Cheese Museum Part 2

....(continuing from last week) The milk is then put in a copper vat, holding about 2000 lbs. It is heated and the proper bacteria and enzymes are added. It sets up like a huge sloppy jello. The "cheese harp" is used to cut this sloppy jello into small pieces.........

....in Mom's words (almost) it is called "cutting the curd"...........

....this is the actual "cheese harp" used in the picture to cut the curd..........

....It this picture, a long metal band or strap is tied to three corners of a cheesecloth. The strap is then passed under the curds and whey mixture. The strap bends and follows the contour of the round-bottomed copper vat. The fourth corner is held in his mouth. Once the band has passed, with the corners, under the mixture, the corners are snatched up and tied together. This forms a sac or bag containing the curds, and the whey is strained out..........

....Mom would add that this is called "dipping the cheese"............

....The bag is lifted up by an ordinary industrial chain hoist, hand operated. The whey stays behind, is pumped back into the milk cans, and is delivered back to the farmers to feed the pigs. Today is is used for other products, including ethanol. The wooden object hanging on the edge of the vat is a curd scoop, to pick up the "escapees".......

....the original was lost, this is a new one..................

....Mom's description of the action............

See ya next Friday-

Uncle Hans