Post By: Mat Willey – Sweet Grass Dairy
I love hate mail. I also love, love mail. Send it here: mat@sweetgrassdairy.com

And, since, at our core we are sharers, we thought it’d would be fun to let you in on the websites that keep us coming back.

The Southern Food Ways Alliance – How do you not love an organization with the official slogan “Make Cornbread, Not War?” Well, the simple answer is you can’t. Always informative, this blog is like a worldly professor who loves Pabst Blue Ribbon and pickled okra.

Culture Cheese Magazine – Cheese news from all over the country? Yep. Recipes? Yep. Contests? Yep. This website has it all.

CNN Eatocracy – It might have the “Big News” name but this blog does a fine job of tracking down the little stories through local sources Oh, and they always have some odd links that give us a reason to smile.

Gordon (Zola) Edgar – A punk rocker and political activist, Edgar bluffed his way into a job at the famous Rainbow Cooperative in 1994. And, much to our delight, he hasn’t left. One of the most forthright voices in the cheese world, his words are always worth reading.

Blissful Glutton – We like beautiful pictures of food. We like strong opinions. We like a woman that’s not afraid to do a little “Naughty Noshing.”

AJC Food and More – You should visit just based on the fact that the esteemed John Kessler makes his home here. But, it’s also a great place for food news, trustworthy reviews, and delightful turns of phrases by talented writers.

Creative Loafing Food and Drink – A fun place to go if only for the lively comments section, the weekly Atlanta-based newspaper keeps its readers on their toes. A Sweet Grass Diary favorite section? The awesome $20 Dinner with. . .

Eater Atlanta – The newest kid on the block, this site has only been alive and kicking for barely a month. It offers links to the news of the day, quick takes on the latest happenings, and a place for the Hipster Barista to finally speak.

Post By: Mat Willey – Sweet Grass Dairy
I love hate mail. I also love, love mail. Send it here: mat@sweetgrassdairy.com

I read random things concerning cows.

I search news articles for anything with the word “cheese” in it.

I have three email accounts in case not one, but two decide to die.

All these odd habits help our collective head stay barely above the information ocean or close enough that we can still swim to the top without passing out from lack of oxygen.

It’s my fault.

I’ve always been this way when I’m doing something about which I’m truly passionate. However, when realizing your hair is going prematurely white and your fingernails look like tiny gremlins have been gnawing away nightly, you aren’t shy about asking folks for help. And, now that I have unfettered access to an amazing community of people who do a lot of the same things I do, it’s time to go to the well.

Presenting: Five Things That Keep Me Up At Night, That Probably Shouldn’t.

1.) Tweeted at 2:47am.

Should I respond? Should I keep sleeping? Should I pack it in, adopt an endangered muskrat and just call it a day? Should I become a professional wrestler?

2.) How many photo albums on Facebook is too many?

Do I need 87 different albums? Should I label them using a Dewey decimal-like system that only the most dedicated readers will understand?

3.) Accidentally sending thousands of spam messages.

Does someone have my password? Did I use enough ampersands, hash tags, brackets, and equal signs? Maybe I should check http://howsecureismypassword.net/ for the 5,087 just to make sure?

4.) The 5443 Google Alerts in my inbox.

The dilemma is do I read every one? Or, do I skim like when I did when I was forced to take that New Testament class with the crotchety old teacher who called me Mike? What happens if I don’t read them and I miss Anthony Bourdain singing our praises?

5.)When will my bosses discover how crazy I am?

Well, I guess that cat is out of the bag.

If you’d like help me keep my sanity, send your suggestions to mat@sweetgrassdairy.com

The best advice will be included in a future blog and be treated like Moses treated the Ten Commandments. Total observance.

*Many thanks to http://www.quickmeme.com for hours of entertainment and accurate diagnosis of my condition – Paranoid Parrot.*

A simple concept, it requires just two items to play: a pack of processed cheese and a barbecue grill. Oh, and maybe a bit of bravery. Mixing plastic with fire isn’t exactly the most intelligent decision humans have made.

The most shocking thing about this worldwide sensation? Races have been taking place since 1997. Let’s put this in perspective:

• It’s been exciting people longer than Viagra.

• Sarah Palin was mayor of Wasilla, AK and President Barack Obama was an Illinois state Senator.

• Cheese Racing is older than all of the Kate’s plus Eights.

• Keith Olbermann and Dan Patrick were still anchoring SportsCenter.

• The Spice Girls’ “Wannabe” and Hanson’s “MMMBop” topped the charts for a combined seven weeks.

• We’ve enjoyed this sport longer than we’ve witnessed the exploits of the Arizona Diamondbacks, the Tampa Bay Rays, the Nashville Predators, the Columbus Blue Jackets, the Atlanta Thrashers, the Minnesota Wild, the Charlotte Bobcats, and the Oklahoma City Thunder.

So, if you haven’t played, this weekend seems like the perfect opportunity. And, I think we all know what the next Sweet Grass Dairy staff outing will include. Cheese Racing – America’s real pastime.

To learn how to play go here.

For photos of Cheese Racing in action go here.

Post By: Mat Willey – Sweet Grass Dairy
I love hate mail. I also love, love mail.? Send it here: mat@sweetgrassdairy.com

We think this old Six Flags commerical sums up how we feel:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LU2yt6wOoK0

Want to learn more about why Raleigh was picked? Check this awesome video out too.

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=593354670365&oid=370614830800&comments

Post By: Mat Willey – Sweet Grass Dairy
I love hate mail. I also love, love mail.? Send it here: mat@sweetgrassdairy.com

To do so, we conducted a 24-hour Canadian culture immersion seminar. We thought we’d share some of the salient points below.

- At least, pretend to love hockey

One might think this is an overblown stereotype. It’s not. All you need to know about the country’s obsession with the game played on a frozen pond can be explained in this graph:

http://i.bnet.com/blogs/epcor_edmonton_water_usage_flush_olympic_gold_game.jpg?tag=content;siu-container

This chart outlines water consumption (toilet flushes) during the Olympic gold medal hockey game versus the U.S. Let’s just say, the entire country may have urinated in unison. Which, says something about country unity.

- Be unfailing nice

Fortunately, we live in the southern U.S. and this comes as second nature. However, in Canada they apologize for bleeding on your shirt when you’re punching them in the face. So, just make sure to kick it up a notch. Or, 12.

- Apologize for all the noise

Don’t get us wrong, we love America. But, let’s be honest – we’re loud. And, it can’t be fun for the country that lives in the apartment above us to have to constantly put up with the ruckus. As visitors, we should take this opportunity to apologize for New York.

- There is more than one road in Canada

You know how irritated you get when people tell us that there are only dirt roads in southern Georgia? Yeah, this is the same thing.

- Maple syrup is not the national condiment

Contrary to what you may remember from ‘Kids in the Hall,’ not every Canadian enjoys dousing everything they eat in a sugary ooze. It’s a bit like saying everyone in Georgia enjoys boiled peanuts and grits with every meal.

If you’d like the complete *guidebook, please email mat@sweetgrassdairy.com.

Post By: Mat Willey – Sweet Grass Dairy
I love hate mail. I also love, love mail.? Send it here: mat@sweetgrassdairy.com

*Guidebook does not actually exist. But, for the right price, we’d create one.

But, when you work for a small family-owned business sometimes you’re put into roles you never thought you’d fill. And, I love it.

On Wednesday, we made the trek to one of the three farms that Green Hill Dairy operates. Coincidentally, this is where we get our cow’s milk. See, the dots are starting to connect.

So, I thought I’d offer few observations that might help someone who finds themselves in a similar position sometime or somewhere in their lives.

• If it looks like it’s going to rain, just assume it’s going to rain. Maybe take a jacket? Or, one of those sweet windbreakers that Zach Morris made famous. Stylish and functional.

• Tennis shoes are not a good choice for slippery red clay soil. Bring baseball cleats. Maybe a sherpa.

• You cannot escape precipitation when it’s coming at you sideways. Just deal with it.

• Animals are unpredictable. If they are bigger than you, prepare to be trampled. Or, at the very least, have a giant nose put somewhere that might not make you comfortable.

• Wet clothes make you smell like a fungi-riddled foot, thus going out in public should be avoided. For the record, getting a hair cut after you finish work – worst idea ever.

• Get the shot. If you have to lay next to a cow patty to get the what you need for the website, do it. If you need to contort your body in a manner that would make Mary Lou Retton cringe, do it. You know what they say – the pain from an accidental knee sprain will fade, but that internet photo is forever. See below:

All right, that’s all I have for now. I’m going to go scrub off a bit more of that fungi stench.

Post By: Mat Willey – Sweet Grass Dairy
I love hate mail. I also love, love mail.? Send it here: mat@sweetgrassdairy.com

At Sweet Grass Dairy, we’re big fans of how Zingermans has grown without giving up their core principles. It’s a model that we keep in mind whenever we make a decision. And, if you’re a small business owner, there is no one better than Ari Weinzweig to walk you through what he does to keep a $39 million a year company on track.

Set aside 40 minutes to learn what it really takes to run a small business.

The 12 Natural Laws of Business

Check out more about Zingermans’ Community of Businesses.

Post By: Mat Willey
Sweet Grass Dairy

I love hate mail. I also love, love mail.
Send it here: mat@sweetgrassdairy.com

But, when you want to learn about cheesemaking in the U.S. there is one place to turn: Cheese Chick TV. The content is great, the interviews are probing, and the production is top notch. So, just what will you find?

• A fantastic segment on what it takes to be an artisan cheesemaker.

• Profiles of great places and people including Rogue Creamery, Willamette Valley Cheese Company, Chapel Hill Creamery, and Blackberry Farm.

• On location reports from Cheese festivals across the West Coast including the Oregon Cheese Festival, and the Seattle Cheese Festival.

• Terrific interview outtakes with the late Ig Vella.

• A series of segments from the American Cheese Society on where artisan cheese has been and where it’s headed.

Post By: Mat Willey
Sweet Grass Dairy

I love hate mail. I also love, love mail.
Send it here: mat@sweetgrassdairy.com

• Juniper Ridge – Try Juniper Ridge with Intuition Ale Work’s 1-10 IPA.  I-10 IPA’s aggressive and ultra hoppy flavors are a perfect balance with Juniper Ridge’s firm texture and subtle aromatic flavors.

• Clayburne – Claybure is perfect with a strong English ale or a bold stout. Try Clayburne with Bold City Brewery’s Bold English Ale. This brew complements the nuttiness of both the cheese and beer.

• Jessane – Pick up Jessanne and grab a Saison-style brew like the Shape Shifter  brewed by Intuition Ale Works. The dry, citrusy, sweet flavors cut through the buttery, richness of Jessanne highlighting the luscious milk of our predominantly Jersey cow herd.

• Asher Blue – Snatch a hunk of Asher Blue and then a pint of Bold City Brewery’s seasonal Smokey Porter. This beer’s big, robust flavor is bold enough to stand up to Asher Blue while highlighting the nice grassy and earthy flavors of the cheese.

• Holly Springs – Try Holly Springs with a cask-conditioned ale from Innis & Gunn to match the sweet, caramel notes of our aged, goat’s milk cheese.

• Fresh Chevre -  Our fresh goat’s milk cheese goes well with Full Sail’s Double IPA which helps pump out the flavors of the cheese’s grassy, citrusy, and tart flavors.

• Thomasville Tomme – Try our Tomme with a traditional Pilsner like Oskar Blue’s Mama’s Little Yella Pils. The gentle hops and hint of graininess are a perfect complement to the cheese with a sleek, clean finish.

• Green Hill – For our award-winning cheese, utilize Unibroue’s Ephemere, an effervescent brew with a delicate balance of fruit and spice. With a hint of sweetness, Ephemere blends well with Green Hill’s fattiness to highlight both the cheese and beer. For an earthier and grassier approach, try a Belgian Tripel Ale like Allagash’s Tripel Reserve.

As promised, here’s Gabe doing some work:

Post By: Mat Willey
Sweet Grass Dairy

I love hate mail. I also love, love mail.
Send it here: mat@sweetgrassdairy.com