Watauga Democrat. [volume] (Boone, Watauga County, N.C.) 1888-current, 1918-01-17
NORTH CAROLINA CHEESE.
Charlotte Observer,

tain section of this State must
be regarded as one OF the mar,
wells OF the industrial aye. The
Observer has at times in the past
given its readers information in
dicating the remarkable progress
the industry is making, always
undertaking to impress the fact
that it is yet in it's infancy, for it
was only three years ago that
the first cheese factory was es-
tablished. That was a small do
mestic affair at Walnut Grove,
in Watauga county. The natives
we're quick to grasp the possibil-
ties from the first years expert
ence OF this pioneerfactory, which
had established a bank account
OF 81 ,5SS for the sale OF cheese.
1t made ~, 900 the second year,
and has sold $14,O so far in
1917. This year the producj OF
the cheese making establishments
in Watauga and adjoining coun-
ties will amount to 100000, all
of which is money practically
"plcked up by the road" The
development .oi this industry has
been materially aided by the
State Agricultural Department,
and one Of its agents, Mr.. Reeves
Noland, last week went to an en-
cellent publicity headquarters
the office OF the Asheville Board
> of Trade-with a Ca e" of cheese
> weighing 20 pounds, that was
made in Buncombe county, where
=; the industry has been given a
start. Noland is proving a mis-
: sionary who knows his business.
He put it in the ear OF an Ashe
vile Citizen reporter that t h &
State. OF Wisconsin has supplied
5 practically the whole market o.
: the United States in past years,
: but the North Carolina noun
tain section is now coming in iol
a division. 1t ought to, for it is
better adapted to shipping ant
! marketing and has inestilnablt
D advantage IN climate-and eli
+ mate plays an important part il
n the production of cheese. Nolar
emphasizes the point that ''her'
h we can make cheese every othtI
day where it has to be made dai
+ ly there. Ice has to be used t,
n pre- erve the product there .wher
!, the mountain climate here ren
v ders this additional expense un
}. necessary. Gas, usually disas
t,Uus to the cheese, is unknown
hare, while it occurs frquenll.
there"
The mountain people prof
i. through the establishment of tn
-, cheese bactories in more way
~ than one. Nolan notes Il a
, heretofore the milk that is no,
h. being used in making cheese wa
i. fed to hogs or otherwise dispos
ed of. The factories pay frol
10 to % cents q gallon Tor Il,
milk and return the whey to II
ne farmers. At first the whey We
pI thrown away as worthless, lot
~ it has proved u valuable food IL
III hogs. 1t is iLstancpd the II,
T. pigs that were fe,l three weeks G
ry whey were sold at n profit OF -
Experience with the mOnnta
- factories proves that one gall,
n. OF milk makes one pound
Id cheese, or the same amount
De milk required for one pound
n. butter will produce thIe3 poun'
re OF cheese. Another factor
'ts cheese making is that unlike bu
he ter, the longer cheese Is kept,
"d to one year, the bettcrltbecom'
a There has never been II complai
le- against the cheese made III tn
w. section and local producers u
CO. receiving Wisconsin prices pl
'te freight.
'ut Az to the rate at which chez
ar making is being developed in t
'ut mountain counties: There W,
oi three factories at the close
Y. 1915. These made "a, 900 poun