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Creamery for Education and International Development
The new American focus on local foods and artisanal cheeses provides Tillers an opportunity to develop a learning environment for dairy production and micro processing. This complements the animal husbandry and animal power projects currently in practice here at Tillers.
Internationally, a small dairy can stabilize the income of a family. Most rural people are earning less than $2 per day. Milk sells at $0.30 to $0.50 per liter ($1 to $1.50 per gallon). Only a few liters a day can turn the fortunes of a family. Dairy is also an excellent complement to ox-powered farming. Cows are required to provide calves to be trained as oxen. Oxen can then haul in the forage feeds to increase milk production, especially during dry seasons.
Dairy processing for cheese and pasteurized milk can increase market value and add protein to consumer diets. There is currently a wide margin between bulk sale prices at the farm and retail pricing. This price differential occurs in part because processing in Africa is very centralized, requiring extended transportation on difficult roads. There is significant potential in micro processing units. Efficiencies of scale are much less critical in an economy with low wage levels. Also, local colleges are graduating a new generation of students that are more entrepreneurially m otivated and certainly competent to manage a small dairy plant. In the most rural areas, cheeses are of special interest given their easier storage, added value, and reduced weight for transport.
With this in mind, Tillers is working to develop a cheese and dairy operation as a training tool. The dairy and creamery will be financially beneficial due to the intense current interest in local foods, particularly artisan cheeses. Making quality cheeses will raise our standard of performance and comprehension of variables. Knowing creamery processes and variables will be key to adapting processing to differing environments internationally. Regardless of its small scale, having an entrepreneurial spirit will focus students on critical business aspects as well as technical production.
We plan to start our milk production with goats' milk and then add cows' milk. While goats come with certain challenges, they are especially interesting given their short reproduction cycle as compared to cows, 18 months compared to 42. This will encourage record keeping, breeding, and culling for milk production with more readily apparent results. Furthermore, goats are not as intimidating for many novices as cows. Our Milking Shorthorn cattle herd should also be ready for milk production in a year or two.
Tillers' cheesemaking instructor and purveyor of Dancing Goat Cheese, Barbara Jenness, will be on hand to manage the new creamery and instruct Tillers' staff, interns, and students in the operation of the facility and a successful artisanal cheese business. Barbara's Dancing Goat Cheese is already well established in the Grand Rapids area and has received considerable press and awards.
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