Diane Johnson in Belen, New Mexico

My name is Diane Johnson. I have been making cheese since 2013. I love making cheese.

I am a married mother of four – three of whom are teenagers and the last is going to be 10. I am a COVID-19 triage and vaccine management registered nurse.

I am currently Mrs. Valencia County, NM, 2021, hoping to become Mrs. New Mexico.

I decided to become Mrs. Valencia County, NM, 2021 because I thought it was interesting. I thought it would be a once in a lifetime opportunity. I never want to regret not doing something because I was worried I might fail.

My Cheese

I am able to buy raw cow and goat milk, so I use it to make most of my cheeses. I have made lots of different types of cheese – mold ripened, Alpine style, cheddar, Monterey, and fresh.

I became interested in cheese making because I could not find artisan cheeses where I live and, when I found them, they were very expensive. I thought I could make the cheese myself and it might be better.

To learn, I bought a lot of books, read information online and watched YouTube videos.

I then found a raw cow’s milk dairy near me – DeSmet Dairy. They have Jersey cows and their milk is unhomogenized raw milk. I use it to make my cheeses.

I have two different “cheese caves” and I want to build a partially underground cave. My next project is to make a beer or wine soaked cheese and a blue or washed rind cheese – maybe a Stilton style or a castle blue.

My biggest challenge was the expense at the beginning. I told my husband, James I wanted to make cheese but I needed a cheese press and a mold so he made me one of each.

I am starting a blog called Milk to Cheese and I will soon be starting a YouTube channel named the same. I also have an Instagram account (Milk to Cheese).

I make beer, wine, and bread. I cook, crochet, knit, and I am an avid reader and gardener.