Micro Dairy Designs equip?

[WovenMeadows]

Hello, are any professional cheesemakers out there using any of the MicroDairy Designs equipment (by Frank Kipe)? We're trying to put in a small creamery on our farm, and I've emailed with Frank about the equipment and it seems like it would be a good place to start. I'd probably be going with the larger, 45 gallon vat/pasteurizer to do a mix of fresh (pasteurized) and raw-milk cheeses. Also, with our initial small herd size (around 6 cows), I'm looking at his dual-tank bulk tank - it's sort of like a giant chest-freezer cooler, with two 30 gallon tanks built in. The benefit is that, given New York's 48 hour rule, milk that is approaching 2 days could be moved into the empty, clean tank, the previous one washed and used again, allowing us to make cheese every 3 to 4 days, instead of every 2 (or dealing with cans and can coolers, or somehow emptying and cleaning a larger bulk tank). Plus, the dual tanks could be used in a cream-separating situation as well (e.g. separate milk into the vat and cream into the second bulk tank).

[Tiarella]

Hope someone answers you and do keep us posted.  Equipment sized towards small operations is always of interest.  You might want to check out the ingenious set up that Sailor did.  Not sure where it's posted on this forum.  he's in Kentucky if I remember correctly.

[H-K-J]

Hope someone answers you and do keep us posted.  Equipment sized towards small operations is always of interest.  You might want to check out the ingenious set up that Sailor did.  Not sure where it's posted on this forum.  he's in Kentucky if I remember correctly.

here is the link

[steffb503]

I have a vat from Micro Dairy. Frank and his wife are delightful. I love the vat. I can make as little as 2 gallons and as much as 22 gallons.
It is easy to handle and clean.
Feel free to email me if you wish.

[terry@dairy fab]

steffb503,

What do you use for a curd knife in your Micro Dairy vat? I have had several customers in the past ask for knives for the vat, but always have a hard time coming up with a common answer because of the shape of the vat. I have never seen one in person. I commonly tell them to make a cardboard curd knife and sweep it around an empty vat to see what size will work best for their situation, but it would be nice if I had an idea I could recommend that has worked for others. any thoughts?

terry@dairy fab

[steffb503]

I just use a cheap one from The Cheese Maker but I plan to invest in a better one soon.

[xyztal]

I think Frank is actually developing a curd knife right now.... you can ask him.

[steffb503]

No his curd knife is not practical. I have the experimental one to try out.
It takes longer to assemble than use.
I will be working with him to design one. If you have any input I can give it to him when he is here next week.