3-day Workshop Schedule

Black Mesa Ranch
Snowflake Arizona

3-Day Cheese-Making Retreat

An intensive immersion in our daily routine

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Naturally, we customize what we teach at all of our classes and workshops to fit our participants' individual interests but here is a typical daily plan for a 3-day cheese-maker's workshop. Menus will vary.

4:30 PM Afternoon Chores Feed animals etc. 5 PM Evening Milking (observe) 7:30PM: Dinner (Fried Chicken, Potato Salad, jalapenos, biscuits, apple pie & ice cream) Determine interests and goals for visit Briefly explain sustainability and our “integrated operation” philosophy - how everything meshes together. Hand out proposed activity schedule and other written materials for visit. About BMR Sustainability in an Agricultural Business Cheese Recipes Sources of Supply End of Day – Free Time DAY TWO (Self serve Continental breakfast available in bunkhouse: Cheese and berry coffee cake, cereal, milk, coffee, juice, etc 6:30 AM Morning Chores Discuss small ruminant dietary requirements and how their diet effects milk quantity, and quality. 7:00 AM Milking Milk machine basics: How it works, how to set it up, how to clean it. Discuss and demonstrate proper milking techniques (hand and machine) including udder health discussion. Have Participant(s) do some hand milking and help in parlor. Discuss milk handling procedures and sanitation. AM Cheese work Start a Fresh Cheese Batch Milk Handling in the Cheeseroom Filtering, chilling (if necessary), sanitation, Pasteurizer basics What is pasteurizing? Discuss various methods (HSHT vs. vat, 145° vs. 161° etc). Why pasteurize? When is it required for cheese making? How the pasteurizer works - how to set it up, how to monitor it and how to clean it. Cultures and Rennet Discuss various types and suppliers Detailed Tour of property Doe Barn, Buck barn, dogs, poultry, cows. Milking parlor Cheese kitchen Powerhouse Discussion of “off-grid” living on daily life (and expectations for guest’s stay) Garden/Greenhouse Take a walk with the goats Discuss: Free-Range - Risks and Rewards Garden/Greenhouse work or work with goats Lunch Fried chicken or ham sandwiches, chips, pickles More Cheese work Work with previous day’s Fresh Cheese curd Un-bag, weigh, salt, mix, roll logs Ingredients Salt Its role in cheese-making Different types to use or NOT use Herbs and other flavorings Grow your own or buy? Risks and rewards Cheese Making Basics Discussion What is Cheese? USDA definition What do “farmstead” and “artisan” mean? Basic types of cheese Fresh, soft, mold ripened, semi-soft, hard, grating Goat Basics What’s a Goat? Small ruminant Browser Very social, herd oriented Smart, curious etc. Discuss various Breeds and their characteristics Why we chose Nubians Goat Health and Maintenance Overview Nutrition Procedures Hoof trimming Disbudding Castrating Kidding Medical Vaccinations Common ailments and their treatments Milk withholding First Aid How to evaluate and buy a Healthy Goat What to look for, What to ask Common problems Purebred or not; Registered or not? 4:30 PM Afternoon Chores Feed animals 5 PM Evening Milking Participant(s) work with the goats and help machine and hand milk 7:30 PM Dinner Lasagna, garlic bread, salad, cake & ice cream End of Day – Free Time DAY THREE (Self serve Continental breakfast available in bunkhouse) 6:30 AM Morning Chores Feed animals 7 AM Milking Participant(s) work with the goats and help machine and hand milk AM Cheese work Start Feta Cheese Pasteurize and cool Culture and rennet Stir curds Remove whey Drain Flip and drain overnight Garden/Greenhouse work or work with goats More cheese work Work with yesterday’s Fresh cheese Un-bag, weigh, salt, mix, roll logs or make spreads Sales Work (if necessary) Lunch Quiche, green salad Dairy Business Basics Business plans, entity choices The importance of “Value Added” An in-house printing primer How we do our web site Working with Restaurants and Chefs Afternoon Cheese Work Work with yesterday’s logs Flavor, wrap, label 4:30 PM Afternoon Chores Feed animals 5 PM Milking Participant(s) work with the goats and help machine and hand milk 7:30 PM Dinner pork picatta, pasta, asparagus, dessert End of Day – Free Time DAY FOUR (PARTIAL) (Self serve Continental breakfast available in bunkhouse) 6:30 AM Morning Chores Feed animals 7 AM Milking Participant(s) work with the goats and help machine and hand milk AM Cheese work Boule Pasteurize Add Culture, CA and Rennet Heat, remove whey, stretch, form, cool Garden/Greenhouse work or work with goats More cheese work Work with yesterday’s Feta cheese Cut and dry salt Discuss brining Work with yesterday’s Fresh cheese Un-bag, weigh, salt, mix, roll logs or make spreads, OR refrigerate bags Lunch Home grown chicken - poached breasts with sauce vert, mac salad, chips Review of Visit Met expectations? Best Part? Part that needs most improving? Afternoon Cheese Work Wrap Boule if ready 3:00PM Departure (approx)