Ask Blessed Cheesemaker

[Whitty Whit]

So are you at a university campus during the day? Local college? Is your major a 4 year? I would imagine going to classes would interfere with your cheesemaking. Or is it in such a way that the cheese can be suspended at one stage for an extended period of the time? Does it have to be done all at one time? Do your classes interfere with your business? How long has your family owned the business? Generational? Centuries? Eons? Cheese has been around for a long time, since it is pure goodness in solid form.

[BlessedCheesemaker]

So are you at a university campus during the day?

Only on Tuesdays and Thurdays this semester.

Local college?

It is about fifty minutes away.

Is your major a 4 year?

Yes, but due to problems with transferring classes from a community college, I have to take an extra semester.

I would imagine going to classes would interfere with your cheesemaking. Or is it in such a way that the cheese can be suspended at one stage for an extended period of the time? Does it have to be done all at one time? Do your classes interfere with your business?

Most of our production time is during the summer when I am not taking classes. And we usually only make cheese on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Also, most of the cheese-making process can be done by one person, once the milk is in the cheese vat. We only need several people for the last few steps. One person could do all of it themselves if they had to, but it would take a long time.

How long has your family owned the business? Generational? Centuries? Eons? Cheese has been around for a long time, since it is pure goodness in solid form.

We had another cheese-maker produce it for us during our first few years. Then we built our own production plant in the bottom of our hay barn six years ago. So our business has only been around that long.

[Graces4you]

What photo editor do you use?

[Whitty Whit]

How big is the production plant? Is this a commercial business? Meaning, do you sell it to stores like WalMart or something?

[BlessedCheesemaker]

What photo editor do you use?

I have both Photoshop CS5 and Fireworks CS5 (another Adobe product specifically for web design). I also have used GIMP and Inkscape. Which I use depends on what computer I have and what I am creating.

How big is the production plant? Is this a commercial business? Meaning, do you sell it to stores like WalMart or something?

Our production room is about 20x40 feet. We also have two coolers where we store our cheese until we sell it. One is about 10x30 feet and the other is about 20x15. At the end of the production each fall we usually have both as full of cheese as we can get them. We have a cheese vat that can hold 3000 lbs. of milk (about 350 gallons) at a time, which becomes 300 lbs. of cheese. I think we made about 13,000 lbs. of cheese last year. At this point we can't make enough to sell to Wal-mart, but we do sell to several stores in our area, and in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. We also attend two farmers markets during the summer and possible a third this summer.

[Graces4you]

What photo editor do you use?

I have both Photoshop CS5 and Fireworks CS5 (another Adobe product specifically for web design). I also have used GIMP and Inkscape. Which I use depends on what computer I have and what I am creating.

We just got Photoshop CS5(upgrade from CS3) from our neighbor who works for Adobe, but he's getting laid off and I'm excited to see the different features of it, I've tried using gimp, but was unsuccessful, thank you, all of your signatures and avatars you've made are quite lovely

[Laura Ingalls]

Our production room is about 20x40 feet. We also have two coolers where we store our cheese until we sell it. One is about 10x30 feet and the other is about 20x15. At the end of the production each fall we usually have both as full of cheese as we can get them. We have a cheese vat that can hold 3000 lbs. of milk (about 350 gallons) at a time, which becomes 300 lbs. of cheese. I think we made about 13,000 lbs. of cheese last year. At this point we can't make enough to sell to Wal-mart, but we do sell to several stores in our area, and in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. We also attend two farmers markets during the summer and possible a third this summer.

How do y'all handle the multiple markets...a few members of your family at each? Do you need a refrigerator for your cheese during market, and if so, how do you handle that? I'm curious because I have to have one for my cheesecakes and cold pies, but it seems like last week people didn't see them on the table and therefore didn't buy them. I had signs and pictures too. Just wondering if you have a glass front fridge or something like that so people can see the product?

Oh, and do you have sales/other taxes already figured into your posted prices, or do you add tax upon checkout? My sister and I went with posting a lower price and adding tax, but then several people told us that we were the ONLY ones at the market that did that. Oops. So this week we're changing, but I just hate to put a higher sounding price on my signs...

[Whitty Whit]

That's interesting. How long have you personally been making cheese?

[BlessedCheesemaker]

How do y'all handle the multiple markets...a few members of your family at each?

Yeah, pretty much. Mom and one of my siblings (differs each week) do one of the markets. Mom and Dad do our biggest market, while we do the morning milking. I and one of my siblings will be doing the third. Each market is on a different day of the week though.

Do you need a refrigerator for your cheese during market, and if so, how do you handle that? I'm curious because I have to have one for my cheesecakes and cold pies, but it seems like last week people didn't see them on the table and therefore didn't buy them. I had signs and pictures too. Just wondering if you have a glass front fridge or something like that so people can see the product?

Our cheese is aged so it is actually fairly shelf stable (our cheese coolers are only set at about 60*F). We just use coolers with ice packs. We do put out a piece of each flavor on an icepack on our table, but we also have samples for people to try. I'm trying to remember what I have seen set up for other bakers at markets.... I think most of the ones I have seen only do warm pies.

Oh, and do you have sales/other taxes already figured into your posted prices, or do you add tax upon checkout? My sister and I went with posting a lower price and adding tax, but then several people told us that we were the ONLY ones at the market that did that. Oops. So this week we're changing, but I just hate to put a higher sounding price on my signs...

I don't think we have to put tax on our food products.

That's interesting. How long have you personally been making cheese?

I've been helping since we started. Mom and Dad usually milk the cows, so one of my siblings or I have to add the cultures and monitor the first part of the process. If Dad has to do other things, I have done the whole process myself already.

[Laura Ingalls]

Each market is on a different day of the week though.

Ah. For some reason, that perfectly logical explanation didn't occur to me.

I don't think we have to put tax on our food products.

Hmm, really? Wow, PA is better than VA then. I not only have to collect sales tax (state), but also meals tax (local). Grr.

[BlessedCheesemaker]

We sell our cheese for off site consumption, so we don't have to put a meals tax on it.

[Astronomer]

Can you spell out DNA without looking at a dictionary? (or anything else that would help you spell it)

[BlessedCheesemaker]

DNA duh! (or did you mean deoxyribonucleic acid?)