Hand-dipped housemade Ricotta

We have been toying with the idea of bringing hand dipped ricotta to farmers market  this year. Hand dipped ricotta made from whey after the cheese making process, for those that might not know, is a bit different than the store bought product made from whole milk. It is a bit creamier and more dense in texture. Wonderful used in the usual way, stuffed in pastas, vegetables, lasagna etc. But it is most enjoyable smeared over a baguette with a little sea salt and olive oil and maybe even some balsamic vinegar or for sweet tastes, honey.

Spring has sprung early this year and so tiny ramps were bursting and just begging to be harvested. A little homemade flatbread with ramps and ricotta.

Wild ramp and housemade ricotta flatbread

Ramping Up

Hmmm. I just noticed how very long it's been since I last wrote. Sometimes as a farmer/cheesemaker I feel that there are not enough hours in the day to put something on paper, being so busy, as well as thoughts of, 'does the world need yet another farm/food blog?'  That said, our facebook page has largely taken the place for notifications of upcoming events, products, ideas etc. Willow Hill Farm Facebook link.

Let's see. What can I slash off the to-do list that got happening today? Woke up early, went to do animal feeding chores, then with head nets in hand a la African safari off to a secret location on the farm to harvest the elusive wild ramps for farmers market tomorrow. Afterwards, I managed to continue painting cheese plant siding and trim, while husband rented a tiller for the tractor to prep this year's garden spot. Don't ask me why we need to rent a tiller when we own two broken ones from when we were veggie farmers in the 90's. Next up, is prepping cheeses for market while husband moves on to pouring concrete for columns at the cheese plant viewing room entry way. This is the third attempt. It's been so wet and with the flooding each time he did it, it collapsed back in on itself before he could pour concrete down the hole! Back to the ramps to wash, prep and package...













more animal feeding chores...laundry and dishes.....
One side of cheese plant painted? Check.
Garden plot prepped? Check.
Columns concrete poured? Check.
Ramps harvested and ready to go? Check.
Cheese ready for market? Check.
Laundry and dishes? Who cares.
Whew! I'm pooped.
What's for dinner? Hmmm. Smoked salmon antipasto salad with grilled ramps,  puff pastry with shaved Butternut cheese. Add a pomegranate cosmo.