We got goats because my husband is lactose intolerant and I always wanted them.
We moved to Arkansas in 2010 from SW Florida – bought property and created a farm. Neither of us or our families were “farm” people but I’ve always been an animal lover and have wanted the Homestead life.
We have an abundance of milk so – cheese!! One goat turned into several, more cheese supplies, a milk room, you know it mushrooms…
When the milk flows, I get the pigs – great for excess, whey and mistakes. We have the best tasting bacon!!
I still have a lot to learn with cheese but I keep trying. This week I made a cheddar and mixed in diced sun dried tomatoes and messing with vegetable ash and soft cheese. Not sure of results yet.
We still have outside jobs off the farm – I work in the radiology department of the local hospital as an X-ray tech and also at a local restaurant (American Artisans) and my husband is a nurse at a nursing home.
Still marvel though at making a pizza with our own sauce, garden veggies and my own cheese!
It is very satisfying to go into the root cellar and see lined up mason jars with the fruit of your labor, wheels of cheese in the “cave” and a freezer full of homegrown meat.
Right now, I am milking 4 goats, 3 Oberhaslis and an Alpine.
I also have a herd of meat goats (around 20), 2 horses, a donkey, not sure how many chickens, 2 Duroc pigs and will be adding a miniature Jersey May 3rd. She is a first time freshener so I’ll be teaching her (and me!) about milking. She is due to calf in September.
My long range goal for cheese is to make a mild, slice-able everyday cheese that will be my go-to recipe that I can say “boy that’s just perfect!” I would also like to attend a workshop one day and visit an artisan cheese dairy to see if that will be my retirement job!
Dutch Keen says
What a fun life. We bought 10 acres of unimproved land 20 years ago, but when old age and a stroke caught up to me, I decided to sell the property, which I regret to this day. But, what’s done is done!
Jeri Case says
It would be great if we could all go back and re-live our lives! Thanks for your thoughts.
Roy says
Great article. Love hearing about our cousins and the farmers they have become.
Bob Albers says
I’m in love with the cradle you made for ageing the blue cheese. Which species of wood did you use? It’s little things like that which make a difference.
April says
Hi Bob,
We followed up with Beth-Ann about this and she stated it is maple, and she got it at Hoeggers, but it is not available any longer.
Amy Monette says
This is just fabulous!