i don't think I've piped up here before, so let me take a minute to appreciate the passion, the depth, the detail of what you're doing here. I'm not a cheesemaker (not yet, anyway) but this sure makes me want to roam, sample, experiment, and get back into fermentation in general. salute!
Amazing information and beautifully written. Thank you for keeping my feral cheese flame alive as my cows are close to freshening and I get ready for another milking and cheese making season. So much creative and lateral thinking opens up as the elemental truths of the fermentation process become part of us.
I opened your post just to save to read later but I got grabbed and carried all the way through and I’m so glad I did. Kind of a bleak morning over here in all ways and this snapped me out of - reminded me of brightness and beauty and butter - thank you.
Fascinating read as always. I'm curious about this idea of feeding colostrum to the dogs as I've always understood it to be a rare elixir of calf-goodness that's essential to inoculating the little vitelli with microbes and motherly nutrients. Unless the calf will soon be slaughtered for their abomasum / meat? Is that what you were hinting at when talking about the veal culture of this dairy region? Thanks!
The calf is drinking the colostrum as well, they are probably milking the colostrum out to make sure the udder gets completely emptied once or twice a day. This is important to ensure the cow will produce high levels of milk. After the colostrum passes, they will begin using the milk for cheese.
Thanks! I am making tons of butter that I put in plastic and freeze, but this could be another whey...hehe I also make string cheese, so I will be playing with this concept soon. I love my wild cheese, still going from the kefir grains you shared with me 2 years ago. Always lovely cheese.
You're a Richard Schultes of sorts, an ethonopastoralist investigating the living cultures still thriving in the unsterilized fissures of the world. I feel this is incredibly important work, we must not lose the old ways, but come to understand them.
The global microbiotia are our friends, here to help in every aspect of life. From the emerging entheogenic consciousness culture to the healing of our guts, those of us who are paying attention see the vital role these invisible helpers play in the experience of being alive.
I am a grateful supporter of your work. Perhaps one day a book will come of this. And then another...
A heartfelt thank you, deeply grateful for your work. I wonder, have you ever seen anyone milking into ceramic vessels? Or making in them? I imagine it would be a similar protocol, daily use and keep whey in it.
My interest is peaked at the time capsule of preservation methods foraged from the same land with the intent of immediate consumption. And the resourcefulness of land based packaging for storage and transport.
Man thanks for sharing all your first-hand experiences of this magical process. Altho the story was long, I couldn’t keep my eyes away from it till the end !
i don't think I've piped up here before, so let me take a minute to appreciate the passion, the depth, the detail of what you're doing here. I'm not a cheesemaker (not yet, anyway) but this sure makes me want to roam, sample, experiment, and get back into fermentation in general. salute!
Thanks Johnathan, I’m happy that to spoke up. There are so many paths to out there to explore.
Amazing information and beautifully written. Thank you for keeping my feral cheese flame alive as my cows are close to freshening and I get ready for another milking and cheese making season. So much creative and lateral thinking opens up as the elemental truths of the fermentation process become part of us.
great content as always trevor! Perrone has been on my to-visit list for so long but you just gave me many reasons to actually go there soon
I hope you do, it’s a special place. The real deal.
I opened your post just to save to read later but I got grabbed and carried all the way through and I’m so glad I did. Kind of a bleak morning over here in all ways and this snapped me out of - reminded me of brightness and beauty and butter - thank you.
Thank you, this encourages me to keep doing this, to know words can cross space and carry meaning.
Wild food is a marvel! Please keep learning, writing, and sharing!
Fascinating read as always. I'm curious about this idea of feeding colostrum to the dogs as I've always understood it to be a rare elixir of calf-goodness that's essential to inoculating the little vitelli with microbes and motherly nutrients. Unless the calf will soon be slaughtered for their abomasum / meat? Is that what you were hinting at when talking about the veal culture of this dairy region? Thanks!
The calf is drinking the colostrum as well, they are probably milking the colostrum out to make sure the udder gets completely emptied once or twice a day. This is important to ensure the cow will produce high levels of milk. After the colostrum passes, they will begin using the milk for cheese.
Ahh okay cool, thanks Trevor!
Why is the whey from Italian cheeses more milky than others? I love your reports. Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge
In many countries where ricotta is not made, there is great care taken to cut curd “efficiently” to prevent loss of fat into the whey.
In Italy I’ve seen a tendency to cut violently and roughly, resulting in a more milky whey. But the fats are not lost, they are recovered in ricotta.
Thanks! I am making tons of butter that I put in plastic and freeze, but this could be another whey...hehe I also make string cheese, so I will be playing with this concept soon. I love my wild cheese, still going from the kefir grains you shared with me 2 years ago. Always lovely cheese.
You're a Richard Schultes of sorts, an ethonopastoralist investigating the living cultures still thriving in the unsterilized fissures of the world. I feel this is incredibly important work, we must not lose the old ways, but come to understand them.
The global microbiotia are our friends, here to help in every aspect of life. From the emerging entheogenic consciousness culture to the healing of our guts, those of us who are paying attention see the vital role these invisible helpers play in the experience of being alive.
I am a grateful supporter of your work. Perhaps one day a book will come of this. And then another...
That’s a huge compliment, and I wouldn’t be doing this if not for the experiences I’ve had with plant and amphibian medicines.
The first book is on the way!
Fantastic news!
A heartfelt thank you, deeply grateful for your work. I wonder, have you ever seen anyone milking into ceramic vessels? Or making in them? I imagine it would be a similar protocol, daily use and keep whey in it.
My interest is peaked at the time capsule of preservation methods foraged from the same land with the intent of immediate consumption. And the resourcefulness of land based packaging for storage and transport.
Thanks Wren. I really like this phrase, “land based packaging”. It’s an avenue of natural cheesemaking I’m keen to explore.
Man thanks for sharing all your first-hand experiences of this magical process. Altho the story was long, I couldn’t keep my eyes away from it till the end !
Another good one. I always look forward to your letters. Thank you.