of the Finnish members I think.

Again welcome!

[DeejayDebi]

Welcome aboard Katheen!
You have come to the right place. There are many here with experience with goats milk cheeses that can help and those of us that have little experience with goats milk have a lot of experience with cows milk cheeses.

[Tea]

Good morning Kathleen and welcome to the forum.  I would love to make more goat's cheese, but unfortunately I can't get my hands on any fresh goats milk.  Of course the next alternative is to run a few myself.  lol and thus it begins.