We are EXCITED to see everyone this coming Saturday at the Ranch! Be prepared for a fun filled day! We will spend time split between the dairy barn and the house so dress appropriately based on the weather. Food and drinks will be provided so just bring yourself! We can't wait to share with everyone the art of cheese and sourdough bread making and we are eager to show you all the effort and hard work that goes into making all of the products. If there are any last minute questions don't hesitate to give us a call at the number listed above.

We'll see you at 7am for the morning milking on Saturday!

~Emma for Diamond S Delights

Hey Everyone!
Our cheese making workshop is now full! Thank you to everyone in showing such an interest and we will see you at the Ranch on February 4th!

Hey Everyone,
We would like to remind you about the upcoming cheese class held at the ranch on Saturday, February 4th. Jessica Tharp wrote this great article for us telling a little bit about the start of Diamond S Delights and the workshop, thanks Jess!

Kris Robertson of Diamond S Delights in Hyattville is offering a unique class showcasing
how anyone can get started in making their own cheese products, as well as other projects like
sourdough bread and other traditional foods. On Feb. 4 we will offer a day-long interactive
workshop for up to 20 people, and the $50 fee includes breakfast and lunch, as well as recipes and
starter ingredients.

Diamond S Delights will showcase up to 10 products, including a variety of cheeses like
Cheddar, Swiss, Feta, Brie, Garlic/Chive and Mozzarella; butter, ghee and buttermilk; kefir &
yogurt; crème fraiche & sour cream; sourdough bread; and a demo on making sauerkraut. People
will get the chance to make their own products and participate in a taste-and-pair of various wines
and cheeses. You’ll get some exercise too as demo’s will be split between the house and the dairy.
Pick and choose - over load or be at leisure. Bring the little ones or have a day away. Games and
outings if the little ones are bored.

The day will begin with early bird registration & milking at 7 a.m. followed by breakfast
with homemade kefir biscuits sausage gravy, juices & smoothies at 8 a.m. We will add the culture to
our first cheese just as we quit for breakfast, as it needs 45 minutes to rest. Cheese making will
officially begin at 8:45, and the workshop will officially conclude at 4 p.m. with the taste-and-pair
to follow from 4-5. Kris said she needs to know of any special dietary needs ahead of time, AND if you will need housing for the night. Housing will be additional fee.

Kris began her Diamond S Delights venture in Hyattville in 2011 when a neighbor expressed interest in making her own cheese. Kris and her husband, Gene, were no strangers to milk cows, having had a family cow all the while raising their family outside of Jackson Hole, leaving that area, moving to Hyattville nearly 24 years ago. Kris entertained the idea of getting back into milking and added one cow to their beef cattle operation, and the project has grown into much more over the last few years. In 2014 Kris broke her leg in several places and was laid up at home after several surgeries and grueling recoveries. She said she simply had no choice but to stay home and make cheese that year, and now her operation is booming with five milk cows, with the help of Gene and local friends like Amelia Eibert who is Diamond S Delights sourdough bread lady and much more, and Emma Green and Blaise Allen all help at the new Hyattville Micro Dairy. They work together to collect 6-12 gallons of A2 whole milk per day, which Kris said is certified as having the most health benefits for human consumption. All of her cows have been certified through genetic DNA testing for this distinction, which includes yields of high butter fat and high protein content in the whey.

Diamond S Delights now supplies up to 30 families in Hyattville, Ten Sleep, Worland, and Greybull with their A2 whole milk, plus many others that stop in or call in special orders for pickup at the little dairy store. Green and Allen have been involved not only in helping with chores when needed, but have really taken on the website and marketing aspect of things, informing people of the health benefits of A2 whole milk. Green herself grew up on a working dairy in upstate New York, which she says her father still runs today. She fit right in at Diamond S, and she and Allen took the milk and cheese products to Lloyd Craft Farms in Worland every week this summer to help serve their 80-100 crop share members. “That kept us busy. It was exciting,” Green said. They also participated in A Taste of Wyoming in Basin in May and July selling and showcasing different products and offering samples to the public.

Robertson said the February class they’re offering is really a response to the public asking her to do it. She’s previously held classes in Wilson a little town west of Jackson Hole and Hyattville with good response. Allen said the rise in public interest is in part due to 2015 legislation called the Food Freedom Act which enabled the public to simply pay for the raw dairy product without being required to be part owner of the animal in a cow-share. People can now purchase the milk and dairy products directly from the producer without owning part of the herd. Robertson said part of their mission at Diamond S is to educate people of the health benefits and help them understand the processes involved in making the products that are available at Diamond S Delights.

For more information or to sign up for the class, contact Robertson at (307) 469-2204 or gkrob324@gmail.com . Space is limited to 20 people, with a minimum of 10 needed to hold the
class. The public may sign up from Jan. 18-30, with their entries paid in full by the 30th to hold their
spot.

This week I’d like to introduce all our readers to A2 milk. We are just going to touch the surface of it but I think it will help you all understand more about the milk you are drinking!

The solids found in cows’ milk are composed of fat, protein, lactose, and minerals. Casein is the main protein that is found in cows’ milk. Beta-casein, one type of casein, comes in two slightly different forms, A1 and A2. Milk from a cow with this A2 gene is considered to be healthier as well as easier to digest than milk from a cow coming back as A1. It has also been determined that people who think they have an intolerance to lactose, the natural sugar in milk, may actually be intolerant to the A1 protein, making A2 milk a great alternative!

We have had all our ladies DNA tested to see if they carry the A2 beta casein gene. All of them have come back as A2! We encourage anyone with a lactose intolerant to give our milk a try. It just might be your ticket to enjoying milk again!
 
For more information on A2/A2 milk you can visit these website: https://www.vgl.ucdavis.edu/services/A2Genotyping.php
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-08-11/a2-milk-research/5658502
http://hoards.com/article-13688-editorial-a2-milk-—myth-fad-or-the-real-deal-.html

If you'd like to learn more or see what this milk is all about sign up for our cheese class on February 4th! Sign ups officially begin this week and will close January 30th. We need a minimum of 10 participants to go ahead with the class. We will start at 7am with milking the ladies, then eat breakfast at 8am. After that we will focus on making cheese, sourdough bread, butter, sauerkraut, kefir, and yogurt among others if time persists. We will serve lunch in between making products. A wine and cheese pairing will conclude the day. All of this for just $50 including breakfast, lunch, and the pairing at the end. Entries will need paid by January 30th to hold your spot so don't wait! Give Kris a call or else email her at [email protected]

Enjoy your week!

~Emma with Diamond S Delights 

Hey Everyone!
Just wanted to remind all of you that February 4th is when we will be having our cheese/bread making class! We are very excited to show you some of the techniques we use to make some of our delicious products. After leaving the class you will be well versed in how to make artisan sourdough bread, several types of cheese as well as fermented vegetable products. It is $50 for the entire day and if you would like to sign up please contact Kris as soon as possible.

I also wanted to take the time to tell you about the buttermilk pancake kit we have available. Below are pictures of the delicious pancakes Emma made this morning.

As Emma mentioned before, this kit comes with all of the buttermilk and dry ingredients to make your family a wonderful breakfast.
Ingredients include:  1 teaspoon salt 
                                  2 teaspoons baking powder
                                  1 teaspoon baking soda
                                  2 cups of sifted flour
                                  2 tablespoons sugar
                                  2 eggs, slightly whisked
                                  2 cups of buttermilk
                                  2 tablespoons butter, unsalted and melted

We hope your new year is starting off right and we are excited for what's in store for Diamond S this year.

Blaise