Howdy from the high mountain desert in southwest Idaho

[WhiteSageFarms]

Hello all!

My name is Laurie, I live in the desert in Idaho on a 6 acre farm with my goats, cats, chickens and terriers.

I just started making cheese in January 2010, so I'm a novice but I'm addicted & obsessed with it already... 

So, here's the scoop on my cheese so far:
I seem to have my Chevre down alright, but my first cheddar turned out dry, salty, and hard.
It doesn't taste anything like cheddar, more like a Feta in flavor, but the salt is overbearing.
It's only good on salad, otherwise it's chicken food!

I have 2 new cheddars about 1 month old, 1 Manchego about 3 weeks old, and a French Tomme that I made this weekend. They're aging in a wine cooler that I found on Craigslist. I'm thinking I need to find another one soon, as this one is getting filled up already.

All these cheeses were made out of milk from my La Mancha doe, "Paradise". I have 4 yearling dairy does that will be bred next spring, so hopefully I'll be milking them soon after that.

I've recently applied at a few universities in the northwest that offer degrees in agriculture with dairy focus, and some in depth cheesemaking going on! This is all due in part to my midlife crisis 

I've been visiting this wonderful Cheese Forum for several months and I'm amazed at the wealth of knowledge and all of your willingness to share it with each other. It's amazingly civil and positive here!

Thanks for reading my introduction, you're an amazing group.

~Laurie
www.whitesagefarms.com

2 photos of my La Mancha doe, "Paradise"

[iratherfly]

Welcome to the forum Laurie!

Laurie and I have been chatting a little using private messages. I am glad to see her posting!

[FarmerJd]

Welcome to the forum. Sounds like a great setup.

[Mondequay]

Welcome Laurie! Sounds like you have it all! Thanks for sharing the pics; I can almost read your cat's mind.  You will find the help you need here for that cheddar.

[mtncheesemaker]

Hi and welcome!

[Cheese Head]

Hi Laurie, welcome, I used to live in Calgary and been to N Idaho Booner's ferry & Sandpoint on road trips to Spokane but sadly have never made it down to SW Idaho, good to see you've joined, have fun!

[cdonaghe]

Welcome Laurie,
  You have come to the right spot for all kinds of information on cheese as you have already discovered.

Charles

[JMB]

Welcome and isn't this a wonderful site 
I have noticed that some goats have short ears like your's in the photo.  Is that part of the breed?  I was a dairy farmer for 25 years--cows not goats-- and have wondered about that since I saw it first time.
THanks
J

[WhiteSageFarms]

Hi J, Yes, the short ear pinnae (I had to look that up on Wiki to find out what it's called:-) )
are a distinctive characteristic of the American La Mancha breed. They were developed in the United States by a woman in Oregon in the late 1940's. Their milk is high butterfat and they are friendly and docile goats.  I'm starting to breed the "American Mini LaMancha" as well as the standard size. The mini's are still a good size goat.

I found some interesting history about the ears after looking on Wiki- turns out they have genetics from short eared dual purpose Spanish goats with the same name from La Mancha, Spain. The goats were brought over by Spanish Missionaries.

Thanks for the welcome!
Laurie

Here's one of my mixed breed dairy doelings WITH ear pinnae! LOL

[WhiteSageFarms]

Thank you everyone, for the nice welcome!

Laurie


www.whitesagefarms.com

[ConnieG]

I'm a little late in chiming in - I'm new as well and live in NE UT.  Our Guernsey cow came from Parma, ID and we have dear friends in Emmet. I admire what you are doing and say: "You go girl"!

[WhiteSageFarms]

Hi Connie! Thank you! Maybe we can get together for cheesemaking sometime! Lucky you getting a beautiful Guernsey cow! I have good friends in Emmett, and worked at an internet provider there for 4 years, and I go there about once a month... and I drive through Parma frequently.  I've often wondered about the name Parma when I drive through there, because of the Italian province with the same name. I don't think there's a big Italian population in Parma, Idaho! There's a creamery there named "Rollingstone Chevre", they have a nice herd of Saanen goats-but no Italian cheese LOL. 

I hear Vernal is really growing and busy now with the gas fields/pipeline being developed down there!

Thanks again!
Laurie

[iratherfly]

Hey, if one of the best Prosciuttos in the world is made in Iowa, I don't see why Idaho can't produce the best Parmigiano Reggiano. I mean, they won't even break the EU DOP rules, Parmigiano Reggiano just means "Region of Parma", that would still be truthful!

[ConnieG]

Laurie,

Small world!  Vernal boomed big, then busted overnight, and has sort of evened out a little.  A cheese making time sounds great.  We could make a Parma or a Romano with cow and goat milk! 

[WhiteSageFarms]

I like your logic! Now I need to find out if I like that type of cheese!

Hey, if one of the best Prosciuttos in the world is made in Iowa, I don't see why Idaho can't produce the best Parmigiano Reggiano. I mean, they won't even break the EU DOP rules, Parmigiano Reggiano just means "Region of Parma", that would still be truthful!