Blog Slacker Part 1 ~ Fall Highlights

 Capra Lane has not dropped off the face of the earth....just very busy! After fair week we were inundated with overflowing work at our "real" jobs, the ongoing desperate search for hay, family weddings and birthdays and finally filling our freezer with the fruits of our labor from the garden and the barnyard.

After months of poor planning, M and I finally gathered a free day dedicated 100%  to cheese. Armed with 3 reference books and 12 gallons of milk we tried to put our education and skills in hard cheesemaking to good use. 

So far...so good! Floculation (gelling), curd cutting, careful timing and hours of sitting by the stove.  After pressing and brining, we had produced 3 goats milk tommes and one wheel of garlic and chive fresh pressed cheese. Into the aging cave (dorm refrigerator) it went. At first, no excitement..which is good. Then mold. Then panic.

After consulting with our trusty cheese leader, we scrubbed and washed and continue to do so every other day. Brown  spots and gray fluff gave way to pearlescent blue-green and white. No rotten death smell but still intimidating. "Taste it" she recommended. Hells no. Too scared. Something tells me the affineur should not fear affinage...

Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks...a family wedding over Labor Day.  This spot should be at the top of everyone's "to-do" list and is definitely high on my "repeat" list. I have my eye on that ranch in the valley...

Buffalo...another one of those animals that is somehow bounds more charming in its natural habitat.  We accomplished a ton of sightseeing in our 24 hours. 

Happy 90th birthday to Nana Batt