We don’t often hear from cheese makers in Montana. The population of the whole state is only a little over one million. So, when Lisa Wilson made a comment at one of our blog articles, we jumped at the chance to interview her.
Her comment was about Vivian Lucero’s whey caramel sauce which Lisa had made with goat milk whey. She said it tasted a little bitter. (If anyone has ideas about how to solve that issue, please share it in the comments either here or at Vivian’s recipe.)
Lisa’s whey caramel sauce
Lisa’s Story
I make a lot of cheese curds, and some mozzarella, and occasionally chevre if I plan to make cheesecake. I’d like to make a cheese press so I can make cheddar.
I have 2 goats I milk, so I start with fresh raw goat’s milk from my does, Faerie and Pattycake.
My milking stand is located just inside our sliding door, so I can milk comfortably indoors. That’s nice when it’s snowy or rainy or windy or cold outside – common weather conditions in Montana. Someday, I may build a milking parlor outdoors, or convert an old camper that we have. In the meantime, milking indoors is very convenient.
Faerie is a Sanaan …
… and Pattycake is a LaMancha x Nubian.
Everything at my place is done on a shoestring. For instance, this is how I hang my cheese – from a cabinet door!
I’m planning to change that as soon as I can. It can’t be good for the cabinet door!
Along the same “on a shoestring” vein, this is currently my cheese press – the water in the jug provides the proper weight.
It’s a little tricky – if not well balanced, it tips over. I purchased two heavy duty cutting boards at thrift shops, and am in the process of encouraging my Significant Other to drill holes in the right places to make a better press :-).
I make cheese after work, and on the weekend – whenever my fridge is full of milk, and I’ve run out of mason jars for the next milking :-).
I’ve found that cheese curds are pretty forgiving. I can hang them overnight, press them before I go to work in the morning, and keep them in the fridge until I can get home to break them up and store them in the freezer.
Cheese curds
We like cheese curds with soup, stews, chili and pasta, or in quiche. Mozzarella is also great in quiche.
A friend takes the whey to feed her chickens.
How did you get started making cheese?
My S.O. already had acreage when I met him.
He had a large flock of about 200 Rambouillet ewes and a few rams. He raised them primarily for the wool. But wool prices tanked and the flock, except for a friendly pets, were sold.
I came along, was interested in spinning and weaving, and put together a spinner’s flock of about 40 plus about a dozen llamas. Eventually, a terrible spring snow storm damaged the grass, and not being able to afford hay, I sold my flock, keeping just a handful of old pet ewes. They lived out the rest of their lives here. Most of my llamas have passed away from old age.
About 10 years ago, having digestive issues, I decided to get a milk goat for the benefit of raw milk. I currently have 2 milkers, a retired doe, 3 kids, a buck and 3 wethers. Also, 4 horses, 3 ponies, a donkey, 16 laying hens plus a rooster, and 8 ducks.
I have plans to train the wethers, the ponies, and the donkey for cart driving. A friend just purchased a new horse trained to ride and drive and we plan to ride and drive our animals together. Retirement is just around the corner, so there will be more time for cheese and soap making with the raw milk, and fun with our animals.
Do you grow anything?
Yup…we grow grass lol! Most of our property is original prairie, never been turned. Early in the 20th century, it was grazing for a commercial dairy. Bob ran the commercial sheep flock in the 80’s and 90’s. Since then, just my spinner’s flock and the equines. And the goats, who stay close to the house. And we, unfortunately, have weeds :-(. Leafy spurge has made an appearance. We hope to use our wether goats to fight that. Houndstongue is another newcomer, but it will need to be dug and sprayed, as it’s not suitable for grazing.
I would love to garden, but haven’t had the time, and gardening in Montana is challenging – short growing season, interesting weather, plus we have sandy soil.
Mainly, I try to do some tomatoes in pots, and I had good luck with lettuce for the ducks in a large shallow tray. Maybe I’ll try more gardening when I retire. I certainly want to expand my cheese repertoire next year.
Do you still spin and weave?
Yup…I spin on a wheel and a drop spindle. I used to have electric spinners, but sold them. Now I’m thinking about buying another one! I weave on a 2 harness rug loom, and a 4 harness Allen Folding Loom. I haven’t been doing spinning or weaving as much as I’d like, but I expect to have more time after I retire next year.
Right now, I work part-time delivering flowers; previously, I worked at a call center, and also worked 20 years in a dry cleaning plant.
Do you have any advice for beginner cheese makers?
Get New England Cheesemaking cultures and Ricki’s book (Home Cheese Making) – these are mandatory for new cheese makers! Raw milk is best!
