By Bob Groeneveld/91原创 Advance Times
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Cheesemakers throughout BC are joining forces.
And at least one cheesemaker in 91原创 likes the idea.
Marianne Smith hopes that the newly formed BC Artisan Cheesemakers Association will help shine a light on local cheese factories like the one she and her husband Glen operate on Smith Crescent off Glover Road.
Milner Valley Cheese has been in opperation for about ten years, providing the local community with a variety of goat cheeses, from colby and jack to feta and caerphilly.
The simplest cheese that Milner Valley produces is a chevre that Marianne makes in weekly batches. The harder cheeses can take up to three months to mature, and Milner Valley has an old caerphilly that is aged a full year.
There are also gelatos to whet the appetite through the peak period of May to October.
The Smiths run about 200 goats and sheep on their farm, milking 80 goats on what Marianne refers to as a 鈥渘atural鈥� cycle, which means there鈥檚 plenty of milk for part of the year, but little or none while new kids are being born and drinking all of their moms鈥� new milk in their first weeks.
That鈥檚 why there will be little activity at the Milner Valley Cheese farmgate shop at 21479 Smith Cres. right now, until milk production picks up in April.
The shop is closed through January and February, and currently it鈥檚 only open on Saturdays.
When the goats are in full production, the 鈥淢ilner Jack,鈥� effectively a Monterey jack 鈥渂ut we don鈥檛 live in sunny California,鈥� Marianne explained the local name, is produced in 750 litre vats that are filled twice a week. It鈥檚 the Smiths鈥� biggest seller.
The whole process has been a 鈥渃ontinuing learning curve鈥� for Marianne, who said, 鈥淵ou learn things every day.鈥�
鈥淚 never thought I鈥檇 be excited about pH,鈥� she enthused, adding, 鈥淎nd we have the best customers.鈥�
The newly formed BCACA aims to 鈥渟hine a light鈥� on Milner Valley Cheese and others who are part of a growing industry across the province.
BCACA also hopes to act as a sort of liaison with related agricultural groups, like the BC Milk Marketing Board and the BC Dairy Association.
