Lots needs to be done to get the creamery project moving, but daily life seems to be getting in my way. Fortunately Seana and Dave are dedicating a lot of their time, and are making most of our progress!

We’re currently trying to obtain permits for plumbing, electrical, and water use. I actually thought this part of the process would go much quicker than it has, since the structure is sound and not too much needs to be done, relatively speaking. But permits take a lot of planning and negotiating. And you have to be willing to revise your plan and negotiate more. So while it’s a full-time job to get these things figured out and crossed off the to-do list, we go to our real jobs during the day, and work on permits in the hours between.

I am beginning to realize that patience may be the most important skill that I learn this year. When we were first discussing building a creamery two years ago, there was little question about hiring a contractor to do the work -- it's just not who we are (plus, our labor is much cheaper). Now, I'm beginning to see the benefit! Since my husband, the mastermind of the building part of this project, works full time, and is already kept busy by the constant flow of projects and problems that come with 150 acres and 200 year old buildings, things are progressing rather slowly. Slowly, but surely.

This blog will chronicle the planning, permitting, financing (including exact dollar amounts) and building of a micro creamery on a ranch in Tomales, California. It will feature alternating posts from 2 different people, Seana Doughty and Marissa Thornton, who have joined forces to help each other achieve their cheesemaking dreams and goals. Allow us to introduce ourselves.....

I pretend it’s not happening until autumn is right on top of us. The unstoppable, overwhelming green tide of growth turns round and meekly disappears into the ground. We get a fiery display as the leaves drain of green, going out in a blaze of glory. Let’s hope for more of the glowing light of September to give October that incandescent quality. The wet, cold summer gave extraordinary growth to cool country plants, and things that need warmth suffered. Less insects - the cows never got besieged with flies - meant all those insect-eating birds did not thrive. A friend said most of her first hatch of swallows died, the second hatch stayed late, hoping to fatten up on early autumn flies. They’ve gone now, and the skies are quiet. The difficult summer for insects seems to have made the wild boar niggly; so many slugs to eat would make anyone grumpy. A neighbour phoned, concerned that the wild boar were chasing the fallow deer.

We've seen a lot of adorable animal videos in recent history, but I think this one might just top the charts. It has all the attributes of a good film: cute babies in need, heroic deeds, and cruelly apathetic bystanders. (That IS the formula for a blockbuster these days, isn't it?)

Fair warning: you might cry