Economy of home cheesemaking

[nogoer]

Let me start off first by saying that i'm sure most home hobby
cheesemakers do it for fun or to get cheese of better quality than from
thier local stores or other personal reasons. That being said I'll bet
economy comes into play for at least some of them. Part of the
attraction for me to home crafted foods like cheese is being able to do
it as good or better and doing it cheaper. However around here the
ingredients don't come so cheap. A gallon of milk costs around 3-4
dollars, cream another 3 then add on the cultures and rennet and now a
one gallon batch of cheese is getting expensive.

I'm not complaining about the cost or looking for boo hoo so dont make
cheese replies. Im wondering what others do to make this hobby more
economical? My ingredients are running me around 7-8 dollars a pound,
most of which is the milk itself. I've recently started getting my milk
from walmart at about 2.75 a gallon, but have yet to try the whole milk
without using cream and skim. If that works then i've reduced my cost
per pound to around 3 without having to get a $3 pint of cream.

So how do the rest of you keep your costs down? What are your
ingredient costs? Im thinking about starting a crusade to find raw milk
at a local farm, but i'm unsure of the cost for that.

Thanks
Jenson

[slwitman]

I'm new to the group, but I had the same concerns. For 'ordinary' cheeses,
I don't see how it is a cost savings to make it yourself when you can buy
cheese at WalMart for $3 a pound right aside of the $3 a gallon milk that
will make one pound of cheese! Then add in all the other items you need and
it makes no sense; HOWEVER, it seems like fun and a challenge so screw the
cost. :o) I am leaning more toward blues and feta, which make it more
attractive as far as costs go.

Tom

Post by nogoer
Let me start off first by saying that i'm sure most home hobby
cheesemakers do it for fun or to get cheese of better quality than from
thier local stores or other personal reasons. That being said I'll bet
economy comes into play for at least some of them. Part of the
attraction for me to home crafted foods like cheese is being able to do
it as good or better and doing it cheaper. However around here the
ingredients don't come so cheap. A gallon of milk costs around 3-4
dollars, cream another 3 then add on the cultures and rennet and now a
one gallon batch of cheese is getting expensive.
I'm not complaining about the cost or looking for boo hoo so dont make
cheese replies. Im wondering what others do to make this hobby more
economical? My ingredients are running me around 7-8 dollars a pound,
most of which is the milk itself. I've recently started getting my milk
from walmart at about 2.75 a gallon, but have yet to try the whole milk
without using cream and skim. If that works then i've reduced my cost
per pound to around 3 without having to get a $3 pint of cream.
So how do the rest of you keep your costs down? What are your
ingredient costs? Im thinking about starting a crusade to find raw milk
at a local farm, but i'm unsure of the cost for that.
Thanks
Jenson

[Dee Dee]

Post by nogoer
Let me start off first by saying that i'm sure most home hobby
cheesemakers do it for fun or to get cheese of better quality than from
thier local stores or other personal reasons. That being said I'll bet
economy comes into play for at least some of them. Part of the
attraction for me to home crafted foods like cheese is being able to do
it as good or better and doing it cheaper. However around here the
ingredients don't come so cheap. A gallon of milk costs around 3-4
dollars, cream another 3 then add on the cultures and rennet and now a
one gallon batch of cheese is getting expensive.
I'm not complaining about the cost or looking for boo hoo so dont make
cheese replies. Im wondering what others do to make this hobby more
economical? My ingredients are running me around 7-8 dollars a pound,
most of which is the milk itself. I've recently started getting my milk
from walmart at about 2.75 a gallon, but have yet to try the whole milk
without using cream and skim. If that works then i've reduced my cost
per pound to around 3 without having to get a $3 pint of cream.
So how do the rest of you keep your costs down? What are your
ingredient costs? Im thinking about starting a crusade to find raw milk
at a local farm, but i'm unsure of the cost for that.
Thanks
Jenson

About 8 months ago, I found a farm which sells raw milk. After their
set-up costs for jars and shares in a cow, I now receive 1 gallon of
milk a week and the cost is $63 a quarter. I did buy all the
paraphalia from Leeners to make cheese, but so far, I've used it every
week mainly for ice cream and yogurt, so I can't give you costs for
cheese. I did try making mascarpone, but it was a failure, and I do
make cheeses such as Indian paneer, or Mexican cheese, which all turn
out tasting the same.

I would not make these things if I did not have raw milk; cost doesn't
enter into it for me, but health is a factor. I send you this
information so that you can see what here in Virginia it may cost to
make your cheeses. I get about 2 to 3 cups of cream from each gallon.
Sometimes 3-1/2 cups. It's generally very thick.
Dee

[slwitman]

I absolutely agreee, Gunther. I also have hobbies of pottery and
woodworking. I might spend all day making a ceramic piece that resembles
something from China that costs a dollar. It is the satisfaction of knowing
you can do it yourself and better.

Tom

Post by Dee Dee

Post by nogoer
Let me start off first by saying that i'm sure most home hobby
cheesemakers do it for fun or to get cheese of better quality than from
thier local stores or other personal reasons. That being said I'll bet
economy comes into play for at least some of them. Part of the
attraction for me to home crafted foods like cheese is being able to do
it as good or better and doing it cheaper. However around here the
ingredients don't come so cheap. A gallon of milk costs around 3-4
dollars, cream another 3 then add on the cultures and rennet and now a
one gallon batch of cheese is getting expensive.
I'm not complaining about the cost or looking for boo hoo so dont make
cheese replies. Im wondering what others do to make this hobby more
economical? My ingredients are running me around 7-8 dollars a pound,
most of which is the milk itself. I've recently started getting my milk
from walmart at about 2.75 a gallon, but have yet to try the whole milk
without using cream and skim. If that works then i've reduced my cost
per pound to around 3 without having to get a $3 pint of cream.
So how do the rest of you keep your costs down? What are your
ingredient costs? Im thinking about starting a crusade to find raw milk
at a local farm, but i'm unsure of the cost for that.
Thanks
Jenson

About 8 months ago, I found a farm which sells raw milk. After their
set-up costs for jars and shares in a cow, I now receive 1 gallon of
milk a week and the cost is $63 a quarter. I did buy all the
paraphalia from Leeners to make cheese, but so far, I've used it every
week mainly for ice cream and yogurt, so I can't give you costs for
cheese. I did try making mascarpone, but it was a failure, and I do
make cheeses such as Indian paneer, or Mexican cheese, which all turn
out tasting the same.
I would not make these things if I did not have raw milk; cost doesn't
enter into it for me, but health is a factor. I send you this
information so that you can see what here in Virginia it may cost to
make your cheeses. I get about 2 to 3 cups of cream from each gallon.
Sometimes 3-1/2 cups. It's generally very thick.
Dee