A stone farmhouse in Secadura, Spain has been in my family for nearly 300 years. One of my earliest childhood memories is set in the barn behind the house. I'm standing beside my great uncle. After milking a cow he hands me the bucket to take a drink. It's warm, heavy, intoxicating (for a young boy). I've never forgotten that taste.

This isn't a memory any six year-old in Los Angeles is likely to have, first because family run farms don't really exist in LA, and second because the sale of raw milk is actually illegal.

I now live in Tuscany. In the mountains above my town a raw (non-pasteurized) milk is the basis for a type of cheese that has been under increased scrutiny as Europe attempts to establish continent-wide health laws.

This is the story of Tuscan pecorino cheese made with latte crudo or raw milk, and the farmers who've banded together to protect it...

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EPILOGUE: Il Podere la Fornace, the farm where these images were taken, is an agenda agricula which sells its products to the public. As their cheese is in high demand, it's a good idea to call ahead to place an order (011 39 057369034).

Click for larger version. Stefano milks his 80 sheep twice a day.

Click for larger version. The stomachs of lambs filled with milk are hung to dry outside the barn.

Click for larger version. The cheese (la forma) is placed on wood racks to age.

Further:

•  One of the hallmarks of the Slow Food movement is their ongoing efforts to recognize and protect indigenous foodstuffs around the world.

•  A succint explanation of the D.O.P. process (denominazione di origine protetta)... in Italian.

Note to readers: this is Douglas Gayeton's final entry for POV's Borders. We hope you'll check out his previous entries, below, and browse through the other guest pages on Border Talk. Thanks for stopping by.

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