The Small-Scale Cheese Business: The Complete Guide to Running a Successful Farmstead Creamery

By Gianaclis Caldwell

 

Published in 2014 - 256 pages

 

There has never been a better time to be making and selling great cheese. People worldwide are consuming more high- quality, handmade cheese than ever before. The number of artisan cheesemakers has doubled in recent years, and many of the industry’s newcomers are “farmsteadâ€? producers—those who work only with the milk of their own animals. Today, more than ever before, the people who choose to become farmer- cheesemakers need access to the knowledge of established cheese artisans who can help them build their dream. Few career choices lead to such extremes of labor, emotion, and monetary challenge. In The Small-Scale Cheese Business, (originally published as The Farmstead Creamery Advisor in 2010) respected cheesemaker, instructor, and speaker Gianaclis Caldwell walks would-be producers through the many, and often confusing, steps and decisions they will face when considering a career in this burgeoning cottage industry. This book fills the gap that exists between the pasture and cheese plate. It goes far beyond issues of caring for livestock and basic cheesemaking, explaining business issues such as: * Analyzing your suitability for the career; * Designing and building the cheese facility; * Sizing up the market; * Negotiating day-to-day obstacles; * Ensuring maximum safety and efficiency. Drawing from her own and other cheesemakers’ experiences, Caldwell brings to life the story of creating a successful cheesemaking business in a practical, organized manner. Absolutely essential for anyone interested in becoming a licensed artisan cheesemaker, The Small-Scale Cheese Business will also appeal to the many small and hobby-farm owners who already have milking animals and who wish to improve their home dairy practices and facilities. Kudos; “This delightful book is a road map to success for aspiring farmstead cheesemakers. It will help them plan, implement, and develop their new businesses. Passionate stories of experience are revealed, giving great insight into becoming a sustainable, conscientious, and entrepreneurial cheesemaker—including common pitfalls and how best to avoid them. It's about time someone writes such a comprehensive guide! I will recommend this book to every aspiring cheesemaker I know. We would have saved numerous hours and dollars with such an invaluable resource.â€? —David Gremmels, Past President of The American Cheese Society; President of Rogue Creamery about the author: Gianaclis Caldwell grew up on a small family farm in Oregon, where she milked cows, ran a dairy cow 4-H club, and learned to raise organic produce and meat. In 2005, Gianaclis returned to the property with her husband and their two daughters where they now operate Pholia Farm, an off-grid, raw milk cheese dairy. Gianaclis’s aged, raw milk cheeses have been recognized and applauded by America’s foremost authorities on cheese. Pholia Farm cheeses have been included in many major books on artisan cheese, the latest being Max McCalman’s Mastering Cheese, in which her Elk Mountain cheese is included in a short list of “rock stars of the 21st century.â€? Her Hillis Peak cheese was the centerfold cheese in the winter 2010 issue of Culture Magazine. She was one of the spotlighted cheesemakers in a recent publication, Cheesemaking, by Hobby Farms magazine for their Popular Kitchen Series. She has been teaching all levels of cheesemaking for years, as well as speaking and teaching about the business of farmstead cheese, both at Pholia Farm and other venues, including the American Dairy Goat Association annual convention, the American Cheese Society Conference, and the Mother Earth Newsfairs. Caldwell is the author of The Small-Scale Dairy, a guide to the production of high quality, farm fresh milk, The Small-Scale Cheese Business, a guide to producing and selling artisan cheese, and Mastering Artisan Cheesemaking, which won a 2013 Foreword Book of the Year Award in Reference and was an International Association of Culinary Professionals finalist. Her photographs and writing appear regularly in numerous publications, including Culture Magazine.