Start of my cheese cave

Cheese making nut!!!

This weeks cheese progress is going really well.With 4 gallons of milk coming in everyday I'm mastering an art.

Garden update

This is the garden before it's planted.

Newest camembert recipe

2 gallons fresh raw goats milk
1/4 tsp. flora danica
1/8 tsp. penicillum candidum(neige)
1/32 tsp. geotrichum candidum
1/4 tsp. calcium chloride (diluted in 1/4 c. water).

Heat milk to 90 degrees. Add cultures, molds and calcium chloride.Let set for 90 minutes.
After 90 minutes add 1/4 tsp. rennet dissolved in 1/4 cup water.
Let this set for 60 minutes or until clean break is achieved. Cut the curd into 1/2 inch cubes.Gently stir for 15 minutes.
Let the curds set for another 15 minutes.
Pour off as much whey as you can.Ladle into molds.Wait and hour or two and flip the mold over.You will need to flip your cheese 4 or 5 times in the next 8 hours.
Leave the cheese in the molds overnight.
Take it out of the molds. Sprinkle with salt(non-iodized) on all surfaces.
I use 9 x 13 inch covered cake pans to age my cheese.I also use two sizes of grating to keep the cheese elevated and out of the whey.Tilt the cake pan about an inch.Use a folded piece of paper toweling at the end to absorb the excess whey.
Use the top shelf of your refrigerator to age your cheese(this is normally warmer).
I use a dorm sized refrigerator set to about 55 to age my cheese. When you see the mold growing you need to flip the cheese daily.When the cheese is totally covered in mold wrap it with celophane cheese wrap and continue to age it.It should be ready in about a month.This I'll let you know...

News from the kitchen today

I've managed to figure out how to make camembert and cheddar using my goats milk.
I've not gotten the aging perfect as of yet but I'm determined and I'm brave.
It helps that I've got a ton of goats milk.
I weaned the three remaining babies. They definitely aren't thrilled with me. But they'll get over it. A little less work in the barn without bottle feeding the babies.
Jade (one of my senior does) is due June 11. I'll be back to bottle feeding fairly quickly. She's getting huge. She still seems quite comfortable. The cooler weather is helping with that I'm sure.

Looks like this is all I've got time to post at the moment.

Have a great day.

Daily milking chores.

When I bought the goaties I'd imagined being able to feed myself and my friends. Little did I know I'd be running over with milk.My girls(all 5 of them) are at full production.This gives me 3 gallons of milk per day.Luckily for me I love milk and all of the products made with milk.
I was lucky enough to have been given a nice little refrigerator(4.4 cu.feet).I am aging my first attempts at camembert cheese.I must say they look beautiful.I'll let you all know how they taste in a week or so.
I've attempted mozzarella cheese. I haven't been thrilled with the end results but the dogs are willing to take my mistake and make them dinner.
I gave in and purchased a milk machine. Giles dairy supply put this together for me. Should be here next week. I'll let you know how well it's working.
Looks like I'm off to start the day.

Happy Monday!

Had a beautiful, restful weekend. Watched a couple amazing movies. I recommend August Rush. It was easily one of the most uplifting movies I've seen in a very long time. I also recommend Dan in Real Life and In her shoes. Both of them were worth my time. I've not spent this much time watching movies in years. This weekend was perfect for doing nothing more than regular chores. The weather is really starting to get to me. Today is supposed to begin the warm up. I'm so ready. Today I'm going to spend the day getting the orchard in better shape. I'll be posting pics.
Have a great day!