Everything on a seasonal dairy is cyclic, moving with the predictable turn of the seasons and the far less predictable caprice of land, cows, and weather. All three have been kind to us this year. The home farm, allowed to lie fallow for the three months we weren’t milking, was well-rested; within the first week of calving we saw half the herd calved, giving us a quick start on milk volume; and the weather has been far milder than for the past two springs, meaning enough grass growth to start grazing the cows last week. And that, in turn, meant we could start making cheese today.
It’s good to be back in the cheeseroom, and better yet to have such a solid start to the season. May the rest of the year follow suit!