( amazing acres & the admirable goat cheeses of chester county )

amazing acres & the admirable
goat cheeses of chester county
by amy strauss
 

( august is national goat cheese month ! )

chester county calls to mind several vivid and vivacious agricultural associations, including many small, family-run produce and livestock operations. as of most recently, the area houses an admirable handful of cheesemakers.   

on their attractive acres of farmland, fred and debbie mikulak of elverson bring together 32 goats and a goat cheese production project with amazing acres goat dairy, llc.
 

( all photographs included here are by amy strauss. )

a home-based business inspired by debbie's 4-h upbringing, amazing acres celebrated its one year anniversary this may.

but the stepping stones for warwick township's lovable, creamy blends skip far back to the eighties when the then-thirtysomethings hoped to buy a farm in berks county.
    
debbie and her twin sister had been proud owners of goats when they were children and even had a wooden goat milk stand, still in debbie’s possession.

debbie wished, once retired, to return to goat farming, but luckily, the twins and their families were able to cohesively purchase sheep and goat herds a few decades ago.

the sisters ran a fiber processing business from home, but in about two years, sold it. keeping the goats, debbie and fred moved to honey brook, and through the course of different farms and full-time careers, took 25 years until they buckled down to embrace the concept of a cheesy career.

debbie believes such an occupation is in her genes. john klossner, her paternal grandfather was an award-winning cheesemaker who received critically-acclaimed praise for his swiss blend.

a native to switzerland, klossner journeyed to minnesota and raised cattle, eventually running five beloved cheese factories in his home state and wisconsin.

following the necessary procedures for any legitimate cheesemaker, debbie attended the university of vermont’s institute for artisan cheese in 2007 to receive her certification in artisan cheesemaking.

this certification allowed her to be adequately schooled in the chemistry composition of milk, starter cultures, food safety and sanitation, and of course, the tricks of her trade.

fred manages the outdoor workings of their farm and herd, which is comfortably packed with a majority of full-bred nubian goats and one alpine goat named kiss.

the agriculturally-sound duo prefers to use nubian milk in their cheeses because it is milder, and "a healthier product that’s easier on the human body," said debbie.

"goats have always been my favorite because of their personalities," she continued. discussing the outlandish and comical antics of her herd, debbie revealed how, when the couple had chickens, one of their goats used to let them all out when he craved attention. social butterflies and attention-grabbers, the goats of amazing acres are gentle, friendly, and raised on good quality hay all-year round, in addition to being grass-fed and supplied with healthy grains.

ten animals of the herd are milking goats, and with a plea to never "over-milk" or "over-pasteurize" animals, the couple also purchases goat's milk from weis' markets to add to the quantity needed for cheesemaking. as gourmet food fiends, the mikulaks spent two years testing out their products prior to selling their creamy-smooth cheeses.

allowing friends to taste-test her creations, debbie has pinpointed her popular bites, with a chunk of the inventory reflecting many variations of chèvres—a fresh cheese with a consistency similar to cream cheese, flaunting a tangy and mild finish.

sashaying her way through blends like her herbs de provence (a mixing of rosemary, thyme, savory, fennel seed, basil, lavender, and marjoram), rosemary lemon, dill, chipotle, cracked pepper, and the well-known cranberry, she conceptualizes flavor ideas individually and also with the help of professional tongues, like those of abby morgan and kate stroh of kennett square's talula's table.

additionally, amazing acres crafts a blooming rind fresh cheese with a layer of activated charcoal, which is named sea smoke after debbie, who was inspired from her experience of watching the fog loom above the bay while vacationing in downeast maine. amazing acres' appealing attempt in french crottin was an impressive feat, as a frenchman scribed that their cheese brought him back to his childhood and of the crottin de chavignol, in central france.

however, debbie’s cheeses are crafted from original concepts, rather than replicated from well-known blends. striving to fill the market with cheeses not necessarily seen as already ordinary, the couple likes to be defined as a local production for local people.

active in selling around area farmers’ markets, amazing acres sets up shop at the boyertown farmers' market, west chester growers' market, and west reading farmers' market. previously, the duo participated in markets in kennett square, salem mill, and great valley.

"taking the time to sit there is beneficial," said debbie of her farmers’ market participation. "you gain exposure, sell a lot of products, and receive instant feedback."

experts at their trade, amazing acres also hosts cheese tastings and seminars at different venues.

approachable and gush-worthy, the lineup of amazing acres' goat cheeses makes one of many admirable things clear—the mikulaks love their goats. raised locally on the freshest and most natural of products, these shining stars of chester county cheeses encapsulate just the same.

freebie alert ! comment on this story to enter for a chance to win one of two 4 oz. containers of goat cheese from amazing acres goat dairy (that means two winners, this round !). flavor choice options are dependent on what is available. please include your e-mail address in this comment. this contest ends the 22nd of august. good luck !