Louise and her cow keep family cheese-making traditions alive
Genetics, temperament and opportunity have combined to make Clifton resident Louise Amitrano as self-sufficient as she wants to be.
Originally from Island Bay in Wellington, Louise has an Italian father and a Scottish mother.
“My mother made mozzarella cheese for our family because she was expected to. I guess that’s where my interest in cheese-making comes from,” said Louise.
Moving to Golden Bay with partner David Win seven years ago gave her an irresistible opportunity to live off the land to a fair degree, says Louise.
She milks Wee Girl, her house cow, rears a few calves, keeps chickens and, with David, maintains a very productive vegetable garden and glasshouse. To complete the menagerie, two pigs will be arriving soon.
Taking a job as relief milker for a neighbour convinced Louise that having her own house cow would be a good idea. When the milking job finished, Louise and her friend Anne-Marie Gilligan built a one-stall milking shed. Wee Girl arrived and was joined not long later by Poo, a two-year-old Friesian/Hereford/Ayrshire cross cow that was surplus to requirements in a local herd.
Wee Girl was put on once-a-day milking. She produces about 15 litres a day and Louise expect her to go to 20 at least. Some of the milk goes to feed calves at present but Louise makes her own brie, havarti, halloumi, stilton and mozzarella cheeses. Once the calves are weaned, the pigs will help clean up any surplus milk.
“I’ve always loved animals,” said Louise. “If I still lived in Wellington I’d have pets, but living on a fair-sized property in Golden Bay gives me the chance to have far more animals around me. It makes sense to have a vege garden and it makes sense to have chooks to eat the scraps from the garden and the kitchen. Now we’ve got the pigs to help with the scraps and any surplus milk.”
Louise says that her self-sufficency efforts are partly inspired by locals Chrissy and Leon Moleta.
“They can do pretty much everything themselves,” said Louise. “I’m just a beginner compared to them.”
Neil Wilson
