When It All Comes Together

Many things on the homestead are trial and error. Without a doubt, homesteading is a lot of hard work. We shed a lot of blood, sweat, and tears to pull it together at times when we want to give up. It is a labor of love, and the rewards are very sweet. You learn to appreciate little things in life, and develop a sense of accomplishment and gratitude at the end of every day.

One of the greatest aspects of homesteading is a sense of camaraderie you develop with like minded friends. Neighboring homesteads help each other....like....neighbors! We have some dear homesteading friends that raise Nubian goats as well; in fact we consider our herds "sister herds" as we share many of the same genetics, we have similar goals, and we all work together.

Cheese making has been one of our goals. We have both made many different types of soft cheeses, but never took the plunge into making cheddar. This year my friend took the plunge and purchased a cheese press and 2 months ago began her first block of cheddar.

Yesterday she brought the cheese over and together we were able to taste the first fruits of her labor! Her first cheddar had aged 2 months and was ready for sampling! WOW! I was worried that it would be too "goaty" because of the aging, but was pleasantly surprised. The result is a very nice mild cheddar. The cheese will sharpen as it ages, 6 months is a minimum for sharp cheese.

We spent a good deal of time yesterday laughing and visiting, chowing down some really good home-made goat cheddar, some of my home-made smoked summer sausage, hummus (my first taste of hummus and I'm in love), and crackers.

My conclusion....I REALLY want a cheese press now! Cheddar is on my to-do list for next year for sure!!