Why does this keep happening to me :(

[jazz]

I used home made buttermilk, but this seems to happen to my feta as well as my other hard cheeses Even when I use the frozen, mesophilic DVI. This one was just a "farmers cheese". So, I started at 86, added buttermilk , then rennet,  then it sat, then I cut the curd, slowly stirred for half an hour while it came up to 100. It all looked sooo  beautiful when I put the curds in the press and then even when I took them out 2 hours later (slowly increasing the pressure...) Then after sitting on the counter in my kitchen for 24 hours to dry off and allow me to wax it... it bulged out a bit at the bottom overnight and then when I cut into it (because I suspected something ) I found the same old holes... ugh!

I boil everything before I start.

[Gürkan Yeniçeri]

Pasteurize your milk even if its a shop bought milk and sterilize everything that gets in touch with your milk. It is a carbon dioxide producing bacteria that is lurking in there somewhere. Homemade buttermilk would certainly have it. Do you know what starters are in your frozen DVI?

[Stinky]

What shape mold is that?

[jazz]

The mold is a cylinder about five inches in diameter, stainless, that my brother in law drilled out the sides for me. I made the press from plans on fiasco farms website and use barbell weights to press.

I want to make unpasteurized cheese. hmmm carbon dioxide producing bacteria... I have many cultures fermenting on my counter... water kefir being the most active.... very bubbly mix. I also have sourdough starter and milk kefir, butter milk now and then and fil and piima cream.... I guess all their bacterias and yeasts are mixing in my kitchen's air and I don't actually have any of those things in its pure form anymore

Thanks I think that answers my question...
Maryann

[Sweet Leaves Farm]

Jazz I'm getting this book, when it comes out this summer: http://www.amazon.com/dp/1603585788/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=1O8T6E3GXF3ZH&coliid=I28D339XHKEO5M
It might have a few answers on how to keep your yeasts and bacteria in their own media.

[pastpawn]

Jazz I'm getting this book, when it comes out this summer: http://www.amazon.com/dp/1603585788/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=1O8T6E3GXF3ZH&coliid=I28D339XHKEO5M
It might have a few answers on how to keep your yeasts and bacteria in their own media.

That book looks pretty sweet. 

[pastpawn]

Pasteurize your milk even if its a shop bought milk and sterilize everything that gets in touch with your milk. It is a carbon dioxide producing bacteria that is lurking in there somewhere. Homemade buttermilk would certainly have it. Do you know what starters are in your frozen DVI?

^^ this.  Or airborne yeast from your kitchen.  I ferment beer/bread/kimchi/salami/cheese/sauerkraut/hot sauce/mead/pickles, I'm pretty careful with the microbes.  Don't cross the streams!

[jazz]

Thanks Andrew /past pawn

I have the book. .. I think my problem was I was using older milk...must use the fresh stuff... once past five days it's hard to get other cultures established.