06 August 2011

And now some James McIntyre the bard of cheese

Dairy Ode
Our muse it doth refuse to sing
Of cheese made early in the spring,
When cows give milk from spring fodder
You cannot make a good cheddar.
The quality is often vile
Of cheese that is made in April,
Therefore we think for that reason
You should make later in the season.
Cheese making you should delay
Until about the first of May.
Then cows do feed on grassy field
And rich milk they abundant yield.
Ontario cannot compete
With the Northwest in raising wheat,
For cheaper there they it can grow
So price in future may be low.
Though this a hardship it may seem,
Rejoice that you have got the cream,
In this land of milk and honey,
Where dairy farmers do make money.
Utensils must be clean and sweet,
So cheese with first class can compete,
And daily polish up milk pans,
Take pains with vats and with milk cans.
And it is important matter
To allow no stagnant water,
But water from pure well or stream
The cow must drink to give pure cream.
Canadian breeds 'tis best to pair
With breeds from the shire of Ayr,
They thrive on our Canadian feed
And are for milking splendid breed.
Though 'gainst spring cheese some do mutter,
Yet spring milk also makes bad butter,
Then there doth arise the query
How to utilize it in the dairy.
The milk it floats in great spring flood
Though it is not so rich and good,
Let us be thankful for this stream
Of milk and also curds and cream.
All dairymen their highest aims
Should be to make the vale of Thames,
Where milk doth so abundant flow,
Dairyland of Ontario.

12 comments:

Claude said...

Dear McIntyre,

It's great to learn how to pair cows
But you would raise many eyebrows
If, from A to Z, you would say
How the breeding gets on its way.

jams o donnell said...

Bravo Claude!

Unknown said...

There is a saying in Vermont that if you see a cow in the middle of the road, go ahead and milk it...just leave enough for the next guy.

;-) I loves me some good cheese!

I hope you're having a great weekend!

jams o donnell said...

Ha ha Gina sage advice!

SnoopyTheGoon said...

Yes, this one takes you by the horns immediately. Starting with:

When cows give milk from spring fodder
You cannot make a good cheddar.

I even felt the smell of good Cheddar. But it was my socks, as it appeared later. Anyway, twas good.

Stan said...

I don't know whether
Cheddar's better.
But grilled halloumi?
That's do me.

Stan said...

(I mean that'll, not that's. All those thoughts of cheese went to my head.)

jams o donnell said...

Ah it was good that your socks gave sensory depth to this poem Snoopy!

A fine verse Stan. Thoughts of cheese do indeed affect one's grammar!

Sean Jeating said...

Actually they do effect one's grammar
like a heavy smelling hammer.

jams o donnell said...

Absolutely correct Sean!

Knatolee said...

An excellent poem, and dear to my heart since I live in Ontario and am surrounded by dairy farms!

A cheese not from Ontario
might be a little scario!
But what makes Jams so merry-o
is a visit from the blue cheese fairy. Oh!

jams o donnell said...

Haha Knatolee A fine verse indeed. I love it!