Eleridge McCracking and his wife have been very busy lately, helping their goats give birth. (It’s that time of year.) So, we’re grateful to him for taking the time to answer a few questions:
How did you get started making cheese?
I am a retired electronics engineer. Me and my wife, Mary, live in Shelbyville, TN, about 45 miles due south of Nashville. We moved here after I retired (6 years ago) looking for a small farm since both of us had an interest in different animals. I wanted beef cattle (we have a small herd of Simmentals) and she wanted a horse. She saw an ad one day about some Nubians (she liked the long ears) for sale, we went and looked and that is where we started.
What kind of goats do you have?
We have a small herd of Nubian and Alpine goats. Right this minute we are milking 3 goats (one is at the end of her season and two others just started, including our biggest milker). We just started our kidding season and will be up to milking 11 before the season ends.
We are into showing goats and have several Permanent Grand Champions. Three of our goats:
Little Bit – She kidded a single buckling on the 28th. It was a long labor, and we helped deliver her kid. We have attended (and helped when needed) with every kid on our farm.
What are you doing with all that milk?
We currently have one herd share member who gets 3 gallons a week. I hope to add some more people this season. I have started offering cheese to our members. I recently got a “Pet Food” license. We will soon add some pigs again and feed them milk. And we have dogs and a cat that gets a little. I do make several different types of cheese. Forgot to add, we (mostly me) drink the milk.
This morning I got 3/4 of a gallon. Last season, I hit a high of 3 1/2 gallons a day for a little while. This coming season, I expect that I will hit over 5 gallons for a while. Last season 1 1/2 – 2 per day was about average (some goat’s milk was not saved for different reasons – giving worming med most common – this milk can be fed to baby goats and other farm animals). We use a machine milker and have three stands. We only milk one at a time.
What kind of cheese are you making?
I make Greek style Feta often, this is one of my better ones.
Cheese sample plate: the feta that I made, baby swiss and herbed chevre.
I make chevre, flavored with different spices. Chives and Onions is one that we like best.
I make parmesan, but you have to let it age to be good.
I make 30 minute mozzarella, with good success.
Make buttermilk that I use to cook with – especially biscuits and waffles.
Swiss is good, got to let it age.
Pepper Jack, cheddar, butterkase, several others.
Butterkase
Peppercorn Romano – a hard cheese that needs to age for 8-9 months
Made several different type of cream cheese, but I prefer it made from cow’s milk.
Make butter, this is one way to use up excess milk. It has a smother taste and is more delicate.
And my wife makes goats milk soap, that we both use. She makes several kinds.
What kind of press are you using?
The press is homemade out of lumber I had on-hand (found plans on the internet). The arm is marked in 3X, 4X and 5X the weight, which is a gallon milk jug (add water and weight). I did have to do a slight mod to it on the end that presses on top of the cheese – had to add a bigger base. On the really heavy press weights, I have to add some barbells to the base to keep it from tipping over. Would like to make one out of a good hardwood, but the one I got works just fine. I have several different types of cheese molds with follow-on lids to use in the press, but the one in the picture is 4″ PVC pipe with drain holes drilled into it with a home made follow-on lid. Works great for cheeses that I want to put in an 8 oz plastic container, or just want a longer round cheese.
What about your “cave?”
My cave is a refrigerator that is in the garage, and it is also my milk storage refrigerator. So, it is colder than it should be for cheese. I keep saying that I am going to get one just for cheese to age at better temps, but haven’t yet. Maybe this year.
I should note that I also have 3 upright freezers in the garage, one for veggies , one for meat (beef and pork) and one for everything else. We have a BIG garden every year (we also do Bedford County Farmers Market) and raise pork and beef here on the farm.
One more note: I joke about it, but I do work harder (physically) now that I am retired than I did on my job.
Do you have any advice for beginner cheese makers?
Cheese making is mostly time and temperature. Start with a good thermometer, a stainless steel pot and patience. A lot of the other things you need, you already have around the house. Cleanliness is VERY important – plain old soap and hot water works good for home cheese makers.
Look on the internet and see what other people are making and how they make it. There are several Facebook groups on cheese making that everybody can learn from. And if a cheese doesn’t turn out right, try to figure out what went wrong (I have had a few failures along the way).
It is not costly to get started for some of the simpler cheeses, like feta, farmhouse cheddar, mozzarella, chevre. And don’t be afraid to ask questions – most of us are happy to answer questions when we can.
E & M Farms
Eleridge & Mary
170 Montgomery Rd
Shelbyville, TN
https://www.em-farms.com
