Black Mesa Ranch
Snowflake, Arizona, USA
Artisan Cheese
Nubian Goats
Cheese and Candy Information and Online Ordering Page
Featured pages on this site
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Alternative Energy (updated 10/11)
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David's Culinary Blog
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New!
See our goats in action in this professionally done Whole Foods YouTube promo for our cheeses.
Plus..
See BMR owner/cheese maker, David, make Pasta with Goat Cheese in just one minute.
But, wait, there's more!
Take a 4 minute "tour of the ranch" on YouTube .
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Award Winning Artisan Goat Cheeses
4 Awards 2010 ADGA National Competition
2 Awards 2008 ADGA National Competition
4 Awards 2005 ADGA National Competition
3 Awards 2004 ADGA National Competition
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(available seasonally)
1 Award 2010 ADGA National Competition
2 Awards 2005 ADGA National Competition
2 Awards 2004 ADGA National Competition
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Click here to read the online version of Kathryn's booklet
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This site last updated:
November 30, 2012
© 2000-2012 Black Mesa Ranch Inc. All Rights Reserved
Endorsed by more than 36 humane organizations, the Certified Humane Raised and Handled® program is nationally recognized as the Gold Standard for certifying animal welfare.
Arizona Grown!
Black Mesa Ranch - The Flavor of the White Mountains™
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Black Mesa Ranch 3-Day Cheese-Making Retreat An intensive immersion in our daily routine |
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Sample Daily Plan
Naturally we customize what we teach at all of our classes and workshops to fit our participants' individual interests but here is a typical daily plan for a 3-day cheese-maker's workshop. Arrival and departure times are different for each workshop depending on the participants schedule. Menus will vary.
DAY
ONE
(PARTIAL)
Mid-afternoon arrival
Introductions and Orientation
Brief tour of main compound, meet animals, stow gear in Bunkhouse
4:30 PM Afternoon Chores
Feed animals
5 PM Evening Milking (observe)
7:30PM: Dinner
(Fried Chicken, Potato Salad, jalapenos, biscuits, apple pie & ice cream
- The chicken, peppers, and herbs are all home grown, the pie is homemade, and
the ice cream is, of course, homemade with goat milk)
Determine interests and goals for visit
9:00 PM: Bottle feed goat kids
End of Day – Free Time
DAY TWO
Self serve Continental breakfast available in bunkhouse: Homemade cheese and berry coffee cake, cereal, milk, coffee, juice, etc
6:30 AM Morning Chores
Feed animals
including bottle feeding the kids
Discuss small ruminant dietary requirements and how their diet effects milk quantity, and quality.
7:00 AM Milking
Milk machine basics: How it works, how to set it up, how to clean it.
Discuss and demonstrate proper milking techniques (hand and machine) including udder health discussion.
Have Participants do some hand milking and help in parlor.
Discuss milk handling procedures and sanitation.
AM Cheese work
Start a Fresh Cheese Batch
Milk Handling in the Cheeseroom
Filtering, chilling (if necessary), sanitation,
Pasteurizer basics
What is pasteurizing? Discuss various methods (HSHT vs. vat, 145° vs. 161° etc).
Why pasteurize? When is it required for cheese making?
How the pasteurizer works - how to set it up, how to monitor it, and how to clean it.
Cultures and Rennet
Discuss various types and suppliers
Processing Cheese
Work with previous day’s Fresh Cheese curd
Detailed Tour of property
Doe Barn, Buck barn, dogs, poultry, cows.
Garden/Greenhouse
Milking parlor
Cheese kitchen
Powerhouse with a discussion of “off-grid” living on daily life (and expectations for guest’s stay)
Take a walk with the goats
Garden/Greenhouse work or work with goats
12:00 Lunch
A buffet of our cheeses and ranch grown meats with
homemade bread and vegetables from our garden.
1:00 PM Goat Basics
Bottle feed goat kids
Nutrition and Health Care
BMR goat kidding DVD
4:30 PM Afternoon Chores
Feed animals
5 PM Evening Milking
Participants work with the goats and help machine and hand milk
7:30 PM Dinner
Lasagna, garlic bread, salad, cake & ice cream
- all home made and/or home grown
9:00 PM: Bottle feed goat kids
End of Day – Free Time
DAY THREE
Self serve Continental breakfast available in bunkhouse - homemade sweet rolls, cereal, milk, coffee, juice, etc
6:30 AM Morning Chores
Feed animals including bottle feeding the kids
7 AM Milking
Participants work with the goats and help machine and hand milk
AM Cheese work
Start Feta Cheese
Work with yesterday’s Fresh cheese
Garden/Greenhouse work or work with goats
12:00 Lunch
Quiche - homemade with our own eggs from free
range chickens, green salad with lettuce and tomatoes that you pick from the
garden!
1:00 Goat Work - hands on!
Bottle feed goat kids
Hoof trimming
Drawing blood for testing
Prenatal care
Giving vaccinations
4:30 PM Afternoon Chores
Feed animals
5 PM Milking
Participants work with the goats and help machine and hand milk
7:30 PM Dinner
pork picatta, pasta, asparagus, dessert - and, yes, it's homemade.
9:00 PM: Bottle feed goat kids
End of Day – Free Time
DAY FOUR (PARTIAL)
Self serve Continental breakfast available in bunkhouse - homemade muffins, cereal, milk, coffee, juice, etc
6:30 AM Morning Chores
Feed animals including bottle feeding the kids
7 AM Milking
Participants milk the goats by both machine and
by hand
AM Cheese work
Make Boule - our Mozzarella style pasta-filata style
cheese
Work with yesterday’s Feta cheese
Work with yesterday’s Fresh cheese
12:00 Lunch
Home grown chicken - poached breasts with sauce vert, macaroni salad, chips
1:00 Goat Work
Bottle feed goat kids
Confirmation discussion and linear appraisal of a BMR goat
Review of Visit
Critique your experience - how did we
do?
Take a walk with the goats
3:00PM Departure (approx)
We say good-bye to new friends.
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Other menus that we have sometime:
Carnitas (twice roasted chunks of BMR pork) with locally made tortillas, grilled chilies and onions, refried beans and rice
Mixed Grill of ranch grown meats and ranch made sausages accompanied by fresh vegetables from our garden
Swiss Steak with mashed potatoes and ranch grown vegetables
Chili and Corn Chowder made with goats' milk and ranch smoked bacon, home made bread
Chicken or Eggplant Parmesan with red sauce and home made garlic bread, fresh salad and vegetables
Chicken Cordon Bleu (ranch grown chicken, ranch smoked ham, ranch made cheese) with rice pilaf and fresh vegetables
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Contact us for more information on any of our workshop, retreat or lodging packages.
(928) 536-7759 Or Click here for more information about scheduling your workshop.