xii

PREFACE

Preface

xiii

Author at age fourteen showing her rst cow, Daffodil, at the county 4-H fair, 1976.

Finally I started thinking about something to milk. I wanted our family to have a source of better-quality food. I wanted to not have to use store-bought, factory-farmed milk to make our yogurt. So I went cow shopping. However, the reality of their size, their impact on the land, and the volume ofhow shall I say itpoop started to change the way I saw my future with the species. A neighbor at the time gave me an article from Mother Earth News that discussed dairy goats. Now, I had tasted bad goat milk. I had smelled bucks. I didnt think of myself as a goat person. But our youngest daughter wanted to be involved with this milking thing we were embarking on, and the idea of her, at age eight, trying to lead a big cow around was not likely to succeed. The article mentioned a goat breed that I had not known in my 4-H days, the Nigerian Dwarf dairy goat. They were cute, they were colorful, and best of all, they were little. Amelia was hooked, I was intrigued. The current of our life had shifted. I started learning how to make cheese before the goats arrived. Using Ricki Carrolls venerable book Home Cheese Making, I wowed myself and our friends by making fromage blanc and quick mozzarella. The magic of those rst batches is still fresh in my memory. And then we fell in love with the goats. A couple of years later Vern was getting close to retiring from the Marine Corps. We knew we could move back home to rural southern Oregon and live on part

Barn at Pholia Farm.

of my familys original farmland. But what kind of work could Vern nd that would both be fullling for him and allow me to stay at home, make cheese, ride the horses, and do art? By this time I was making hard cheeses, teaching some beginning classes, and having a ball. Vern had always been a cheese nut and a lover of all dairy products, so he had no complaints. Amelia and our older daughter, Phoebe, didnt seem to mind helping devour the spoils of my labor, either. Amelia and I had an idea: We could move back to Oregon and start a little cheese dairy. Vern was all for it. We were swept up by the intensity of the venture and have been holding on ever

112

DESIGNING THE FARMSTEAD CREAMERY

Cheese Central: The Make Room

113

TABLE 9-2: Cheese Vat Choices

Type Rectangular and Square Price Low moderate Availability Difcult to nd in small sizes Heat Steam or hot water Agitators Yes on larger units Curd Knives Yes Lid No Pros Easy to cut curd evenly; handles larger volumes well Cons No lid means more difcult temperature control; curd collects in corners during stirring More expensive than rectangular; cannot handle as large a volume

Round

Moderate high

Easiest to nd new; rare used

Steam or hot water

Yes

Yes

Yes

Curd doesnt collect in corners during cooking; easier to clean; lid helps maintain warmth Can pasteurize and serve as vat; same other pros as for round vat above Least expensive; more easily found used

Combination Pasteurizer/ Vat

Highest

Easiest to nd new; rare used

Steam or hot water

Yes, but speed control issue

Possibly

Yes

Most expensive; agitator speed sometimes too fast; often too deep for easy cleaning Concave bottom makes regular curd knives ineffective; small sizes only (1060 gallons)

Combination Vat and Pasteurizer UNIQUE AND RARE VATS Combination vat and pasteurizers (sometimes called hybrids) are units that have Believe it or not, there are a few copper cheese been modied to perform both functions. vats in use in the United States. They are fairly common in European cheesemaking situThe important thing to remember when ations, but inspectors in the U.S. have been considering a combo is that there is a differquite resistant to their use here. Companies ence between how milk is treated when it that have been able to use copper have had is being pasteurized as opposed to when it to convince the authorities that the type of is being handled for cheese. For example, cheese they wish to make cannot be duplithe speed at which a pasteurizer agitates the cated without the inuence of a copper vat. milk is too fast for stirring milk and curds when making cheese. So if you are buying a combination unit, be sure that modications are included to properly perform both processes. Reputable manufacturers (refer to appendix A for equipment resources) will be able to assist you with these choices. Another thing to keep in mind is that even though any pasteurizer can be used to make cheese, some

Steam Kettle

Moderate high new; low used

Easy to nd new and used

Steam or hot water

No

No

Yes

square vats are difcult to nd new and almost impossible to nd used. New vats can cost from $6,000 up depending on size and extras. Round Vats Round vats are more readily available in a wide range of small sizes (25 to 200 gallons and up). Most include agitators and knives. Most also have lids (which help maintain temperature during ripening and coagulation). Most round vats have a tipping mechanism that slightly elevates one side of the vat so that whey will ow toward the drain more easily. Round vats are readily available from several manufacturers new; it is rare to nd them used. If you are purchasing a new model, prices range from $12,000 to 20,000 depending on size and accessories, look for recommendations from other owners, as product and technical support are critical for initial setup.

TIP

Not All Vats Are Alike!

A vat pasteurizer is the same thing as a batch pasteurizer. These units are not necessarily ready for serving as a cheesemaking vat! Be sure to clarify with the manufacturer that you need a vat in which you can make cheese.
200-gallon van t Riet cheese vat (great reviews by cheesemakers on this Dutch companys service and products), with cheesemaker Alyce Birchenough at Sweet Home Farm, Alabama.

126

DESIGNING THE FARMSTEAD CREAMERY

afneur (cheese-ager): temperature, humidity, and air ow/movement. Then we will go over design, equipment, and construction options. Finally, we will discuss some unmentionables, such as cheese mites, that might be a future obstacle for you and your cheese.

The Aging Room: The Big Three Design Issues

When designing an aging space, there are three main factors to consider: temperature, humidity, and air (both air exchange and movement). Each of these factors will be inuenced by the volume and type of cheese being aged; your areas native inuences (weather and soil/earth stability and properties; also, if your building is underground); and the building structure and size. Because of the uniqueness of each building situation, there is no single book or guide that will be able to accurately tell you the perfect design for your aging space. By understanding the requirements for a good aging room, however, you will be able to evaluate the options for your space and successfully design a satisfactory aging room.
By understanding the requirements for a good aging room, you will be able to evaluate the options for your space and successfully design a satisfactory aging environment.

Temperature
Most cheeses age beautifully at between 50 and 55F (10 and 12.7C). Certain cheeses, however, such as bloomy-rind types (e.g., Camembert and Brie) and Emmentalers (eye-formation cheeses), will have unique needs at different stages in their maturation. It is obviously very important to know what type of cheese will be inhabiting your aging space. Quite often cheesemakers will have more than one aging room, even if one is a walk-in at 55F (12.7C) and one a commercial refrigerator at 38F. While many people simply plan on using mechanical, powerthirsty compressors to cool their space, if you plan well you will be able to greatly reduce, and perhaps eliminate, the need for equipment that will affect your prot margin by raising energy usage costs. I have written each of these sections under the assumption (and hope) that cheesemakers will attempt to design a system that is as energy efcient and environmentally friendly as possible. Often an aging space is constructed that can maintain a constant, year-round temperature in the acceptable range for aging cheese. But then, once that room is lled with cheeses, an additional cooling source must be added. The fact that aging cheese actually generates heat is often overlooked. The enzymatic processes occurring within aging cheese cause the release of energy, thus creating heat which is all fascinating, but what does it mean for you as the afneur? According to author Jean-Claude Le Jaouen in his book The Fabrication of Farmstead Goat

Young cheeses aging at Consider Bardwell Farm, Vermont.

148

DESIGNING THE FARMSTEAD CREAMERY

RELATIVE HUMIDITY IN STRAW BALES

A large straw-bale winery in California has extensively documented the hygrothermal (moisture and temperature) performance of its earth-plaster-covered straw-bale walls (see www.ecobuildnetwork.org). Part of the winery includes a wine barrel room where relative humidity is often 80 percent (still lower than most cheese aging rooms should be). The winerys study showed that relative humidity within the bales surrounding this more humid room pushed the limit of what is acceptable.

bale dryness over time and seasons (this is a common precaution with many straw-bale structures). At the time of writing, I know of no straw-bale aging room more than a few years old; therefore, I would advise that this construction method be approached very thoughtfully (see Relative Humidity in Straw Bales sidebar).

Concrete Culverts Pre-cast concrete culverts are rectangular culverts manufactured off-site, then delivered and placed. They can be ordered in many sizes, both in interior height and in length. They arrive on a semi-trailer and are put in place with a crane. They have similar advantages to the septic tank option in that they are engineered for being buried and supporting a great deal of weight, but they are much larger and a better choice for most cheesemaking operations. They are open at both ends, however, so you will still have to construct a back and front wall. Culverts can be placed side by side or intersecting. Poured/Sprayed Concrete Poured or sprayed concrete construction will give you the most exibility regarding design, the longest life span, and possibly the highest initial cost. The expense comes not only from the concrete itself, but from the amount of rebar and steel needed to make it structurally sound. You may be required to have an engineer provide details as to the construction (commonly called having the plan engineered), which will also add cost. The weight and composition of earth ll around the cave will dictate wall thickness and thus the amount and placement of steel (rebar) in the walls. While you may be tempted not to waterproof the exterior of a concrete aging cellar, remember that moisture can be almost as detrimental to unnished concrete as it can be to wood. Exposure to moisture will cause the inside walls to develop eforescencemoisture moving through the walls carries minerals that are deposited, leaving a white residue. In addition, while the aging room should be buried deep enough to resist freezing, should water enter a crack and freeze, then over time the whole building could be structurally compromised. The interior should be nished smooth and be cleanable. Ideally, you will be allowed to leave the interior unsealed to promote the establishment of an environment that promotes the benecial microora and microbial growth desired for cheese aging. Some inspectors will allow the use of a whitewash in place of a sealing paint. This old-fashioned paint is made from hydrated (masonry) lime, table salt, and water. If your inspector allows you to use this type of nish, you will preserve the breathability of the walls and add some antibacterial properties (as the coat-

A beautifully designed front entrance for the underground aging cave at Orb Weaver Farm in Vermont.

Hard cheese aging room at Neals Yard Dairy in London, England. Neals Yard gathers the cheeses of many small, British Isles cheeses and provides aging and distribution. Also in the picture is Culture cheese magazine co-founder and cheesemonger, Kate Arding.

There has never been a better time to be making and selling great cheese.
oday, more than ever before, the people who choose to become farmer-cheesemakers need access to the knowledge of established cheese artisans who can help them build their dream. Few career choices lead to such extremes of labor, emotion, and monetary challenge. In The SmallScale Cheese Business (originally published in 2010 as The Farmstead Creamery Advisor), respected cheesemaker, instructor, and author Gianaclis Caldwell walks would-be producers through the many, and often confusing, steps and decisions they will face when considering a career in this burgeoning cottage industry. People worldwide are consuming more high-quality, handmade cheese than ever before. The number of artisan cheesemakers continues to increase, and many of the industrys newcomers are farmstead

producersthose who work only with the milk of their own animals. This book lls the gap that exists between the pasture and cheese plate, and goes far beyond issues of caring for livestock and basic cheesemaking, explaining such business issues as: Analyzing your suitability for the career; Designing and building the cheese facility; Sizing up the market; Negotiating day-to-day obstacles; and, Ensuring maximum safety and efciency.

PUBLICATION DATE: April 9, 2014 media.chelseagreen.com/the-small-scale -cheese-business For media inquiries, contact Shay Totten, stotten@chelseagreen.com, (802) 295-6300 x 125 For retail orders, contact your Chelsea Green sales representative or Chelsea Green Publishing, jslayton@chelseagreen.com, (800) 639-4099 x 113 $34.95 USD ISBN 9781603585002 Paperback original 7 10 256 pages Color photos throughout Chelsea Green Publishing 85 North Main Street, Suite 120 White River Junction, VT 05001 802-295-6300

Drawing from her own and other cheesemakers experiences, Caldwell brings to life the story of creating a successful cheesemaking business in a practical, organized manner. The Small-Scale Cheese Business will benet the many small- and hobby-farm owners who already have milking animals and who wish to improve their home dairy practices and facilities, and it will be an essential book for anyone interested in becoming a licensed artisan cheesemaker. GIANACLIS CALDWELL grew up on a small family farm in Oregon, where she milked cows, ran a dairy-cow 4-H club, and learned to raise organic produce and meat. In 2005, Gianaclis returned to the property with her husband and their two daughters where they now operate Pholia Farm, an off-grid, raw-milk cheese dairy. Caldwell is also the author of The Small-Scale Dairy, a guide to producing and selling farm-fresh milk, and the award-winning Mastering Artisan Cheesemaking.