Daniel Gritzer

The following is a collection of my video clips, edited by Josh Berger, giving an overview of everything from shepherding to pecorino cheese-making during our time in Molise, Italy (October, 2006).

Shepherding on Horseback, Molise

Mario and Vanessa lead the sheep along a tratturo
In addition to learning about sheep, shepherding, cheese-making, working farm dogs, and horses, Vanessa and I have been introduced to one of Italy’s most ancient signs of human activity: the Tratturo.
Shepherding in Italy dates to prehistory, and before barns and hay were used to [...]

Fresh Sheeps’ Milk Ricotta, Molise

Ricotta is a byproduct of the cheese-making process. The word translates as “re-cooked”, and refers to the re-heating of the remaining whey after the curds have been removed for cheese. Sheep’s milk has a higher fat content than cow’s milk and the same is true of cheese made from whole versions [...]

Cheese Aging, Molise

All of this work with the sheep has one main purpose: to produce high-quality milk that will be transformed into pecorino, Italian sheep’s milk cheese. Carmella heads up the cheese-making here at Colavecchio Borraro farm, and she has shown me the process from start to finish. Everything is done under strict standards of [...]

Jackie, Molise

When we are at pasture with the sheep, Vanessa and I have the pleasure of working with Jackie, Mario’s border collie in training. She hasn’t perfected all of her commands, but mostly she gets them right, and makes our job much easier. The commands for collies are all in English (although Mario has inserted [...]

Stella, Molise

Stella, only a few hours after her birth.
Lady, Mario’s pregnant horse, carried me all day yesterday without complaint as we drove the sheep from one field to the next. I even had her at a full gallop at one point. Mario had estimated that she had another five weeks until she was due. His [...]

Shepherding, Molise

I spent all of yesterday alone with the sheep at pasture. I rode a pregnant horse named Lady to some of the more distant fields where the sheep had plenty to eat. Mario and Carmella, the sheep’s owners and cheese-makers, do not own the fields where the sheep graze. Instead, they make special arrangements [...]