That day arrived earlier this year when the former owners of Amazing Acres Goat Dairy, Debbie Mikulak and Fred Bloom, announced they were selling the farm and retiring to Maine. The Reids closed the deal in May and relocated from Havertown to the farmhouse in Elverson in July. Will traded his desk job as at an internet consulting firm for a barn filled with curds and whey. His wife Lynne is currently a graphic designer She assists Will with production and will manage and milk their goat herd.
The cheesemaking process begins with pasteurization, where the milk is heated to 135 degrees and brought back down. Will then adds cultures to the milk, which jumpstarts the fermentation process and lowers the ph levels. Next, he adds a vegetable-based rennet to the mixture that coagulates the milk, producing thick curds and whey after 24 hours.
The curds are scooped into a cheese cloth bag, where it will drain for another 24 hours. On the third day, additional flavors and salts are mixed into the cheeses and they are molded. The cheeses are wrapped on the fourth day and ready to be delivered to local stores.
Currently, Amazing Acres is selling three varieties of their cheeses, with plans to add more to their repertoire throughout the coming year. The Chevre has a cream cheese consistency with a tangy, mild bite. Their Pumpkin Spice and Cranberry Chevres encompass the fall season and will wow your holiday guests.
The Baby Bloomer is a fresh-aged cheese that starts with mild flavor but becomes sharper over time. The final cheese in their collection is the Sea Smoke, a bloomy cheese that is layered with ash (activated charcoal). Will is constantly testing new cheeses and syphons off some milk for cheese experiments with every batch.
Goat Cheese has of loads of health benefits: It is lower in calorie and fat than cow cheese, easier to digest and a great source of protein, calcium, probiotics and nutrients. There are many varieties and different tastes to goat cheese and Will encourages everyone to give it a fair shot.
When he isn’t making cheese, Will can be found delivering cheeses to local stores, reconnecting with Debbie’s previous clients, picking up supplies and getting ready for local events.
For now, Amazing Acres can be found at The 320 Market Cafe, Di Bruno Brothers, Fair Foods Farm Stand, Kimberton Whole Foods (Kimberton), Talula’s Table, Thornbury Farm CSA and Weavers Orchard, with plans on more stores as production increases.
Amazing Acres has been selling cheeses commercially since 2009. They are members of the Chester County Buy Fresh Buy Local, PA Association for Sustainable Agriculture, Chester County Cheese Artisans, PA Farmstead & Artisan Cheese Alliance. Orders can be placed by calling 610-913-7002 or emailing [email protected].
