SI 18-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, March 15, 2003 uS caror a * 2240 Shermans Valley Road, P.O. BOX 64 ELLIOTTSBURG, PA 17024 (717) 582-4122 Fax: (717) 582-7438 email: sales@tuscarorahardwoods.com Manufacturers of Northern Appalachian Hardwoods “WANTED” Timber orTimberland V/e pay cash before cutting Manufacturer of Quality Kiln-Dried Lumber Woodland Management Buyer of Standing Timbers FREE Appraisal with NO Obligations,' NO Brokerage Fee, NO Hidden Cost “MULCH FOR SALE” Two basic grades to choose from. 3 colors to choose from Red, Black, Brown Fabricators of Galvanized Barn Equipment Dairies: Consider Cheese-Making UNIVERSITY PARK (Centre Co.) It may sound a bit cheesy, but a dairy economist in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences said some dairy farmers in Pennsylvania may have to think outside the milk carton to survive in today’s tough market. With milk prices extremely low and feed prices high due to the drought that parched crops last sum mer, operators of small dairy farms across the state are being squeezed. Some are looking frantically for new sources of revenue to keep their busi nesses afloat, and Ken Bailey, associ ate professor of agricultural econom ics, has an idea make cheese. Not the bland, mass-produced American and mozzarella churned out in places like Wisconsin, but per haps an earthy guda, a tangy feta or an extra-sharp Cheddar with a taste specific and peculiar to the region of Pennsylvania where it is made. Be fore you scoff at this suggestion, Bai ley said, consider the micro-brewery craze that swept across the country and revolutionized the beer-making business in the last 20 years or so. He believes the same thing could happen with cheese. Not long ago, Bailey explained, dominant beer brands such as Bud weiser and Miller had the market cornered and there weren’t many al ternatives. Then small breweries started cropping up all over, making distinctive-tasting fermented bever ages in small batches. To be sure, the microbrews, will never displace beer giants such as Anheuser Busch but many brands have earned uncommon customer The Unlimited Water Supply Cows! noncorrosive Delnn valve is self cleaning & simple to operate' • 12” in diameter & 8” deep. • 3 gallon capacity- 6 times that of other bowls! • Fast recovery- 3 gallons per minute at 40 psi. • PVC construction- guaranteed unbreakable, inhibits bacterial growth. • With nonrestrictive splash guard. • Cleaner- water fill located at bottom. • Bottom drain- for easy cleaning. • Adjustable water level. jdlMr Added Value With Our 2 Coat Process! 1 Five step metal preparation, including iron phosphate conversion coating to enhance adhesion & prevent undercoat corrosion 2 Zinc rich epoxy powder undercoat 3 TGIC polyester powder top coat baked at 400° to fuse costs forming a ~ r cross link molecular bond Call or write tor additional information & the name of your nearest dealer loyalty, and through niche marketing they sell thousands of gallons of beer annually. Bailey believes “artisanal” or “de signer” cheeses could have the same sort of market impact, and he said Pennsylvania being the fourth largest dairy-producing state in the nation with many small herds and dairies is in an ideal position to be on the cutting edge of the trend. The term “artisanal” comes from the word artisan, or craftsman, and re lates to the skill needed to make ex ceptional cheese. “I’m not suggesting that we try to compete with Kraft in the cheese business we couldn’t,” Bailey said. “But if you look at the cheese indus try, it is all moving out West im mense factories use huge volumes of milk and make low-cost cheese. Only two cheeses in this country are made in great volume American and mozzarella with most of the latter going on pizza. Most of the cheese made in the United States is bland and boring. There is a tremendous opportunity for Pennsylvania dairy farmers to make distinctive, aged cheeses.” Dairy producers in other states are investigating this concept, too, according to Bailey, who notes that dairy farmers in Vermont have ban ded together to create a cheese asso ciation, and cheese from several dif ferent farms can be purchased on its Web site. “1 think there is a market out there for really good farmstead cheese artisanal cheese made in small batches,” he said. “In Eastern Europe, farmers have three or four cows and make cheese at home. They take it to nearby markets to sell and Paul B. BGDCBQffCDiIID WB9SPZ Zimmerman Water Bowl Heavy duty steel damp A mounting bracket totally supports bowl. Paul B. Zimmerman, Inc. 295 Woodcorner Rd. • Lititz, PA 17543 • 717/738-7365 1 mile West of Ephrata the locals prefer it because the im ported brands of cheese are too ex pensive.” Bailey believes Americans will consume more cheese now that scien tists and doctors have realized that eating cheese is healthy. “Americans are unsophisticated about cheese as compared to the French and other Europeans,” he says. “Europeans eat much more cheese and they eat many more vari eties. The European consumer is much more discriminating when it comes to cheese. But when the econo my improves in this country and Americans’ taste for cheese matures, the market will take off.” The question is, Bailey pointed out, how can small dairy farmers get into the farmstead cheese business? “Farmers must craft cheese in a low cost way and keep marketing costs low,” he says. “Cheese cooperatives and farmers’ markets might be the answer.” Bailey cautions farmers that it won’t be easy to begin producing cheese and that it will take innova tive entrepreneurs to get into the niche market. “Artisanal cheese pro duction does hold potential for small er dairies in Pennsylvania, but they will have to deal with the high fixed cost of cheese-producing equipment. That would be where a state associa tion would come in. “And expectations must be realis tic I don’t want to give the owner of a small, 50-Jersey cow farm that is just barely staying in business the im pression they can switch to cheese and make millions. “But as another revenue stream for small dairies, it holds promise.” Now you can give your cows the water they need to produce more milk With the Zimmerman Water Bowl, you can do it at no extra cost' The bowls are designed to comply with known federal and local requirements when installed properly * Cows are not designed to push a paddle when they need a drink This unique watering system provides a continuous supply of fresh water in the way nature intended cows to drink With a large capacity, fast recovery and a guarantee against breakage, the Zimmerman Water Bowl will revolutionize the way you water your herd ’All bottom fill bowls require that approved back flow prevention devices be installed in potable water supply lines Install in new or remodeled facilities or in most existing barns on manger or stall side! 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