Cheese!

Now that my newsest sweet baby is 4 months old and sleeps at night (most of the time) I am starting to enjoy some of my hobbies again. I actually read a book. Amazing.

He's got respiratory issues still so I havent been able to make soap yet. I really need to though!

I have been feeding my bees syrup still. Nectar flow is around June sometime or the 1st of July around this valley, depending on which bee keeper you ask, so until then I am busy making a simple syrup for my bees every week. They are drinking about a quart every day or two. I'm also just stubborn enough to try taking the Journeyman level Bee Keeping course with my local bee association. This, in spite of the fact that most days I am so busy making bottles and changing diapers that I am still working at 10 pm- rushing a load of laundry and hiking out to the barn in the dark to milk the girls. I am determined to not just give up all the things I love!

In addition to the bees, I am going to learn a couple new cheeses this year. I just put in my order at New England Cheesemaking Supply for everything I'll need this season.

I have several cheesmaking books, including the two below, which are right up there with Ricki Carrol's great book, which is still my favorite even though it's not full of luscious glossy cheese photos.

I'm using this book first, and making Pyrenees, Romano, Cabra al Vino (a semi soft goat cheese soaked in wine), and I'm really excited about this: a mold ripened soft goat cheese called Crottin. That will be my 1st attempt at a mold ripened cheese. Wish me success!

I'm getting quite a bit of milk so I really need to use it up. I have been busy making chevre', feta, and of course icecream, but my aging cave (the fridge in the garage) is full of black mold from last year's cheddars aging in there and then me forgetting to turn the temp back up and letting it sit all winter. yikes. Anyway I need to get that cleaned and get busy with a supply of cheddar. Raw goat milk cheddar is so expensive to buy, and I can make it so I might as well. My husband loves the stuff.

 My lovely feta in herbs and oil awaiting to go to dinner with a salad :)

I think the best part of this arrangement is that after the cheese is all eaten up you can use the oil and goodies left in the jar to make a wonderous salad dressing. Just add some good vinegar.

My chore buddy with the Royal Palm turkeys. I love that I have another little guy helping me out on the ranch in diaper and muckboots! We are just waing on a court date for the adoption and then he's legal!! All in all, it's a great spring so far, God has certainly blessed and made us fruitful and multiplied around here with all the babies and critters and milk and eggs I am feeling very satisfied with it all.