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GENERAL BOARDS => DAIRY FACTORY - Butter, Cheese, Ice Cream Making => Topic started by: Alpkäserei on October 09, 2012, 12:33:21 AM
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We are starting a small cheesery in central Indiana.
Our operation has a major focus on tradition. We are doing things in a much older fashion than anyone else that I am aware of in this country. We are focused on crafting our cheeses and other products by hand, and part of this means that our methods and equipment are far from modern.
Our cheese is produced in a 40 gallon copper vat, heated over a wood fire.
The cheese is inoculated with a traditional whey culture.
mixing and cutting is, for the most part, done entirely by hand. A machine mixer is only used during the final cooking stage as this allows a single cheesemaker to do everything -he can give all of his attention to the fire and the heating rate of the cheese.
The curd is drawn out by hand
Even the building is traditional -built using hand tools in the style of the Bernese Alps.
I personally traveled to Switzerland and learned about cheesemaking first hand.
-we call our cheese 'Oberlander Käse' or just 'Oberlander' (named for the region from which the cheese comes) By law, we can't call it by it's local name, Berner Alkäse.-
Our cheese production will include a number of cheeses derived from the traditions of the Berner Oberland region of the Swiss Alps.
Oberlander, our principle cheese. A hard, full-fat, raw milk cheese with a complex, spicy flavor. Long aged (up to 3 years)
Mutschli, a softer cheese (The Swiss call it halb-hart or half hard, but in this country it would be considered a hard cheese) with a milder flavor than the Oberlander, aged up to 6 months.
Raclette, a sweeter cheese with a mild flavor, perfect for melting. The Swiss melt their Raclette over bread and potatoes, it can also be used in cooking or eaten plain.
Ziger a cheese made from the whey, similar to ricotta.
In addition to our hand crafted alpine style cheeses, we also plan to offer cheesemaking courses, which will cover the different cheeses ranging from the relatively easy to make Mutschli to the difficult Oberlander.
Gehts Guet!
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Hi Alp, Just saw this post. Do you have a website with photos of your place? it sounds so interesting and I'd love to see what it all looks like!
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Yes where's the pix's ;D
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Yes, enquiring minds want to see!! ??? LOL
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I had forgotten this post..
all I have right now are work in progress pictures. The building is under construction still, and likely very little will be done during this winter.
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I love construction photos so don't worry about boring me.... ;D
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OK, here are some pictures of construction progress.
(http://i538.photobucket.com/albums/ff345/HiddenOrder/IMG_0923.jpg) (http://i538.photobucket.com/albums/ff345/HiddenOrder/IMG_0914.jpg) (http://i538.photobucket.com/albums/ff345/HiddenOrder/Blockbauten/IMG_0762.jpg) (http://i538.photobucket.com/albums/ff345/HiddenOrder/Blockbauten/IMG_0795.jpg) (http://i538.photobucket.com/albums/ff345/HiddenOrder/Blockbauten/IMG_0781.jpg) (http://i538.photobucket.com/albums/ff345/HiddenOrder/Blockbauten/IMG_1011.jpg) (http://i538.photobucket.com/albums/ff345/HiddenOrder/Blockbauten/IMG_1027.jpg) (http://i538.photobucket.com/albums/ff345/HiddenOrder/Blockbauten/IMG_1032.jpg) (http://i538.photobucket.com/albums/ff345/HiddenOrder/Blockbauten/IMG_1036.jpg) (http://i538.photobucket.com/albums/ff345/HiddenOrder/Blockbauten/IMG_1053.jpg) (http://i538.photobucket.com/albums/ff345/HiddenOrder/Blockbauten/IMG_1056.jpg) (http://i538.photobucket.com/albums/ff345/HiddenOrder/Blockbauten/IMG_1060.jpg)
The building is further along now, but I don't have yet any recent pictures.
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A bit of an Update,
construction is coming along, the walls are up. Now for a roof...
Here are a few pics as it stands right now:
(http://www.forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/29312/IMG_0953.JPG)
(http://www.forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/29312/IMG_0956.JPG)
(http://www.forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/29312/IMG_0957.JPG)
Legal wise, things are coming into place to. We've more or less got the go ahead for copper and they seem to approve our methods and approaches. We have to work out a firebox system now that meets there standards, as I suspected, no open fires allowed.
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Very impressive. How remote is this location? What provisions for water and power do you have? When do you target as the date to be up and running (making cheese)?
Sorry, more questions. ??? What do you plan for cellaring/aging? How many square feet or square meters is this building? Will your cheeses be made by a local herd of animals (owned by you)? If not, how will this dairy be supplied with milk? Is there a milking parlor nearby or will the milk be trucked in?
I'm very curious.
-Boofer-
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not as remote as you might think.
It's about 50 yards or so off the main house on our old farm -the house which is around 150 years old.
Water will come from the farm's existing well. I'll have to run a pipe and probably a softener unit just for the cheese house, but that's no big problem.
the local REMC will run electric to the building for free, they don't have far to go.
The aging room will be in the cellar of the farmhouse, which naturally maintains very close to the proper environment year round. There will need to be a little remodeling first to bring it up to code.
We'll have our own cows, about 8 to start so we can run a 40 g batch every day. Haven't built the parlor yet, but it will be a few feet off of the cheese house, with a concrete walkway to cut down on crud.
We aim to have facilities in working order by fall, maybe a few batches of cheeses late summer/fall then get things going around March or late February 2014, Lord willing.
I'm waiting on a phone call from the bank, financing will dictate how fast I can get things going. Those numbers are the farthest out targets, I want to get going as quick as I can.
The cheese house itself is fairly small. the make room is approx. 12x14, and there is a 8x14 room that will serve as a small shop space to sell some of our products. Above there will be a room that is the full 14x20, this will be office storage, and whatever else it needs to be.
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I hope you buys cows from herds tested free if Johnne's Disease since once that is on your property you can't get it off and there is some concern it survives pasteurization and is at the root of the surge in intestinal problems in people. It is endemic in the dairy industry and that's part of why cows don't get milked for 12 years anymore. I am careful about bio-security for the reason of wanting to keep certain diseases off my land and out of my herd and food chain.
Your building looks AMAZING!!!!! :D Very nice work. Reminds me of a video of a Swedish man making a house using just 2 tools. DO continue to keep us posted! :)
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That is fantastic !!
That is about the size of operation I am looking to start next summer , except I will be sourcing out my milk from a local farm.
Are you cutting all your own timbers with a broadaxe , that's almost a lost art these days.
What kind of wood is that?
Can you keep the bare wood exposed inside or does it need to be covered with something deemed more sanitary?
Definitely keep us posted with updates and more photos as it progresses.
Cheers , Jim.
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Inside will be insulated and paneled, make room paneling needs to be something smooth and paintable, I'll probably go with a good quality plywood with a durable exterior grade paint.
All is done by hand, yes it's lost out a lot in modern times, but more and more people are learning it.
Our tools are special, old tool I imported from Central Europe, not the same type of tools American pioneers would have been using.
The wood is all Eastern White Pine, except 1 maple beam, and roof beams are to be Elm. Rafters will be Southern Yellow Pine, floor planks fir and/or spruce.
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A modern Log Cabin Alpine Cheese Dairy. :P
Again...WOW!
-Boofer-
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I took some trees down on my property this spring and currently have 15 or 20 logs sitting in my yard.
Your photos inspired me to root out some of my grandfathers tools , two old broad axes and a peeling spud.
I am going to try hand hewing some beams out of them this weekend.
Keep up the good work and good luck with your new business.
Cheers , Jim.
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Amazing work!
for me this is very inspirational, as it is very similar to my operation but much nicer!(I love the hand made beams and woodwork)
I will be waiting to see your progress and hope you document your project with many pictures!
what breed of cows are you thinking on getting?
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Hello,
We will have Brown Swiss
Would be nice if we could get the original Schwiezer Braunvieh,
and some day I would like to have Evolener cows
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I just got 9 Brown Swiss heifers.
I also like Original Brounvieh a lot, do you think crossing the BS with OB is a good idea? (I understand they do it a lot in Switzerland)
Attached photo, and also from my cave (Raclette, Tomme, Blue, and Reblochon)
Luis.
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It's complicated.
With the 'mother breed' we have 3 classifications.
First there is the Braunvieh, the breed in switzerland
Then there is what we Call 'Original Braunvieh, which is an American breed taken from the Braunvieh, bred for beef (but still decent for milking)
Last there is the Brown Swiss, which is another variation of the Braunvieh, this bred for milking.
As for crossing, it has happened in all directions.
Swiss breeders have crossed some American lines into the Swiss Braunvieh stock, American breeders have recently imported new blood from Switzerland and crossed it into the local Brown Swiss Stock, and Original Braunvieh have been crossed both ways. Really all this is, is that farmers are getting different bloodlines. American Brown Swiss are descended from a few cattle imported up until the 1880s. Swiss cows carry on those and a number of other bloodlines. American bloodlines have maintained a strict pedigree from a certain line, because that is all that was available. Swiss breeders got hold of some of this line, and crossed it back into the parent stock.
Sounds complicated, that's how breeding works. We're always crossing lines back into each other. With humans, we'd call it inbreeding :o
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Thanks for the reply!
I have the American Brown Swiss version, but can purchase imported semen from Switzerland by the company : Select Star and Swissgenetics
http://www.selectstar.ch/Home.aspx (http://www.selectstar.ch/Home.aspx)
http://www.swissgenetics.com/ (http://www.swissgenetics.com/)
in their Original Braunvieh lines.
My Idea is to have a small pasture based grass fed organic milk production for my cheeses so that is why I was thinking on crossing with OB for the next generation
best regards.
Luis.
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Personally, I would contact the company(s) and get some info about their breeds and lines.
For example, they both list brown Swiss, are these the American Lines? Is their 'Original Braunvieh' the N. American version, or is it Swiss?
Also I have contacts in Switzerland, I may look up later the prospect of getting genetic material direct.
To me the idea of getting direct Swiss genetics is appealing, because it would really help me build up my Swiss image (good PR, you know) I've already gone to extra effort and spent a little extra $$$ for that image, as you can see above ;)
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Sprichst du Deutsch? So Klicke hier: http://homepage.braunvieh.ch (http://homepage.braunvieh.ch)
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And here: Information about Swiss and International breeders and breeding organizations.
http://homepage.braunvieh.ch/xml_1/internet/de/application/d8/d113/f121.cfm (http://homepage.braunvieh.ch/xml_1/internet/de/application/d8/d113/f121.cfm)
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thank you for the links
Sorry don't speak German but I do speak some French.
I have done some research, and found that in the European semen companies, they use the name "Brown Swiss" for the "American" lines witch are 100% dairy and are also very popular in Germany, Italy and Switzerland the cows are tall stylish, polled (no horns) high producing show animals
and the name "Original Braunvieh" for the real dual purpose (with strong emphasis on milk) Swiss cattle that are smaller horned robust cattle that are better at producing on pasture
in the semen catalogues they also have "Beef Braunvieh" in the Beef cattle section. and that lines are specific for meat production (US Braunvieh)
Best regards.
Luis.
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Thanks for sharing
I know of the abilities of the Swiss Braunvieh to better produce on pasture than other breeds -that is how most Swiss, at least Bernese Swiss, still manage their dairy herds. I have considered, and now am considering more strongly the notion of crossing my original Brown Swiss cows with European stock, and try to breed their grazing abilities back into them.
I'd love to get back into husbandry, my Grandfather was one of the finest horse breeders around.
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Over the next couple of months, I hope to build my dairy barn, it will look kind of like this:
(http://www.forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/29312/IMG_0633.JPG)
I took that picture near the Village of Reichenbach im Kandertal, in the Swiss Canton of Bern
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Nice Alp, NEED a carpenter???? ;)
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I am a carpenter, currently that's my trade. Though right now my only client happens to be, me ???
But anyone is welcome to come and lend a hand! ;)
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Yay! Back to the subject of the creamery. The discussion on cow.....ummmm....essence, kind of made lunch a little less better the other day! :o
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Yay! Back to the subject of the creamery. The discussion on cow.....ummmm....essence, kind of made lunch a little less better the other day! :o
You may have been referring to the Bull essence. ;)
-Boofer-
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Back to work on the Cabin (I never know what word to use there...)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpa1/t1.0-9/10481748_825151114180950_2182389451559399566_n.jpg)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xap1/t1.0-9/10349213_826558170706911_1181126690891486787_n.jpg)
(https://scontent-a-ord.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpa1/v/t1.0-9/10409492_827147340647994_617400693992151136_n.jpg?oh=f0086c84c03f30c4a5451329d53111f7&oe=54169274)
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Oh WOW! Nice work! When will it be operational?
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very rustic looking Alp ^-^ I like it :D
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Yeah, I'm afraid that tree in front of the window has to go.... ;)
Nice project. How many minions do you have helping you, or is all the work being done by you?
-Boofer-
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I've done a fair part of the work myself. Had some help at the very beginning -actually a workshop, where I taught some others about this building technique- But I've had some help off and on.
Tomorrow, I should get the ridge beam in place and maybe get everything ready to hang some rafters by evening, but also I will be getting a load of concrete blocks delivered some time so that will slow things down.
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(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-ALvWJWutLp8/U7ij39b4uII/AAAAAAAABa4/h9mpNupmtyY/w958-h719-no/IMG_20140705_211744.jpg) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-G2HXE3OcDRk/U7ikvssCDdI/AAAAAAAABbQ/642n1grnYxw/w958-h719-no/IMG_20140705_211825.jpg) (https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-r_pcIpLR4kQ/U7hBfDGntnI/AAAAAAAABac/Xo-jQq3KZbs/w958-h719-no/IMG_20140705_135118.jpg) (https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-vUmmVx1hJKA/U7g9-A7NFDI/AAAAAAAABZs/nEOMUjb_IRg/w958-h719-no/IMG_20140705_135129.jpg) (https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-HkX6bY-h8cM/U7bqyDu3IgI/AAAAAAAABX8/vlV7foDjzfc/w958-h719-no/IMG_20140704_133814.jpg) (https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-kLwjg40HSfM/U7bqGFwYytI/AAAAAAAABXY/ygAe23pCa1A/w958-h719-no/IMG_20140704_134118.jpg)
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just for a rundown on what you see here: (a bit of repetition from earlier)
This is initially to be where the cheese is made, and where my receiving station is. Later this will serve as my store, with other operations to be housed in another building to be built in the future.
This is a log building (not a log cabin) built in the Alpine style (interlocking passed corner joints, square logs, chinkless construction, posted ridge beam and hung rafters) which is quite a bit different from the log building style used in the Eastern United States.
Architecture is typical of what you would find in an agricultural building in the alpine and pre-alpine regions of most of the Canton of Bern (rough, unfinished logs, very generous roof overhangs)
We hewed the wall logs by hand from white pine logs. Eastern white pine is, in many ways, the closest thing we can get to the Alpine fir they use in Switzerland.
Other timbers are salvaged barn timbers from an old timber framed barn I dismantled.
The roof is decked with siding from this same barn
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I want to come and help.
I do have 45 years experience in carpentry and construction. :)
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We do have a facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/Kaesereigrimwald?ref=hl&ref_type=bookmark (https://www.facebook.com/Kaesereigrimwald?ref=hl&ref_type=bookmark)
Please like our page, and share it with your enemies. Also share it with your friends, that would probably be nice.
And soon we will be putting up Indiegogo and Kickstarter campaign pages, for any that are interested in helping us out.
I'll try and get some updated construction pics up later.
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I refuse to go on facebook, I was there way to long for the crap that is there
I hope your page works out
I do love your building 8)
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(http://www.forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/29312/IMG_20140716_114253.jpg) (http://www.forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/29312/IMG_20140716_114333.jpg)(http://www.forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/29312/IMG_20140716_114442.jpg)(http://www.forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/29312/IMG_20140716_114459.jpg) (http://www.forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/29312/IMG_20140716_114551.jpg) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-XymyZwz9hg0/U78DKdKvyQI/AAAAAAAABio/OkEwo6fJxco/w868-h642-no/IMG_20140710_171359.jpg)
Here are some photos a bit more up to date.
And here are some photos of the cellar I am remodelling to serve as an aging space and a little shop space in front.
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-cx0zUnytxCI/U8mNNlG8xaI/AAAAAAAABvU/U5gK7CtF2dY/w856-h642-no/IMG_20140718_170853.jpg) (https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-KnvxM-ICN4I/U8mNWebYbTI/AAAAAAAABvg/JyUvI6qwEP4/w856-h642-no/IMG_20140718_170904.jpg) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-LQjlpQIMLmE/U8mNjAOrqeI/AAAAAAAABvs/RTYXn4XPCnw/w856-h642-no/IMG_20140718_170917.jpg)
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Holy cow, Alp! That is absolutely beautiful, man! Thanks for the pics, and keep 'em coming! Good luck with the rest of it....!
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https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/kaserei-grimwald-traditional-handmade-cheese/x/8221101 (https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/kaserei-grimwald-traditional-handmade-cheese/x/8221101)
I haven't asked a whole lot of the community here, but would you please all consider reviewing this campaign, and share it around as much as you can! I'm seeking crowdfunding to help with a sizable chunk of my startup expenses. Right now I just need the campaign to be widely known. Thanks a lot.
This has occupied my time the last few days, I'm getting ready to go back to work on the cheese house, so I'll have more updates later in the week! Today and yesterday I cleared out a lot of large limbs and tree tops that littered the woods around the cabin from logging that had been done last summer.
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Hey Alp - proud to contribute to your work. Go get 'em!
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What great perks too! I know it's about helping out and not the perks, but it's 5pm right now and I need a cheese fix ;D
Hope your crowdfunding campaign works out!
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Best of luck.
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Hey thanks a lot guys!
For me, it is about the perks. I would rather offer something of strong value for contributions close to what the actual value will be. I don't want a handout! I'm viewing these crowdfunding ventures more from the perspective of raising funds through pre-sales of mt products and services. That is good for me too as a business, because not only do I get money right away, but I am also guaranteeing a broad dispersal of my goods, which is going to help me have the leverage I need to make other deals, like securing additional milk supplies, etc.
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(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-xl3H_1zaJgE/U9AgkcF36CI/AAAAAAAAB6s/2gxDZ6eWTGE/w958-h719-no/IMG_20140723_165021.jpg)
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It is too beautiful for words. It looks like it has been there for centuries. What a nice building to work in!
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Fantastic building , I love it !
You are very talented and I wish you all the best in this enterprise !
Keep us posted , and sooo looking forward to you commencing production in the new building , any idea when? , I imagine there is still a fair bit of work to do.
And I really like that copper kettle , did you get that from Switzerland ?
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Really there are only 2 things keeping me from making some batches right now, I'm waiting to see how funding goes (it's looking pretty hopeful right now) and I am waiting on some better equipment to arrive from Switzerland. I ordered a bunch of tools and such a few weeks ago, just need to wait for them to fly over here, and go through customs. I received confirmation today for the other half of my order, a new vat (400 lit. copper) and a stirring device customized to it.
The vat I have right now is about 150 lit, a little bit smaller. I had it made in the US (Caldwell Mountain Copper, in Virginia. I'd highly recommend it to anyone) but I needed a bigger one, and I wanted a real Swiss vat with the characteristic shape -because on a vat of this size, that shape helps you out a lot.
Today I want to try and meet with some of my potential milk suppliers and put some updated offers down on the table. One guy I am trying to buy out of Prairie Farms, and that's not easy (because once he's out, he'll never be back in) so I need to be able to guarantee him a long term deal.
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Where do you get all of your energy? :-\
Handcrafting a cheese chalet with Old World techniques and tools, and then making Swiss cheeses with traditional methods. Wow!
My hat is off to you, Alp, and I hope my meager contribution helps this vision to materialize. You are a true beacon in the cheese wilderness...in Indiana. ::)
-Boofer-
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I have to say that is a beautiful building and I wish you the best of luck on this project! I would send you one of my cows if I was closer!
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I'm very impressed with all you've done here. This is a great looking work environment. I wish you all the best in your endeavors. A cheese to you.
- Jeff
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I've been busy lately, including a weekend trip to New Hampshire (1000 miles away) due to the duties of my other profession...
Here's an update of things over the past while, got my first shipment of tools from Winkler AG in Konolfingen, BE, Switzerland. THis included forms (Järb and Vättere type -that is, slip forms and cylinder forms) A harp, a curd stirrer (not sure what to call it? In German it's 'Brecher')
also a good thermometer -a mercury thermometer, optimized for Swiss style cheese making (that is, 30 and 50 C are marked boldly to make quick referencing easy). It's mercury, so it is very fast and accurate.
A few other items as well...
Then on Monday, I made my first batch of cheese in the cabin, in a makeshift setup with my new equipment (Trying to figure out how to optimize my setup before I install shelves, counters, the press, etc.) This is a Mutschli made to a low temperature, so it will be fast-ripening. Cooked to 40 C, so it is ready after 2 or 3 weeks.
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-932Kn1B5_l8/U-kCQekFhTI/AAAAAAAACfc/pKJUUQYRIPk/w958-h719-no/IMG_20140811_134852.jpg) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-6CdRVdB8Q2s/U-klhpQtbII/AAAAAAAACh8/ROCHLS-MfwA/w958-h719-no/IMG_20140811_161852.jpg) (https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-cY7ytqfxnnE/U-p3d7HndNI/AAAAAAAACk0/6YBERNV76Ik/w958-h719-no/IMG_20140812_162133.jpg) (https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-1D1eQTUlWyA/U-qCEhfDDlI/AAAAAAAAClI/YKw0mvKjt2g/w958-h719-no/IMG_20140812_170626.jpg)
The Mutschli is pressed lighter than others, so as you see here you can get a lot of mechanical openings. THat's OK for this cheese, since it isn't aged for very long. Also the way I have them arranged in the press as you see here means they won't get a whole lot of weight on them. For other cheeses, they will be in the slip hoops stacked vertically to ensure maximum weight.
Also my actual press setup will have more room to allow the stacking of the cylinder forms as well.
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Nice Alp 8)
I'm sure you are excited about getting everything in it's place :)
a cheese for you, (I think you deserve it) ;D
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Thinks are not QUITE in their place yet, but these preliminary makes are certainly helping me figure out how I want things to be set up.
Here's another pic, some things have been moved around a bit:
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-YsXJ24AJmiY/U-0MyWunoHI/AAAAAAAACno/I5P_gfrm2Ro/w958-h719-no/IMG_20140814_152206.jpg)
I put sheets of plywood down over the dirt floor (I'll be pouring concrete next week) to make things a bit more hygienic.
I have also been trying to figure out how to use cylinder molds. I have never used these before, having always learned with the 'Järb'
In particular, I am trying to figure out how we can stack these without the whole thing toppling over. With the Järb that is easy, since they are wide they are quite stable. But the Vättere forms are tall and skinny, so they like to topple... It's all different.
So my experimentation led me to this:
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-x71zrHiy904/U-vDzYoKpqI/AAAAAAAACmw/5-8oaLlu1mM/w607-h809-no/IMG_20140813_155922.jpg)
Which is just a rough prototype. It's just a block that holds the forms from toppling over or kicking out.
THe only change is, I need a plate between the forms, because like this the cheeses can become lopsided.
I am much happier with the arrangement I have now for my press, I have a 9 or 10 foot beam (just pine, so it does not weigh much) with 1 1/2 concrete blocks on the far end. I can adjust my pressure easily by moving where I put the cheeses on the press table. FOr these skinny cheeses, I need to be putting them much closer to the end than I have been -I am squeezing too much curd out from around the followers.
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We are now offering cheesemaking classes at our location,
Käserei Grimwald
8308 E County Road 1225 S
Galveston IN 46932
Classes are available starting next week, can rely here or send me a PM if you have any interest.
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(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-rFPfYfkMRiU/U9_kVNN3TaI/AAAAAAAACRk/Zrdss8ANryc/w856-h642-no/IMG_20140804_154948.jpg)
We have more or less completed our main production area. Right now I am working on the design for the primary aging space which will be located in the upper level of this structure. Eventually I will build a separate aging space, but this will have to do for now.
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-xfP8mqO-nyY/VAnrnM-ddrI/AAAAAAAACqk/h2WNkWq76lg/w856-h642-no/IMG_20140905_125701.jpg)
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-t0ROz-1NvW4/VAnrc10L0II/AAAAAAAACqY/RzAmoPUZZYc/w856-h642-no/IMG_20140905_125646.jpg)
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-JPH97nHVwoU/VAnsxwR4CNI/AAAAAAAACq8/hk_DpdxLFfU/w856-h642-no/IMG_20140905_125730.jpg[img]Here is the space I will be outfitting for aging[img]https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-gDQZ7lRK3UM/VBS-cDgD3UI/AAAAAAAACtw/31isKinioHg/w856-h642-no/IMG_20140913_175931.jpg)
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-7qdRhinv_Cg/VBS-iVCs5_I/AAAAAAAACt8/RpOFkRgO6vg/w856-h642-no/IMG_20140913_175941.jpg)
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-lTm7sI2to2A/VBS-p0UM5yI/AAAAAAAACuI/7ILB3QtLsfE/w856-h642-no/IMG_20140913_175952.jpg)
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-M-GBRHw7Y_Q/VBS-yLSJz9I/AAAAAAAACuU/a5rMibqM8eg/w856-h642-no/IMG_20140913_175956.jpg)
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Hello all,
It's been a while since I posted an update here about the Käserei,
Things are coming along a lot more slowly than I had hoped, and I had to put things on pause for a couple months until I could get some more funds. Now I'm preparing to get back to work on the building and get things finished.
But I'd like to give an update to all those that are interested or have helped, because I've done a poor job lately of doing so.
Currently I am again in Switzerland on some business, and of course I've taken some time to inspect some cheese making facilities, eat cheese, and learn all I can from the top makers of the style(s) that I aim to produce. (This has even caused me to consider adding a special goat cheese to my inventory)
I'll upload some pictures later, but here's what's on the agenda:
I've expanded the roof on one side of the cabin and will be adding two rooms on that (east) side. One room will be a kitchen, where I will have the firebox for heating the cheese vat (I can't have a direct fire accessible from the make room)
The other room will house utilities and toilet.
I'll also be adding on to the front, creating a 4 foot deep entryway to serve a variety of functions.
Then, upstairs, I'll be adding a large smoke chamber fed by the vat fires and cook stove for the smoking of meets and some specialty cheeses.
Otherwise, the upstairs will be finished as either an office or a small apartment (or both)
I'm also going to be building my 'Spycher' or aging shack for my cheese, using 8 inch deep stacked timbers to make a thick walled structure with good thermal properties.
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WOW Alp
Sounds like fun 8)
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That's a beautifu setup!! Now you won't get homesick when making cheese!! ;D
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Hi David. I happened to click on the link for the video in your signature and that's where I first found out that you had tried another round of funding.
Sorry to see that it didn't satisfy your funding goals. As a supporter of your first funding effort, I'm wondering how you market the funding efforts, given that the one I signed on for was also disappointing. It says "Find This Campaign On Facebook" but I don't do Facebook so how would I have known about it if I didn't see it mentioned here? I think that first effort was very short duration also. What was the length of time of this recent effort that closed on May 15th.
And how are those cheeses coming that I bought last July?
-Boofer-
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Here are some pictures
If any of yall have Sketchup, I'd be more than happy to send you the model file that you can fly around and explore
I've actually made a few changes since these images were created. The addition on the east side will be made of concrete block, since I have like 8 pallets or so of block that I salvaged from a barn I demolished. The block will then be plastered over.
The first level floor plan has also been modified. The east (right side of the image) addition will be split between the kitchen and the milk room, with a big door on the front so the milk tank can be moved if I need to. What is labeled as the milk room will instead be a small shop space or maybe office.
The second level plan will also be a little different, in that the 'Kamin' or chimney hood will be moved to the other (east) side.
There are a few other minor changes, but I won't go into too great of detail. It will probably change more before I build it.
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/LL8WC4IbPlbZJ0OV7-SZXFG7soXyZIQ2-lCk8A_5oDs=w614-h416-no)
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Qnqmrt7t_aeCDZEnle1axF9EouB4NR58Z9k2g8wfWqU=w774-h416-no)
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/4RQSgd6fO0DWgE1xxXEu8Z66V417Vtfmj5tRv3k5z3Q=w1307-h731-no)
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/g-D6wywy85zochWnPn8FK3EsC6VVx33rPPoHLhXZL0I=w1307-h731-no)
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/hpwbn8xHw-Z9Cp0rrCSJUrX9_o5NFXyRuhMFe8rkxPg=w1307-h731-no)
ANd don't worry, the stove pipe doesn't actually go right through the middle of the log wall. It's all just a bit simplified on this drawing.
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What do you do in the kitchen?
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Sorry I just now saw I didn't respond to this.
I actually think maybe I did, but lost my internet connection in the process so the post never made it.
The kitchen is mainly just a place for access to the fires providing heat to the vat, etc. since I can't have direct access to he fire or ash from the make room. Of course, I'd like for it to be useable for more than just that so 'kitchen' seems an appropriate label.
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This is so beautiful. Any updates? Whats your aging space look like?
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Hello everybody, it's been a while. Been either busy or far away.
I'm waiting on grass right now, when the cows are out on pasture again I will be making cheese
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Great to hear from you Alpkäserei. I am looking forward to seeing your makes this year.
John
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Can't wait to see what you create!
What kind of cows do you have, how many, and what is your creamery set up like? How much cheese are you aiming to make?
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wonderful, pretty good.
I will keep you design and hope i can also build a house like that
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Hey David, how's the alpine dairy progressing? Haven't heard from you in a while. :(
Are you still waiting for the grass to come in? ;)
-Boofer-