Bellwether Farms: Liam's Lawnmowers.
Though not available outside California or by mail, Bellwether's sheep milk yogurt is to die for. If you try it, you may never return; to your old yogurt, that is.
Jersey cow milk is preferred for cheese making due to its high fat and protein content.
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Cheese from Four-Legged Lawnmowers
Bellwether Farms
January 14, 2009
Thick fog and steady drizzle muted the vibrant green of the steep Sonoma hills. Once inside, our eyes adjusted slowly to the surreal haze of the close, steamy enclosure. Shadowy figures clad in high boots and white aprons moved between the glint and glimmer of stainless steel vats boiling their treasure. Silently men scooped, flipped, and poured creamy curds, checked gauges and siphoned whey. All the while they washed themselves and their environs, water, water everywhere! This is cheesemaking at its best.
Liam Callahan is the cheesemaker at Bellwether Farms. Young Liam's quest for the perfect cheese led him to Italy, home to world-class artisanal cheeses. Armed only with a crash course in Italian, he traveled the countryside, scouring farmer's markets for local cheeses. Using cheese labels for maps, he sought help from locals for transport and guidance. Liam convinced artisan cheesemakers to reveal their secrets and used this on-the-job training to create his own award winning cheeses that landed fiercely loyal customers.
Originally, Liam's urbane parents acquired Bellwether's farmland as a lifestyle getaway and only introduced sheep to defend against runaway grasses reaching six feet to the sky. Milking sheep for profit was a logical step to offset the cost of their living lawnmowers. Soon a proper herd of white faced, East Friesian sheep were nibbling away. Cow milk cheeses from a nearby Jersey herd have been added to Bellwether's offerings. Both are available on its website. We especially liked the San Andreas raw milk sheep cheese, the crème fraîche, and the fromage blanc.
Bellwether Farms
Phone: 888 527-8606
www.BellwetherFarms.com
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