I have this Idea

Slugmar · #1 07/02/11, 02:50 AM

Maybe I'm off my rocker or im out in left field but I have this idea that I can make a decent living off the land we own. I currantly raise meat goats and sale them, plus we do custom hay work in the summer time, I have a 2 acre garden we usually put in and sale produce (the weather this year with all the rain held me back), I raise chicken, ducks, turkeys and bunnies I sale chicken eggs and animals.

We just recently bought a young milk cow only 3 months now so we have a ways to go and once we do start getting milk I want to learn to process the milk into cheese and once im profecient with it I would like to be able to sale the cheese with my other items.

I know its alot of work but I think this could be done at a local level and make a decent living for oursleves. I was wondering do any of you sale cheese ?

lathermaker · #2 07/02/11, 04:55 AM

I don't sell cheese, but I know that in some states you have to have an inspected processing area if you are going to sell to the public. Might be a good idea to look into the legal aspects first.

Mountain Mick · #3 07/02/11, 07:37 AM

Hi Slugmar

I watched TV show the other day here in Australia on the modern artisanal cheese movement in the United States and mate I think if you are willing to work and become good at making great line of Farmhouse Cheeses and market in to shops in the big cities of by FEDEX of USPS etc, the world is your oyseter, you just have to open it anf find ther pearl. MM

http://cheese.about.com/od/domesticc...a/movement.htm

http://cheese.about.com/od/artisanal...se_society.htm

From Hudson Valley, New York is Coach Farm specialized in goat cheeses.
http://cheese.about.com/od/eastcoast...coach_farm.htm

http://www.coachfarm.com/

Wisconsin Cheesemaker Roth Käse Monroe, Wisconsin USA
http://www.roth-kase.com/aboutus.html

http://cheese.about.com/od/midwestch.../Roth_Kase.htm

California Cheesemaker Cypress Grove
http://www.cypressgrovechevre.com/

http://cheese.about.com/od/westcoast...ress_grove.htm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slugmar

Maybe I'm off my rocker or im out in left field but I have this idea that I can make a decent living off the land we own. I currantly raise meat goats and sale them, plus we do custom hay work in the summer time, I have a 2 acre garden we usually put in and sale produce (the weather this year with all the rain held me back), I raise chicken, ducks, turkeys and bunnies I sale chicken eggs and animals.

We just recently bought a young milk cow only 3 months now so we have a ways to go and once we do start getting milk I want to learn to process the milk into cheese and once im profecient with it I would like to be able to sale the cheese with my other items.

I know its alot of work but I think this could be done at a local level and make a decent living for oursleves. I was wondering do any of you sale cheese ?

eclipchic · #4 07/02/11, 07:46 PM

Its illegal here to sell farmstead cheese without a dairy license, we don't bother. I would do some research on your local laws before getting too invested in the idea.

Alice In TX/MO · #5 07/02/11, 07:49 PM

California.... over regulated, is my guess. If you have $100,000 lying around to build a cheese plant, go ahead.

Here's a good place to ask questions.

http://www.cacheeseguild.org/

Mountain Mick · #6 07/02/11, 10:17 PM

Were would we be if Noah said it to hard, yes of course before investing money you must invested time. And if it's your dream you will find a way. As wealth is only gained in one way (unless your born rich) and that is (the only way to accumulate is to speculate) and this is just in all ventures in life my friend. They told me forty years ago I was a lost cause and I was chucked on the scrap pile of misfit that could not read or write and ladled a dummy. I left school at 13 and half and have done quite well. have I would talk to people in the artisan cheese movement, as some of the people in the story that I talked about only had herds of a twenty to thirty goats or 6 to ten cows and there set-up certainly did not cost $100k to set up. Here a link I found it on-line

http://www.enhancetv.com.au/shop/pro...cat=332&page=6

MM

jwal10 · #7 07/03/11, 01:25 AM

Go for it....James

http://www.fairviewfarmdairy.com/

Mountain Mick · #8 07/03/11, 04:03 AM

Hi Watch this it great stuff.

Terry & Laurie are inspirational.

I always look a round for second hand gear. and You be surprised what you can find for sale on E-bay, I got a quote to set up a new parrot nursery stainless steel benchs and splach-backs brand new the new 4 meter X 5 meter room would cost $11,500AUD but second hand benchs with a mate fitting them and myself as labourer, Plus $200 for a chap to come out and weld up the stainless steel , the whole job cost just short of $1,500AUD a saving of $10,000AUD, still but the same job and I get a sence of accomplishment.

I read a story once about a group of Pilgrims that sail across the oceans and how with their steely grit and their ability to learn from the Natives of the land, has grown into one of the great nations,

As my Dad (R.I.P) would tell me and I tell my kids , You can do anything you set you heart on if you can dream it, it can be so.

I'm stepping of my soapbox, for now. MM

BRAND NEW PORTABLE COW MILKING MACHINE - DAIRYMAID

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/BRAND-NEW...item4155b3301b

BRAND NEW PORTABLE GOAT MILKING MACHINE - DAIRYMAID

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/BRAND-NEW...item41575bc9ce

steff bugielski · #9 07/03/11, 06:34 AM

I did it on a shoestring.
Really cheap.
Check out the regulations for your state number one. You have some time and hopefully you can do most of the work yourself. My biggest expense was the Vat. www.microdairydesigns.com

Best part is the last two Saturdays I went to the farmers Market with my cheese. I brought all I had available thinking I would just bring home what did not sell. Two weeks in a row I sold out. I brought home over $400 each day. And my busy season, Summer has just started. Not to mention I have not even approached the stores to sell my cheese. Well I have spoke to Whole foods and they want it, I just don't have enough to sell to them.

You can definitely do it.
I found some interesting wording in those regulations also. If you read them real careful there are many ways to save. My vat does not have a leak detection valve. That is a real expensive part but unless you are piping raw milk into it it is not needed. I pour milk in with a bucket. Saved me thousands.

eclipchic · #10 07/03/11, 02:32 PM

Here is your state's law. Its a STARK contrast from my state Indiana's laws on it so you have to keep in mind that many of us have had this idea and our state's laws make it so prohibitively difficult and expensive its not worth the trouble. Actually New York's law and yours are pretty similar at a glance. There are a lot of things I'd like to do in this state I live in that are too expensive to get into that its just not worth my efforts

http://www.realmilk.com/milk-laws-1.html#ca

eclipchic · #11 07/03/11, 02:34 PM

Steve- that Microdairydesign is really cool

Maybe someday........girl can dream

steff bugielski · #12 07/03/11, 03:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eclipchic

Steve- that Microdairydesign is really cool

Maybe someday........girl can dream

Why on earth does every one think my name is Steve? You are probably the 10th person on this board to call me Steve.

farmerpat · #13 07/03/11, 07:31 PM

It's quite obvious to me that Steff is short for Stephanie and that you are a female! My name is Pat, and I get mistaken for a guy all the time.

Mountain Mick · #14 07/03/11, 08:20 PM

Hi Steff

I love you web site and I see you run CSA, now this is a great Idea, we were menber of one about 30 years ago when live lived in the big smoke and a Family offered CSA membership, we would drive about 1 hour out off town and pick up out produce, they offered Fruits, Veggies & Fresh herbs and free range eggs and fresh poultry (duck, chicken & guineafowl), This is how I got my Wife Karin to make the big move over 800km to live that live we have never looked back.

And your Cheese sound great

, pit we are on the otherside of the planet. Thank you for sharing

. MM

Quote:

Originally Posted by steff bugielski

I did it on a shoestring.
Really cheap.
Check out the regulations for your state number one. You have some time and hopefully you can do most of the work yourself. My biggest expense was the Vat. www.microdairydesigns.com

Best part is the last two Saturdays I went to the farmers Market with my cheese. I brought all I had available thinking I would just bring home what did not sell. Two weeks in a row I sold out. I brought home over $400 each day. And my busy season, Summer has just started. Not to mention I have not even approached the stores to sell my cheese. Well I have spoke to Whole foods and they want it, I just don't have enough to sell to them.

You can definitely do it.
I found some interesting wording in those regulations also. If you read them real careful there are many ways to save. My vat does not have a leak detection valve. That is a real expensive part but unless you are piping raw milk into it it is not needed. I pour milk in with a bucket. Saved me thousands.

eclipchic · #15 07/04/11, 08:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by steff bugielski

Why on earth does every one think my name is Steve? You are probably the 10th person on this board to call me Steve.

Oh crap! I think I just glanced and my mind warped Steff into Steve. I'm so sorry!

JulieLou42 · #16 07/13/11, 09:03 PM

My electric 1/2 gal. ice cream maker doesn't have any drain holes. It requires a cup of cold water at the bottom, a couple of inches of ice, and 1/4c. rock salt spread evenly each time in alternating layers to the top of the ice bucket. Keep adding more ice AND rock salt, and give it about 20-25 minutes to freeze to a soft-serve ice cream. Start from chilled ice cream mix AND container in which it's put for freezing.

I prefer mine just finished, rather than hardened in the freezer, but will eat it hard frozen anyway. I wouldn't use anything but cream from raw milk in ice cream. Anything else is denatured food.