Next Meeting: Edible Rind, Scarborough
| April 5, 2010 | ||
| 10:00 am | to | 2:00 pm |
Our next meeting will take place in Scarborough at the newly licensed cheese makers Edible Rind.
Rennet Workshop Planned
| April 19, 2010 | ||
| 9:00 am | to | 5:00 pm |
The Maine Cheese Guild will be sponsoring a one-day workshop on cheese Rennet to be held at Little Falls Farm in Harrison, Maine on Monday, April 19th from 9am to 5pm.
At the beginning there will be a short lecture on the nature of rennet — how it works, why it is used in cheesemaking, and the different ways it can affect finished cheeses. Then Oregon cheesemaker David Peterson will lecture on his experiences using plant derived renneting materials to make traditional cheeses.
After lunch John and Mary Belding of Little Falls Farm will demonstrate step-by-step the methods for harvesting a goat-kid vel, preserving it, and then using it in cheese production.
Fees will be $175 for the general public, $150 for Maine Cheese Guild members (lunch included). For more information email info@mainecheeseguild.org. To reserve a spot (there will be a limited class size) send a check to
The Maine Cheese Guild
c/o Mark Whitney, Treasurer
Pineland Farms
32 Farm View Drive
New Gloucester, Maine 04260
Lost Forever?
The Associated Press reports on the possible demise of an ancient cheese from Alpine France: the Persillé de Tignes is now being made by the last of what used to be dozens of family cheesemakers in the Savoie village of La Savinaz. As these older varieties of cheese fade away, will newer versions take their place in the kaleidoscope of dairy flavors? Or will we forever lose a unique example of “milk’s leap toward immortality”?
[click on the image to see a larger version]
Hatchet Cove Farm CSA
Posted by admin in Opportunities on February 3rd, 2010
My name is Reba Richardson and I run Hatchet Cove Farm, a CSA farm in the Mid-coast. We have 130 members, and last year we paired up with Jennifer Betencourt to offer a cheese CSA to our members. About thirty of them participated. Since Jennifer is no longer with Silvery Moon, she recommended that I get in touch with the Guild to find out of there are other cheesemakers who might be interested in offering a cheese CSA for our members. We’d love to be able to continue to offer it!
Hatchet Cove Farm
Bill, Elias & Cecilia Pluecker & Reba Richardson
1133 Finntown Rd
Warren, ME 04864
207.273.3044
www.hatchetcovefarm.com
Mass Farm Looking for Cheesemaker
Posted by admin in Opportunities on January 31st, 2010
Available Position
Cheese-maker
To start immediately
Cricket Creek Farm is a small pasture-based cow dairy located in Williamstown, MA where we currently produce two award-winning cheeses. We are looking for a cheese-maker to help take our cheeses to the next level.
Who we’re looking for: a self-directed, well-organized cheese-maker with at least 1 year of hands-on cheese-making experience. The job will include attending various markets (holiday and summer farmer’s markets) and other “friend-building” events in the area. A willingness to engage in the farm beyond the cheese room and enthusiasm for marketing and sales is highly desirable.
We have two established cheeses that we intend to carry-forward. However, there is the opportunity for developing another cheese.
Salary will be commensurate with experience. On-site housing and healthcare included. Please contact Jude or Topher Sabot via e-mail, info@cricketcreekfarm.com.
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Cricket Creek Farm
www.cricketcreekfarm.com
(413) 458-5888
Equipment in Conn
Posted by admin in Opportunities on January 31st, 2010
This is from Gary at Cooperative Extension who received this list of equipment available for sale in Connecticut. The contact is just an email address, from which the owner would negotiate prices.
contact for the equipment below is agmcm6@aol.com
| Dairy Processing and Plant Equipment | ||
| No. |
Description |
Comments |
|
1 |
50 gal. Cherry Burrell Pasteurization Vat w/thermometers, recorder; s/n5692 | General use for milk, ice cream mix, sour cream, yogurt, etc. |
|
2 |
200 gal. Crepaco Pasteurization Vat w/thermometers, recorder | |
|
3 |
Separator, Delaval 340, tri-process unit with micrometer valve | |
|
4 |
Positive Pump, Waukesha DO 25. | |
|
5 |
Homogenizer, Crepaco #3 400 gph, Year 1956, s/n 350-2123 | |
|
6 |
Plate Cooler – 16 plates. Plate gaskets replaced | Gaskets replaced 11/06 |
|
7 |
Plate Cooler – 24 plates. Plate gaskets replaced | Gaskets replaced 11/06 |
|
8 |
Chester-Jensen Ice Builder, Model ML-6-8-4, built 1973, capacity 4,000 lbs. ice. | Replaced Ice Tank with used 4/07 |
|
|
3 HP Refrigeration unit, 19,000 btu/hr. | |
|
9 |
A72 Federal Filler & accumulation table. 7-valve, 1/2 gal & qts. | Updated & serviced by Agri-Services |
|
9.a |
Capper. Includes air compressor and filter/dryer. | New April 2007 |
|
10 |
Pump, Centrifugal, 1-1/2 x 1-1/2. | |
|
11 |
Centrifugal pump, #4, 1700 RPM, 1/2 HP | |
|
12 |
600 gal Mueller refrigerator transport tank. | |
|
13 |
Girton SA-2 6-wide Bottle Washer w/ conveyor to Filler, rebuilt | Rebuilt 1998 by Heritage |
|
14 |
Emery Thompson 20 Qt Ice Cream Freezer. Rebuilt R22 Freon Compressor | |
|
15 |
Burnham 10 HP Boiler, low pressure steam | New 1999 |
|
16 |
200 gal Cherry Burrell Cheese Vat, 2″ outlet. s/n C11275 | |
|
17 |
Cheese Press w/ hoops & followers. | |
|
18 |
Pipe Sink, Stainless Steel with 1-1/2 HP 3600 rpm pump | New pump |
|
19 |
Wash Sink, Stainless Steel. 2 compartments 30-gal. each | |
|
20 |
Parts Table, Stainless Steel | |
|
21 |
Five (5) Stainless Steel 10-gal cans with covers | |
|
22 |
Dump Tank, Stainless steel, 3 rails style | |
|
23 |
Vat, 100-gal., stainless steel | |
|
24 |
1-1/2” pipe & fittings for entire plant | |
|
25 |
Cases – plastic, for quart & ½-gal glass bottles | |
|
26 |
Walk-in Cooler, 3 Reach-in Doors & shelving. | |
|
27 |
Cherry Burrell CIP Portable Pump, 5 HP | |
|
28 |
Lot, Misc. Spare parts, gaskets, fittings, etc |
Meeting: State of Maine Cheese Co., Rockport
| February 15, 2010 | ||
| 10:00 am | to | 2:00 pm |
February’s meeting will be hosted by State of Maine Cheese Co. in Rockport. (There were not available spaces at UMO, unfortuately.)
A French Cheesemaker Re-evaluates Camembert
An article in the NY Times describes a re-evaluation of Camembert, including the use of pasteurized milk (which contradicts the AOC standard for Camembert labeled cheeses). Hervé Mons now sells a Camembert style of cheese made in France that adds less culture, drains the curds more, and ages/ships the wrapped cheeses at low temperatures to draw out the time before it starts to get soft. M. Mons was interviewed at Slow Food’s bi-annual cheese festival by food science expert and occasional NY Times food columnist Harold McGee. Mons described his ‘new’ method for making Camembert, which sounds quite a bit like efforts being pioneered here in the US at Oregon State University.
Guild Meeting
| January 12, 2010 | ||
| 10:00 am | to | 12:00 pm |
at the Agricultural Trade Show held in the Augusta Civic Center
