Time to make Cheese

[OneFineAcre]

We tend to leave our kids with their mama's longer because we are a little bit lazy

But this year we were very fortunate to sell bucklings from our best does as soon as they could leave. We are milking those girls now twice a day to keep in milk to the state fair. We have others that still have their kids but we are milking.
Any way, we are getting about 15 quarts per week. This is a weeks worth.

This is about 6lbs of Chevre. And we had another 4 quarts of milk after making this. This is why we mostly make Chevre because we have so much and have a number of "clients" who take all we can make.

 

[Hutch]

How many goats are you milking for 15 quarts? Have you tested for butterfat content? Is the recipe for the cheese posted?

 

[OneFineAcre]

We are milking 5 Nigerians. But, only two have no kids and are full time twice per day milkers. The others are kind of latchkey with their kids.

Plus, we are feeding about half back to kids. We also have one kind of thin doe and feed her milk back to her.

That milk is really coming from our two best does who give two quarts each per day. We have another who produces that much whose kid is leaving tomorrow.


No, we've never tested for butter fat. We were going to milk test this spring, but life got in the way.

My wife watched a video on Utube and kind of tweaked her own recipe. She get's a chevre specific bacteria from American Brewmasters in Raleigh. They are a beer brewing outlet but sell cheese stuff too.

Chevre is really easy to make.

 

[Baymule]

OK I just have to ask, how to pronounce chevre? Great milking results!

 

[Hens and Roos]

so how long did you store the milk before using it for cheese?

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Here ya go - pronunciation of Chevre (I've been doing it wrong all these years!)

 

[OneFineAcre]

OK I just have to ask, how to pronounce chevre? Great milking results!

We are definitely doing the 24 hour milk test at our spring show Memorial Day weekend.
Right now we are planning to test all of them even if we feel like they have no shot of getting a milking star mostly because for $10 to be in the test you get lab analysis on protein and fat for the milk.

 

[OneFineAcre]

so how long did you store the milk before using it for cheese?

We accumulated for about a week before we made cheese.
Maurine made the cheese in batches with 5 quarts of milk.
But, I know she has tweaked the process some to make with less milk.

 

[Hens and Roos]

We accumulated for about a week before we made cheese.
Maurine made the cheese in batches with 5 quarts of milk.
But, I know she has tweaked the process some to make with less milk.

so you just kept it refrigerated then till you were ready to use? I haven't read/know much about cheese making but you don't pasteurized the milk correct?

 

[Hens and Roos]

So do you find that the best way to store is in glass jars?