Author Archive
Boston Globe Boosts Maine Cheese and Wine
An article in Sunday’s Boston Globe spreads the word about all the good fermented products being made far to their north. Many thanks to Caitlin for spending a chunk of time with the writer, as well as boosting Open Creamery Day on October 10th.
Open Creamery Day Sunday, October 10
As the hardwood foliage bursts into a blaze of colors on Columbus Day weekend, take in the spectacular sights and come taste some award winning cheese during the Maine Cheese Guild’s annual Open Creamery Day. Visit many of Maine’s cheese makers in their creameries, meet the animals, and learn the stories behind Maine’s more than 150 artisan cheese varieties. Along the way you could also visit a farmers’ market, stop at an orchard, explore one of Maine’s premier breweries or winemakers, pick fruit at Maine’s legendary orchards, and drop-in on one of the many artisan bread makers our state has to offer. You’ll love the views, and the taste of Maine cheeses, straight from the source, will be the best memory of all!
A list of participating creameries and links to maps are added below:
Big E Cheese Competition Now Open For Entries
The Big E, New England’s regional agricultural celebration, will hold a cheese competition on Sept. 1st in advance of the popular event, which takes place Sept 17th through Oct 3rd in West Springfield, Massachusetts this year. Last year Maine cheesemakers won several awards at The Big E.
The Entry Deadline this year is August 5th. For information on entering visit their link here.
New Sponsoring Partner: Five Islands Farm
The Guild would like to thank Five Island Farm in Georgetown for becoming a Sponsoring Partner of the Maine Cheese Guild for 2010-11.
Our Sponsoring Partnership program will provide members with an easy way to forge relationships with Maine cheese makers to understand how and why they make the award-winning cheeses that are being recognized around the world as the best in their class.
Support from our Sponsoring Partners significantly contributes to important Guild work: exploring the world of cheese; developing and improving the skills of our cheese makers; and maintaining our high standards for transforming excellent Maine milk into a world class product. All of this will accelerate the training of new Maine cheese makers, as well as the development of new Maine cheeses by existing cheese makers, increasing the supply of outstanding Maine cheese in this state, and beyond.
If you would like more information about becoming a Sponsoring Partner of the Maine Cheese Guild, please contact our President, Eric Rector at info@mainecheeseguild.org
Meeting: Sunset Acres, Brooksville
| May 10, 2010 | ||
| 10:00 am | to | 2:00 pm |
Our May meeting took place at
Sunset Acres
769 Bagaduce Road, Brooksville, ME 04617
on Monday, May 10th at 10am. Brooksville is south of Castine on the Penobscot Bay side of the Blue Hill Peninsula.
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]
Meeting: Edible Rind, Scarborough
| April 5, 2010 | ||
| 10:00 am | to | 2:00 pm |
Our April meeting took place in Scarborough at the newly licensed cheese makers Edible Rind, which is located at 152 US Route 1, Suite 19, in the Scarborough Marketplace. Bob Smith hosted a nice meeting that took place in front of his beautifully designed and brightly lit space.
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 |
