Wednesday, August 4, 2010

My relatives make cheese!

On Saturday, July 31st after some garage saling and lunch we loaded up the van to head 3 hours from our place to a family reunion in Center City.
We visited some family on my dad's side.
I have to be honest there were alot of people there I didn't know!
But there were also some I knew!
I visited with a couple of my dad's cousins.
I got to see my grandmother's sisters.
It sure made me think of times I got to spend with my grandma.

I learned some things going to this reunion.

My dad's great uncle started getting into the cheese business many years ago.
He told his children that their cheese wasn't going to make it very big until he was no longer with them.
He passed away in 2006 and about 6 months after that the cheese business took off for them!
They make cheese right on their family farm.
They sell it at near by famers markets. It also sells at a few grocery stores. One being 3 hours away!

They have a shop in town called Eichten Bistro and Market!
Here you can grab a bite to eat or buy some cheese.

They raise buffalo! They sell buffalo meat in their shop as well.

It was interesting to learn about their cheese making.
We even got to try some after we had a tour of where the cheese is made.
Did you know that you can age cheese for more than a few month?
They had cheese that was aging 10 years!
Yes, they made it 10 years ago and its just sitting there waiting to be opened!

They made their first round block of cheese 35 years ago and still to this day have not eaten it! Its still wrapped up the way they wrapped their cheeses 35 years ago.

We got to see what a cheese maker's cake pan looks like!
Well that what our tour guide said she calls them! Its a white round pan that costs $400!
They employ about 25 people on their cheese farm and about 18-22 in their store.

Since my dad's great uncle has passed away his duaghter
and son have been running the family cheese farm!


 
It was so hot this day that we let the kids ran in the sprikler but that really one helps alittle bit.
We were prepared and had extra clothes for them.
Maddison got to try out a porta potty for the first time also... that did not go so well.
We had to cut our stay shorter than we wanted because it was very hot that day.
Maddison got an upset tummy bing outside all afternoon and eating to many snack.

We had a long drive home but I am glad we were able to go.
I know it ment alot to my dad that we were there.

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