Farmer’s Weekly – 30 August 2019

FEATURE Goat’sCheese

Vliedermaus, judged top of its

class in 2018 and 2019 at the South

African Dairy Championships.

It was named after the family’s

beloved black Staffordshire bull

terrier. Van Aswegen describes it as

a rich, soft, creamy, ashed, bloomy

rind cheese that is bold in flavour.

The Baris Camembert was awarded

second place this year and a third

E

steevanAswegensaysit was

hersearchforanalternative

incomestreamonthe

familyfarm,Baris,nearClarens,

thatledhertocheesemaking

aboutthreeyearsago.

“Istilldon’tknowwhyI

decidedondairygoats,ofall

things.ButI mademydecision

andthenextthingI knew,

mymum,Minda,andI were

ona goat-purchasingroad

triptoDeRust,”shesays.

“Wereturnedwithfivegoats,

andherewearetodaywitha

herdof 50 dairygoatsandan

up - a nd- c o m i n gc h e e s e r y.”

Barisfarmis situated

10kmfromClarens,inthe

picturesqueeasternFreeState.

VanAswegensaysthetrickiest

partofthebusinesswas

learningtomakethecheeseand

sourcingtherightequipment

andingredients.“Ireadupon

everythingaboutgoat’smilk,and

investedinthebestequipment

I couldafford.It calledfora lot

ofresearch,talkingtopeople

intheknow,andlearning

frommyownmistakes.”

TheartisanalBarischeeses

aresoldatthefarm’sdeliand

restaurant,BarisMonger.Shealso

suppliestheCheeseGourmet

inLinden,Johannesburg.

TheBarisrangeconsists

ofeightcheeses,including

Camembert,Brie,feta,halloumi

andtheaward-winning

Afterteachingherselfcheesemaking,EsteevanAswegenenteredherBaris cheeses at the South

AfricanDairyChampionshipsandwon topof class.AnnelieColemanreports.

Fast Facts

• the Baris cheese range
  consistsofeightproducts.


• theBarisVliedermaussoftcheese
  wasjudgedtopofitsclassat the
  southafricanDairychampionships.


• accordingtoEsteevanaswegen,
  achieving financial success with
  this type of business takes
  constant reinvestment.

Award-winning goat’s

cheese from Clarens

ABOVE:

The Baris cheesery

was started three

years ago with

five Saanen goats

from De Rust in

theKleinKaroo.

photos:Annelie

ColemAn

30 farmer’sweekly 30 august 2019