When I first began making cheese with goats milk, I was disappointed with the results. There were hardly any notes in my cheese books on augmenting recipes for goats milk, and my cheeses were turning out dry and with lower yields than my cows milk had given me, even though my goats milk had arguably more cream to it!
Over time I learned more about the differences between cows and goats milk. I learned that I had to be far more gentle with the milk and curds during cheesemaking with goats milk than I had realized. I also learned to “read” the curds and stop stirring in a recipe much earlier than when I had used cow milk. I started developing my own recipes using different techniques to achieve creamy cheeses with a high yield and delicious flavor. I also wanted my recipes to be simple and straightforward, without any fussy extra steps. They had to fit into my busy days, and not be so particular that I wouldn’t be able to step away from the cheespot to tend to a child or teach a reading lesson if needed.
My mentality toward many parts of my homestead has been, “If I can make it myself, why would I buy it?” This DIY spirit is what first led me to begin making our dairy products at home. If I has a fridge full of milk I definitely didn’t want to be spending money on dairy products; especially when I could make far more tasty and nutrient-dense versions at home!
As I shared my love for making cheese from goats milk online, I realized that many homesteaders who kept dairy goats didn’t realize that making hard and aged cheeses from their milk was even a possibility, or else they were overwhelmed by the idea of diving into something that seemed as complicated as cheesemaking. So I started creating a course specifically designed for busy homesteaders, mama, and homemakers, with recipes designed specifically for goats milk.
This course is not about making fancy cheeses, or even about making the very best possible cheeses (although, I guarantee that with practice you’ll be making some pretty darn good cheese), but it is about filling your fridge with cheese from the abundance of milk you already have at your disposal. For many of us, homestead cheesemaking happens in the corners of an already busy day. It’s the sort of thing we learn to fit into the fabric of life. It’s one more pot on the stove; one more bowl on the counter; one more bit of beauty and sustenance to add to the list of homegrown foods that will nourish the family.
These recipes have been written for you, busy Homemaker.
From one busy Homestead Mama to the next, these recipes are the sort that can be added into a full-to-bursting day and still produce something beautiful and edible and nourishing in the end. I learned cheesemaking with a baby first in my womb, and then bundled on my back or carried on my hip. These days I make cheese with a busy toddler at my feet and two bigger kids doing homeschool at the kitchen table. We use our homegrown dairy products multiple times every day, and each time I pull out a fresh wheel of homemade cheese to slice or shred and add into our meals, I am once again blown away by the beautiful alchemy of sunlight to grass to milk to curd to aged wheel of cheese, ready to bless us with nutrient-dense goodness.
That blessing of a fridge full of homemade cheese is 100% attainable for you too. And I’m here to say that it’s really not as hard as you might think. I even wrote a course to help hold your hand every step of the way.
Your goat-loving, cheesemaking friend,
Sarah
