Welcome to the journey,the tale and the saga of our
Homestead.

Monday, April 27, 2009

No luck today.

The best laid plans don't always pan out or how ever the ending of that saying goes. I went to two stores today looking the Rennet I would need to make the Mozzarella,no such beast at either store. I did get some helpful information from the woman working the Cheese Counter.This nice lady gave me a card for KooKooLan Farms.The card states they are the only local seller of Cheese making supplies.The down side, they are about 45 minutes west of my house, in a beautiful area around Yamhill Oregon. I looked around their website,nice looking farm and classes. They do have cheese making supplies along with meat,eggs and a very small CSA.KooKooLan is at the Hillsdale Farmers Market on Sundays starting this weekend.This means I can call them ahead and they will bring the Rennet I need to the market for pick up.Much closer than the drive,my Dad lived out that way and it is nice out there but the gas would add to the cost of making the cheese.
I also saw on their website Cheese Making Classes as well as other Farm Skills for $50.The Cheeses class includes a cheese tasting and $10 towards anything they sell.I am going to save up some money and look into these classes, might be kind of fun and yet another skill to add.Today the website did not list what the Farm Skills classes are but they offer them everyother Saturday.
If any of you are taking our butchering class and want some more information about "Real"chicken there is a good blog listing on KooKooLans blog page through their website.I did not know that the cut up chickens and ground chicken are made from birds who were treated roughly at the big plants.This treatment causes brusing and discoloration.To save what the plant can they keep the good looking parts for cut up chicken and the less bruised parts become ground chicken.I am so glad I don't buy the ground chicken.The more I read about these large farms the more I want to raise my own full time.
The day was not a total loss.There are always other tasks to do.I baked cookies and tried a new Dark Ale Bread receipe.As I write this the bread is still raising so I can not say yet wither we liked it or not.If it turns out good I will be sure to post the receipe next time.
Rois

2 comments:

  1. What kind of rennet do you need? will "junket" rennet work? Also you might want to talk to Maeve up in Oly, she is really into the cheesmaking thing and would be a good resource

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  2. We just got rennet ourselves and look forward to trying it out! I do hope you post about it. BTW-the link to the kookoolan has an error.

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