Hello from the Willamette Valley

[Cloversmilker]

Hello all,

This forum looks very helpful for a novice cheese maker, and I am very pleased to have found it. 

I live in the Willamette Valley in Oregon and milk a little Jersey cow.  Since I have a day job, I can only make cheese on weekends.  Usually I do a 4-5 pound batch of a simple pressed cheese (jack, gouda, edam, ...).  I finally made a reasonable mozz a couple weeks ago, but honestly it came out more like provolone.  Here's a few pics, my cheese cave, my cheese press, my milk fridge with the brine jar on the top right, and my cow Clover.

Mina 
(Modified to post thumbnails.)

[Cheese Head]

Hi Mina, welcome!

I love the Oregon Coast between Newport & Lincoln City, especially in winter (big storms and less tourists).

Nice set up, FYI there is a how to post pictures in the FAQ Board, I just upload big files and the forum software shrinks them.

Happy Labour day weekend to all!

[smilingcalico]

I miss it up there.  I lived in Fall Creek outside of Eugene.  I worked at Ferns Edge Goat Dairy in Lowell.  Give them a call and take a tour!  I'm back in NorCal making cow cheese now.

[Gürkan Yeniçeri]

Welcome to the forum Mina.

[smolt1]

Smilingcalico

How could you leave Fall Creek, one of the most beautiful streams in the west, and only a couple of canyons away from where I live .

[smilingcalico]

I miss it a lot.  However when your boss (read wife) has a baby and wants to move to be closer to family, you do what you're told.

[smolt1]

Now I understand .

[Cloversmilker]

Thanks,

I will call Ferns Edge when I have time for a tour.  Too bad about leaving Oregon.  I've been here for 23 years now, and expect to be here for many more.

If there are Oregon home cheesemakers close to Corvallis who are looking for a milk source, let me know.  I have extra at times. 

Mina

[wharris]

I spent about 6 weeks in NewBerg Or last year. What an absolutely beautiful place you live in. You have so much great wine there you should have Pinot Noir flowing from the drinking fountains there.  People generally do not realize how much really good wine is made there that never actually leaves Oregon.

I just love the area.

Great wine area. Very rural too. Surprisingly so.

I was so impressed with Newberg and the Willamette Valley in general that I both learned how to pronounce "Willamette", and I shot a (very dumb) little video from my rental car.

newberg oregon

BTW, I still have a couple of bottles of Rex Hill in my cellar.
Cheers.

[smilingcalico]

Member flip.tiffy is in Eugene.  You might PM him and see if he's interested.