At the Gentili Agricultural Farm in Valle Luterana, young participants in the “Agroecology is Life” project delved into the entire production cycle of sheep cheese during a series of workshops. These educational experiences provided a comprehensive and technical insight into the dairy supply chain, covering every stage from livestock management to the aging of the final product.
Throughout the activities, students demonstrated a keen interest and active engagement. The workshops concluded with reflective discussions that highlighted the contrasts between large-scale and small-scale production, focusing on their respective environmental, landscape, and animal and human welfare impacts. These experiences equipped the students with both practical and theoretical knowledge, fostering a deeper understanding of the interconnections between animal welfare, product quality, and environmental sustainability.
The practical activities included:
- Livestock and Animal Welfare: Students observed the sheep firsthand, examining the management of breeding, lactation, weaning, and milking. They assessed how diet and living conditions affect milk quality.
- Cheese Production Process: Participants explored the chemical and physical factors involved in transforming milk into cheese, with a focus on temperature, acidity, and coagulation. They compared different types of coagulants, such as animal and vegetable rennet, and their effects on cheese texture and flavor.
- Hands-on Experience: The students actively participated in the cheese-making process, from coagulation to curd breaking, shaping, and molding. They also analyzed the aging and preservation stages.