My husband watched a show on HGTV last night called The Good Life. It featured a husband and wife who live in Wisconsin. About 12 years ago they took home twelve sheep that someone they knew decided they didn't want and since they had the pasture land started to raise sheep. They started out by raising lambs for sale and then they decided to milk the sheep and make cheese. The wife went to a school to learn how to do it and now they are very well off making and selling their sheep cheese all over the country. Since I didn't see the show, I am only relating it second-hand so I don't have many details but maybe someone else saw the show and can fill us in. The cheese they made was marketed to upscale shops and restaurants. They work a lot of hours because they don't want to hire help and have managed to keep it a family business with the help of their two sons who are now teenagers. It sounded like a lot of work and obviously would not be for everyone but sounds like a nice niche market for those who are interested in sheep and cheesemaking.

-- Colleen (pyramidgreatdanes@erols.com), June 26, 2000

Answers

I have a long answer to this out of a self-published book I did, but am unable to cut and paste into this forum. If you are interested in sheep milking contact me and I'll include it as an e- mail.

-- Ken Scharabok (scharabo@aol.com), June 26, 2000.

I would ask two questions of anyone considering milking sheep to make cheese to make a living.

1. Did you ever milk a ewe? People do it - everyday. Which, in itself, - is amazing. It will test your religion.

2. How are your marketing skills? Cause, that's what it takes to make that project fly. All the work and milk and cheese wont't matter unless you can get the right money for your product. Contrary to a popular saying that goes - "it's location, location, location" - the real truth is that success depends on "marketing, marketing, marketing."

I love to read about those people who have made a success of milking, making, and selling cheese, but those are exceptional people doing an exceptional job at something that many people would fail at.

-- homestead2 (homestead@monroecty.net), June 26, 2000.

As you all probably know, I really want to get sheep and am working on it and was more interested in milking than in the wool and of things, although I am interested in the that end of thing as well. What is the best breed for milk, wool and meat, if there is such a breed and what reading would you recommend? Thanks. All this sounds very interesting!

-- Abigail F. (treeoflife@sws.nb.ca), June 26, 2000.

I personally think it might be easier to make cheese sheep!

-- sheepish (rborgo@gte.net), June 26, 2000.

If you are determined to milk them, then, of course, the East Fresians are the way to go. They are considered to be the Holsteins of the sheep industry. There are breeders in IA,VT,WI,NY, and in Alberta, BC, and Ontario.

-- homestead2 (homestead@monroecty.net), June 26, 2000.

Making cheese from sheep's milk is way easier than with cow or goats milk. We are making about 7 lbs. a day ( in the high season and if it rains we make up to 12 lbs a day). The people around here go nuts for the stuff. If anyone does make cheese with sheeps milk thean be sure to make ricotta as well. Fresh ricotta is more valuable than gold here (where? Central Italy!!).Milking the sheep is okay once you get the hang of it.

-- kelly (kellytree@hotmail.com), June 27, 2000.

Abigail, I think Icelandic sheep are good to milk, too -- and according to what I read, have good udders, almost like a goat. Check them out on the internet.

-- Kathleen Sanderson (stonycft@worldpath.net), June 27, 2000.

Blackbelly Hair Sheep folks sent me a new List on eGroups.com for making sheep cheese:

http://www.egroups.com/group/Cheese-L

South Central Texas

-- ~Rogo (rogo2020@yahoo.com), July 02, 2000.