Greeting from North Alabama

[Karen in Alabam]

My husband an I bought a farm in North Alabama (moved from CT), 5 years ago. Came down with 2 cats, and started with bees. Now we have 7 cats, 1 dog, 2 beehives, 3 turkeys (lost 2 hens this year), a million chickens, 8 Bovines--two that I am milking now (one will be dry soon to get ready for a calf) and another who is calving soon, and 4 pigs.

I have lots of milk and have been experimenting with cheese. I found this site on Ricki Carroll's page or e-mail.

I have made Mozzarella and ricotta for a while now. Tried Havarti seems OK, but haven't tasted yet. Tried Edam--but will have to try it again. Did the quick provalone and had better luck with that then the longer version--turned that into something else (just did that last night). Also make Feta and cottage cheese and cream cheese and real sour cream. Husband won't eat it because it doesn't taste like store bought.

I am also on the Family Milk Cow forum and tried some cheeses off that forum. Also took the idea to make my own cheese press by looking at other's homemade ones, and it was easy to make and did a pretty good job. The one I had bought is only good for about a 2lb. cheese, so the bigger one is great.

I look forward to finding new recipes and ways to use my milk. Right now we get a couple of gallons a day and I can only drink so much and the pigs just love the whey.

[hoeklijn]

Welcome to the forum! I hope your husband learns to like your cheese (or is it convenient for you to have it all for yourself?). I'm living in The Netherlands in a small town near Gouda. Not having a farm myself (although my two kids sometimes behave like pigs), but I have access to both fresh raw goat milk as well as cow milk. Love to make feta or Cabra al Vino from goat milk and I make different types of Gouda and also lactic types as Brie and Cambozola.
I wish you lots of success making cheese !

[Karen in Alabam]

Thanks Hoeklijn,

I like Gouda cheese, especially smoked gouda--haven't had nerve to try it yet.

Seems like the first time I make cheese it comes out pretty good, the next time it is a disaster. I just unwrapped my provalone--nothing like the first time and I don't know what I did the first time. This is the 3rd time I made it and only the first time came out good, but then I put it in a container with the 2nd and it went bad and ruined my good one.--chickens liked it though.

I am always up for a new recipe. Have not tried bries yet, not sure what Cambozola or Cabra al Vino is but would love to try it (if its easy--have enough trouble with the easy ones).

[DeejayDebi]

Welcome aboard Karen! Wish I were down there with you!

[hoeklijn]

Hi Karen,

I would advise to stick to one or two easy recipes until you have stable results and expand your experience from there. Try to log everything, you can't expect to remember in detail what, how, when and how much. Find some books, such as "200 easy home made cheese recipes" from Debra Amrein-Boyes to be sure you have solid prooven recipes to start with, And work clean, also during milking.
And at last, I'm sure when you describe the problems you encounter here on the forum, you will get a lot of reactions... By the way, Cabra al Vino is a pressed goat cheese that is soaked in red wine for 2 days instead of being brined.

[Hans]

Hi
Do you pasteurise your milk for your Gouda i have not much luck with it  if you do can you give me your method
I have my own house cow and just started milking her 4 weeks ago so the milk is still very creamy withs I remove to stop the cheese become to fatty Wat is your idea on this
Thanks from New Zealand
Hans

[Cheese Head]

Karen, nice intro, welcome!

Hans, you don't need to past your raw milk, if you start a new thread with your method and problem I'm sure people here will help.