I know that it is not cheese related but I find it interesting that people are from so far away and can still discuss their hobby. If my grandmother wanted to cook anything she had to learn from her mother or her neighbors. I believe that you learn to cook from your Momma, and she learned from her Momma. That is how different foods are maintained in different areas. I am from the south in the United States. We don’t put sugar in our corn bread, but people from the northern united states do. It is such small things that are interesting.

Herman is from Waddinxveen, The Netherlands which I have never heard of, yet he can talk to us about his cheese recipes. Neil, who gives me lots of advice, is from Alberta Canada, which I have heard of, but don’t know anything about.

I find different cultures really interesting. Someone posted a few days ago that they do not have access to the same cultures and other things that everyone else had access to, and then there was some conversation about whether or not it could be shipped to their house. I am amazed by that kind of stuff.

So tell me something about your life.

I live south of Atlanta Georgia which is a big metropolis. I don’t live in the big city, but I live close enough that the traffic is bad. There are a few stores in town that sell some cheese supplies, but mostly it is junk. One place sells these plastic containers as a kit to make cheese in the microwave. Another place, closer to downtown Atlanta, sells a variety of cultures. Some cultures you have to get off of the internet. You can buy raw milk here, but it costs twice as much as regular milk. They have to put a sticker on it that says NOT FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION. There is a law that I think is national that says that you can’t sell raw milk for human consumption. I use milk from the grocery store to make cheese. I found a brand that works and I always buy it.

I have a motorcycle, which I just got repaired so that I can ride it. It’s been broke for 2 years, but now it runs and I am so happy. I love to ride. I work at a sheet metal company, I’ve been there for 30 years. I don’t like change. I’ve been married for 29 years. I have 5 dogs and a cat, and they are spoiled rotten. My two children are grown.

We belong to the brew club, and hang out at the pizza place with a bunch of beer people. It’s kind of like a Pub society. We all meet on the same day every week, eat and drink and catch up on each others life. Sometimes we go to each others house for a cook out and beer.

How about you? What is life like where you live? Do you live on a farm, or out in the country, or in an apartment in the city? If you live in the city are cheese supplies available or do you still have to order them? I’m just curious.

Hey Tammy,

I live in the woods in the Ozark hills of Arkansas.  I love the rural (isolated) life.  I’m kind of a recluse.  I work in a poultry further processing plant.  We cook and package chicken products - several million pounds a week.  I make cheese, garden and raise a small flock of chickens.  I don’t like to go to the city; I avoid it at all costs.  I have 4 grown children, 3 step children and 12 grandchildren - with two more on the way.  I have to get all my supplies online; but I do have access to farm fresh milk, fresh from the cow, for $3 a gal.  As far as illegal to sell raw milk for human consumption; I believe it is legal to sell it; but it is illegal to advertise it for sale.  I may be wrong on that; but that has been my understanding for many years.

Raw milk for $3 a gallon! That’s amazing. I would like to live out away from the traffic. We used to have a garden and chickens, but when we moved here there is no place for a garden and we are not zoned for chickens. I go to the farmers market during the summer and buy peas and beans and lots of tomatoes and can them myself. I haven’t bought canned vegetables in years.

I make my own chicken, beef and seafood stock. It makes a big difference in the food you put it in. My mother in law thinks that she buys chicken stock at the store, and I keep telling her to read the label.

I would like to live away from the traffic, but I enjoy the social life around here. I know a few people who live out away from town and while it’s nice at their house, it takes a long time to get out there. I work 10 miles from home, and I like that too.

They are going to 4 lane the road that my road comes off of, so I suspect that our little area will be commercial before long and we can sell and move on. Right now the house is paid for and my husband has been out of work since December, so I’m not looking for any major changes like moving.

Hey there. Kinda nice that people from all around the globe have a place to discuss cheese and the troubles there in. Me I live near Sacramento, ca. small rural town of 50,000. No cheese supplies here order everything online. We have lots of rivers and lakes where I enjoy fishing. Striped bass mostly but some big cats and of couse a very big salmon season. Just started making cheese 3-4 months ago and have had mostly sucess. Have a cat and a rather large spoiled parrot named feathers. Have to buy my milk at the supermarket but found a good brand that works. I cook for a living and of all places to do that I happen to be at the county jail. 400 inmates to cook for. Have cooked all over the country from steak and seafood to catering but I needed a place that was secure, had good benifits and a good retirement. 8 years to go and I will be retired. YA ! with I might add 80% retirement pay. Kinda of a strange place to work but security is everything in these tough times. Enjoyed sharing…........

I used to fish when I lived at home, I was the son my stepfather never had. Mostly catfish, a little brim, a few bass. I don’t fish anymore, I don’t want to clean them.

Hi there,

as Tammy mentioned already I’m from Waddinxveen, The Netherlands, a town nobody of you have heard off. It’s a small village (25000 inhabitants) on a 3 miles distance from a place you all heard of: Gouda. It’s in the western part of The Netherlands, the part that is more one big city, that stretches from Rotterdam, The Hague and Amsterdam to Utrecht.
But in the middle of that is a part that is called “The green heart”, with some smaller cities like Gouda, all surrounded by a lot of farmland and indeed also a lot of cheesefarms.
I buy my milk on one of those cheesefarms for 60 euro a liter, that’s about 3 dollar 35 a gallon. The goat milk I by from another farm where 1 pay 1 euro a liter.
All my supplies I have from different webshops. I’m a software developer at Albumprinter, married and have a 7 years old daugther and an almost 5 years old boy.
In the past I have made wine and beer, but I don’t have enough space for that anymore….

We make beer, and it does take up a lot of room. It’s a good thing my son left home so we can store the beer making and cheese making stuff in his room. I also ferment sauerkraut in his closet.

I looked up Waddinxveen and it came up with the picture of a lift bridge. I’ve never heard of a lift bridge. We have draw bridges that work totally different from that. It never occurred to me to lift the whole bridge. I was hoping to see pictures of the country but it shows a lot of pictures of cars instead.

LOL, I have to wait for quite a while until I can reclaim some space because children are leaving.

About the bridge: We have 4 left in our country, from which 3 in a row in 3 different places along the (canalized) river Gouwe, which gave its name to Gouda.
Gouwe can be translated as “golden”, but I have no idea if this is related to the color of the Gouda cheeses.

I attached one picture made in our neighbourhood, more will follow…

Best way to describe were I live is see my flicker site

http://www.flickr.com/photos/33342457@N03/

Do you live in heaven Neil? Because I am sure you are alive and stay so for many years I wish you, just to enjoy this heaven on earth.

WHOAW Neil, Very nice pictures! Apparently you are a very good photographer and cheesemaker and you find time to keep up a website!
Do you also make books with the pictures (e.g. see http://www.albelli.co.uk)?

WHOAW Neil, Very nice pictures! Apparently you are a very good photographer and cheese maker and you find time to keep up a website!
Do you also make books with the pictures (e.g. see http://www.albelli.co.uk)?

Thanks!
No haven’t made any but it has come up at the Photo Club as an option.

Great pictures Neil.