Serious Cheese: Counting Money? No, Counting Sheep
Every Tuesday, Jamie Forrest drops by with Serious Cheese.
Yesterday's Wall Street Journal ran an interesting article about folks who have given up the corporate life for a life on the farm making cheese. It profiles Wisconsinite Brenda Jensen, whose Hidden Springs Creamery burst on the scene last year with a first place finish in the fresh sheep's milk cheese category at the American Cheese Society annual competition. Crafting small batches of hand-made sheep's milk cheeses, Jensen is beating a new path in a state with an entrenched dairy industry that is decidedly non-artisanal and heavily cow-focused.
I (and probably most cheese lovers) have at least fantasized about leaving their urban existence behind to start a small cheesemaking operation. There's something about the connection to the land and to history that makes cheesemaking particularly appealing to those disillusioned with the ennui of corporate living. The New York Times, in fact, ran a story not too long ago about urban hipsters leaving behind their "trucker hats" for the simplicity of rural life.
But the reality of an agricultural life has stopped me (and I assume many others) from pursuing my fantasy any further. There's not much that appeals to me about being "up at 3 o'clock in the morning to tend to" the animals, as the Journal article relates. I have a two year old daughter, and I know what that's like. As I've discussed here before, cheesemaking is difficult, backbreaking labor; "glorified dishwashing," as Jasper Hill Farm's Mateo Kehler likes to describe it.
There's also the reality of the economics. I even went so far in my fantasy as to run the numbers at one point. It takes a pretty large farm, and a lot of batches of cheese, to turn a profit. Again, the Journal article says that Jensen is "$20,000 away from being profitable." That's pretty rough considering that one penny over break-even is considered a profit.
What about you, readers? Have you been tempted by the rural bug? What would it take to leave your current life behind and open a small farm?
About the author: Jamie Forrest publishes Curdnerds.com from his apartment in Brooklyn, New York, where he lives with his wife, his daughter, and his cheese.
View other entries from Serious Cheese.
Add a comment:
Previewing your comment:
HTML Hints
Some HTML is OK: <a href="URL">link</a>, <strong>strong</strong>, <em>em</em>
Comment Guidelines
Post whatever you want, just keep it seriously about eats, seriously. We reserve the right to delete off-topic or inflammatory comments. Learn more at our Comment Policy page.
If you see something not so nice, please, report an inappropriate comment.
4 Comments:
Considering it? I just bought a _small_ farm last summer, and have started small, with some laying hens, but fully intend to be fully engaged in the farmers market scene next summer.
Duc_m750 at 5:39PM on 11/11/08
I certainly have fantasized about it plenty, but I think it would take some finacial security to actually do it. I wouldn't want to be at risk of going under because of the start up expenses.
I especially like to imagine running a farm to table restaurant where I would serve up farm fresh eats once a week.
windattack at 6:03PM on 11/11/08
I've definitely thought about it! Even considered joining a commune that's already established and where the work is shared. Don't really have to worry about financial security in that case.
There's an appeal for us living the daily grind to just get away from it all and live life simply. Unfortunately sometimes even moving to a tiny town isn't even feasible because of lack of jobs, etc...
JessMess at 12:46PM on 11/12/08
I fantasize about it, but it is more about going back to my roots.. I grew up in my grandparents' farm. I miss helping with the hens and eating just picked-from-the tree fruits. When I was a teenager I used to dream about the city live, but now as an adult I miss the country life everyday. Even though there's more sacrifice when living in a farm, life is simpler and more fulfilling.
staria at 6:38PM on 11/13/08