Say Cheese!

Don't get excited. This adorable lamb is not living in our kitchen. It was tough to not slip her under my jacket as I was leaving Good Shepherd Cheese last night, but honestly, I'm not sure I'd be able to keep up with this precocious little lamb.



"When I grows up, I'm gonna make cheese!"



Already studying hard!



Kentucky has its first and only sheep dairy, Good Shepherd Cheese, just down the road in Bath county. I first met the Dotson's at the Kentucky Sheep and Fiber Festival a couple years ago. They were just getting started with their sheep and cheese making venture and we only talked briefly, but I walked away with a good feeling.



After visiting their farm facility yesterday, I know why.



Not only are they making some darn good cheese, but they also really love their sheep (most important :-) and it shows.



They are milking a growing herd of East Friesian sheep. Here the ladies are outside, patiently waiting their turn to come into the milking parlor. They walk up a ramp, find a spot on the line where they eat their dinner as the family washes their udders and start milking. They then continue down the walkway, out another door and the next group moves in. In a nutshell. Their website is full of more information, pictures, videos...



I was supposed to be there bagging fleeces for Bill and Don. Oops. I got sidetracked touring, taking pictures and yes, hugging lambs, and they had them all done in no time at all. It was pretty dark, but I got a few good pictures. I love this one, with the last ewe to be sheared watching her friend.

"Oh man, I can't believe they're doing that to Ruthie."

Her name isn't Ruthie. I just made that up. All the Dotson's sheep do have names though. As they pointed out different sheep and told their stories, it was obvious that this was a big family business. I liked that.



And we won't talk about why it looks like this fleece (not that yellow in real life) is in a plastic bag, possibly headed out to my car. They aren't currently marketing the wool, but it sounded like there was some interest. And if the wool spins as nice as it looks...

So we've covered lamb snorgling, nice folks, happy sheep, pretty fleeces. What about the cheese???



Here are a couple blocks/wheels (looks like I need another trip up so I can get the terminology correct ;-) aging in the cheese "cave".



And some short lived samples.

I wasn't sure what to expect. And I don't know food terms any more than I know cheese making terms, so I'm just going to say it wasn't just good, it was really good. Here is a link to some more educated reviews.

One thing I do know is cute lambs, so I'll leave you with another one. This is the spotted lamb's sister - Dorothy and Rainbow.



Those two lambs terrorized this poor Border Collie all evening. Two lambs running amok? Just. Not. Right.

Those good Border Collies.

"You sheep aren't supposed to be getting into everything. Sheep don't touch dogs! Sheep don't KISS dogs!!!"

But never did more then show some sharp, pointy teeth...and send some sharp, pointy looks at the shepherds ;-).

It was a nice evening.