# 2010 Goals



## Leo

What are your goals for this year? Aching to try any new cheese/dairy recipes? My to do list is thiiiiiiiiis long. How do ya'll narrow it down?


----------



## MiaBella Farm

Prioritize!

What do you want most? 
Will it help your business grow?
Will it accomplish other goals in your life?

Then go from there...


My goal is to begin making aged cheeses that I can sell at the Farmers Market now that I have my Manufactured Food License.

Then I want to add jellies to sell at the market along with my goat milk soaps that I already make.

In addition to all this, I want to still service my milk customers. Many of them that live nearby I see weekly...all of whom I enjoy visiting with.

All of these things wrapped up together will help me accomplish my ultimate goal of quitting my day job! :biggrin Probably not this year, but very soon!


----------



## Ziggy

Simple one here - Get Licensed! (by NCDA for cheese production/sales)


----------



## Bernice

Megan....I narrow mine down by what time allows and my budget. 

This year I want to focus more on building up my genetics again and getting back into the show ring. After that I want to make more soft cheveres and fetas, just for our use or for my firends. I also want to work on getting the standards again for making fudge from the state dairy dept. The last ones I had were 10 yrs old and I'm sure they are outdated. 

But, as I near retirement I want to work at having my goats milk fudge business legal and running. I've got 13 yrs so I am good!


----------



## mulish

I want to get an extra fridge - even a little one - with a thermostat control so that I can branch out from chevre and make some aged cheeses.


----------



## Xtra

I feel like such an outsider!!!!!!!

My goal is to learn how to like Goat cheese & milk....
after we sold one of our first Toggs (a Legendairy Togg - oh the milk was so creamy and good), I just can't get myself into the taste.
So in 2010, I'm going to figure out how to like it since my husband and daughter love it! 

Christina


----------



## Leo

Thanks for all the tips! It's hard sometimes, as cheesewise DH, and DS like some cheeses I hate, so I'll make some for them, then for cooking, then my favs. and some experimentals.



> Simple one here - Get Licensed! (by NCDA for cheese production/sales)





> My goal is to begin making aged cheeses that I can sell at the Farmers Market now that I have my Manufactured Food License.


I wish I could sell cheeses but need to put in a bathroom in the barn with it's own septic for our inspector and that is just way too much $$$, (not to mention everything else) I'm okay walking the 600 feet to the house but oh well. I keep on getting calls/emails for goat cheese, so if anyone wants me to send you some customers just let me know. 

Lots of Noble, and Delicious goals! :biggrin


----------



## Ziggy

I understand the septic tank thing - the previous inspector was going to let me use the house which is less than 200 feet away (and has 3 bathrooms) but he retired and the new on insists there must be one right at the barn. That is why I am not done yet - need to get a septic and bathroom area built.


----------



## Terri-Lynn

I'd like to do hard cheeses this year, and maybe master the mozza- or get a pig. I don't know what it is about the mozza but I do not find it easy.


----------



## linuxboy

I'd like to finally launch a cheesemaking club here in the PNW, teach classes and provide a place for cheeseheads to meet


----------



## buckrun

Dang- guess I will have to move back...
L


----------



## Leo

> the new on insists there must be one right at the barn


Dang. I tried to convince our inspector to use a bucket, but he wouldn't go for it.  He's really nice though, he told me why, and how people suck(i.e. dairy violations, animal cruelty, etc.).  Anyhoo, There's already two goat cheese dairies that have opened up here in the past year within ten minutes drive of me, so I'm kinda scared of a saturated market anyway. 



> I'd like to finally launch a cheesemaking club here in the PNW, teach classes and provide a place for cheeseheads to meet


That sounds like fun! I remember in Fl., we used to have a bunch of guest speakers come by once a year, it was so inspiring, and really helped push one's creative juices.


----------



## Bernice

Don't feel like an outsider Christina....we all started new at one time or another. You'll have those cheese recipes down pat soon and be on to bigger and better things! 

The septic reminds me of when we bought our dairy in Arkansas.....the barn came equiped with a bathroom and 2 offices. It was awesome. The week after we moved in I was milking the goats outside on a wooden stand behing the barn when I heard water running nearby. Hmmmm....nope, not raining, sunny out. Then when I went to dump a bucket of milk over the bank...lo and behond, what did I see? Water running out of a pipe in the ground....AHA! The septic drain for the barn. DH had just ran water in the barn. We had to reroute the septic to the one for the house, but guess what? We had to put a new septic tank in because....no lie.......there was an old car down in the ground that was used for a septic tank. And we wouldn't have discovered that either except that the drain in the basement backed up shortly after moving in! 

Thats an awesome idea, for the classes.......and thats whats needed, classes and resources to help get cheesemakers and/or dairy producers going!


----------



## nightskyfarm

I am sooo blessed! I did not have to put in a septic, (we are allowed to use the home) Yeah, but the space was put in so that if in the future I am required, I will comply. If is a big word - Jennifer


----------



## Ziggy

Yes you are lucky Jennifer - and you have a great setup - I'm really hoping to be able to find the time to visit sometime.

I figure between the additional septic, plumbing, framing and fixtures this new inspector just increased my startup costs by $5K.


----------



## Bernice

YIKKS.....thats about what we paid all said and told for our septic when we put the house in here. 

Someday, well.....today is a good day, off work, no school again......I need to call the state ag dept and ask about the current regs for doing fudge. Jennifer, is John Beers still the contact person for us? 

Anyways, hoping to get the specs so I can plan for some retirement income, which is right around the corner for me.


----------



## Sondra

mulish said:


> I want to get an extra fridge - even a little one - with a thermostat control so that I can branch out from chevre and make some aged cheeses.


I am hoping for this also and that I can make some from cows milk or steal goats milk from my two close friends here. As now all my goats are gone.


----------



## buckrun

extra fridge ~

There is a great one made by Danby that is infinite control and no freezer. Just a tiny cube of fridge. It is the only one I have been able to keep at 50-55. Most of them will only warm up to 45 which is ok but slows your aging somewhat. It has been very reliable but I rigged shelving myself as it was designed for kids in dorms and set up for a door full of cokes which by the way a 1 pound wheel will slide into pretty well.


----------



## Bella Star

My goal is to make Brie , and hard cheese however only 3 dairy doe's will freshen as one doe is not bred yet :sigh and one doe will be a fight as she likes to lay down on me on the stand for her ff but maby she will do better this year.


----------



## NubianSoaps.com

With Jace now in a preschool class, I will have more time to soap, moving some of my most popular bars to commercial block molds, to make more cheese (there is never enough for customers) which will leave me even less milk for customers  I am going to take a private class with a breeder I have known for years who is an artisan cheese maker who went to France to learn. I am also selling baked goods this year with my bread such a hit last year. Bread and cheese  Vicki


----------



## nightskyfarm

Bernice, as far as I know, John Beers is still our head guy. You can call VDACS in Richmond and get them to send you out a copy of the regs. You may also find them online at the VDACS website, I know the dairy regs. are available there. Had my first 2 kids born Tuesday night during that horrible snow and wind storm. All are doing well. Two Alpine boys though. I hope the next one due 2/14 has girls! Jennifer


----------



## mamatomany

Ziggy said:


> I understand the septic tank thing - the previous inspector was going to let me use the house which is less than 200 feet away (and has 3 bathrooms) but he retired and the new on insists there must be one right at the barn. That is why I am not done yet - need to get a septic and bathroom area built.


My guy says that a porta potty will suffice, but is only needed if there are employees!


----------



## stoneyheightsfarm

Well, I stink at getting much of anything done with a baby. We attachment parent and demand feed, so this gal is going to be in Depends before she's potty trained, and it would just kill my back to wear her all day. So, my goal for this year is to actually make more cheese (I did lots of chevre & feta, and one farmhouse cheddar) My family eats tons and one day I'd like to quit buying it!


----------



## NubianSoaps.com

We have been getting real Greek Parmesean from a monistary up here...so far anything I have made is NOT parmesean  Perhaps it's not duplicatable in goatsmilk? Understand what you are saying Billie, we go through alot cheese, and sadly it's not homegrown. Vicki


----------

