This is the first in our series of Crafts in Cheese-making, discovering the occupation of shepherd, in this case a lady shepherd !

At the foot of Mount Espinouse and after several kilometres of dirt-tracks between fields and woods, the Chèvrerie de la T (goat farm) finally comes into view.

It is here that the exquisite creation, Pradel, Palet de l’Espinouse and Murat de Montagne cheeses are manufactured, from milk straight from the mother-goat.

It is the preserve of Pauline, Yves and little Margot, and their 60 Alpine goats.

This is Pauline’s dream and she tells us about her occupation ; she’s a 28 year old mother and a passionate goat-keeper.

What led you to creating your own goat farm ?

“We are not from an agricultural background. So we didn’t inherit a family farm, nor did we learn what to do from early childhood ; we had to be trained, do our own research and dare to take the risk to get set up. But for me it had always been a dream.

Yves, Margot and Pauline

At three-years old in my council flat, I used to play at milking imaginary cows ! And then on meeting Yves everything was planned out : we both hankered after adventure, either it was going to be a goat-farm, or leaving for Argentina on a boat …”

What to you like about the occupation of stock-breeder ?

“The fact of working in nature, and that it is a delicate occupation and we are continuously perfecting our know-how. It’s very exciting ! And in this job you’ve got to be passionate … Its both a simple and a complicated activity : you must pay attention to the animals all the time, anticipate changes in the weather, adapt all your tasks to the prevailing daily conditions, check on how the milk and the cheeses are developing several times a day … This requires total concentration and endurance 9 months of the year. This is the natural lactation period. For the remaining 3 months the goats are in gestation, according to their natural cycle. When it rains for a week or the temperature goes up to 35°C, we have to spend long periods working on the health of the animals and the cheeses, either sooner or later. It is not unusual to be still working at 11pm ! Yes, you have to be curious, love what you’re doing seven days a week.”

Why goats ?

“It has to be said, given the heavy economic constraints, that stock-breeding is the most accessible. And then, above all, the charm of the kids moved us ! They are very emotional, close to human beings, sensitive to stress as well as caresses, really very endearing : in fact, real glue-pots (I can confirm this ! ed.). The quality of their milk, and thus the cheese from which it is made, depends directly on their well-being. And the well-being of the stock-breeder, of course …”

How is your family life organised ?

The herd

“As a function of the farm. There are only two of us in this concern. And since Margot’s birth 10 months ago, we had to reorganise our work system. The traditional scheme requires the man to work with the animals, and the woman in the cheese-making. And the divorce rate is incredibly high in this occupation ! The first two years were a bit difficult, and since then we have adapted to one another, respecting each one’s rhythm and methods. We decided that we would both have two caps which we change according to our moods. We often argue about the pleasure of looking after the goats !” (walking them for two and six hours, ed.)"

What is a typical day ?

“A typical day does not exist ! But in general : I get up at 6am and get on with placing the cheeses in their moulds to about 7.30am, while Yves looks after Margot. I then take over and Yves gets on with looking after the animals and the milking. Contrary to the overwhelming majority of our fellow goat farmers we milk only once a day : we have noticed that it does not in any way alter milk quality, and it helps to organise our tasks and our family life a bit more comfortably.“We are not in a logic of mass production, quite the opposite ! Our goats only produce on average 3 litres of milk per day. There are two of us, and our objective is to avoid waste by seeking balanced, quality milk. Around 10am I go back to the cheese-making section : this time the cheeses are taken out of their moulds, salting is carried out, other cheeses are turned over, etc. Meanwhile Yves, with

Kids having rest

Margot strapped to his back, goes out to look after the goats on our heath, meadows and the woods around the farm. There they feed on broom, heather, brambles and beech leaves, which they are very keen on ! By about 3pm the goats return : this is when they need calmness and rest, and being able to “ruminate” if necessary. Up to 5pm we get on with exterior tasks : checking fences, repairing, cleaning, etc.. Then, once again, we look after the goats, until nightfall. Finally, according to the fodder they found outside, we feed them hay, maize, sunflower and barley ; all guaranteed free of genetically modified organisms. At 8pm we put the finishing touches to tasks in the cheese-making section. The end of the day varies from 9pm to …”

How do you see the future ?

Cheeses molding

“The future ? It has to be confessed that the sector is uncertain. At the moment we are manufacturing 4 lactic cheeses (see Pradel) using a sowing ?? method with the particularity of having a natural leaven base. We soon hope to obtain a new agreement ?? through which we could produce a new type of cheese. Such demands take a long time and are tiresome. Furthermore, there is the problem of working the distribution networks : in an isolated countryside like ours, it is difficult to market all of our production, above all in the land of the ewe where the Roquefort culture reigns supreme. Of course the ideal for us would be to employ staff …But in the short term, we must above all alert consumers to the value of farm and craft products, work on the recognition of farm cheeses made from milk straight from the animal using craft methods. Our goats graze off the vegetation of the countryside, are fed cereals guaranteed to be free of genetically modified organisms and safe hay, reproduce by “natural mounting (i.e. no artificial insemination, ed.), and the natural periods of gestation are respected …” It’s Nature which leads and regulates all of our production cycle. And we are certain that there lies the guarantee of a quality product”.

A big thank you to Pauline, Yves and Margot for their warm welcome, their perseverance and their imaginative attitudes … and their delicious cheese !

Interview recorded by Maya Marin, 26th September, 2006

Next subjects : Cheese manufacturer (2/3) and Alchemist refiner (3/3)

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