Meet American Jay, The Cheese Maker Living in Russia.

It really says something when a man who was born in America and has lived Mexico, Australia, Papua New Guinea and Fiji as a child, while speaking English, French, Spanish, Italian and Russian...chooses to live in Russia.

And what is he doing? Making Cheese!

www.bbc.com...
Meet Jay Close, an American living in a small village near Moscow Up at 5am to milk his cows, battling bureaucracy by day and making late deliveries by night - becoming a cheese-maker in Russia has been "hard, hard work" for Jay Close. The 48-year-old New York-born chef began his operation 5 yrs ago, as part of a move to establish a rural life with his new wife Valentina, 25, in Moshnitsy, a village an hour's drive from the capital, Moscow.

Jay started with one cow. Now he has five plus eight goats, buys extra milk from nearby farmers and employs a worker from Tajikistan. He began making one to two kilogrammes of cheese a day, but can now make up to 30 - and 30 different varieties. The operation has taken over the entire downstairs of the farmhouse he built himself. "I'm making cheese in my living room and my kitchen," he says.

A true chef at heart.

In the video he talks about real life and freedom. But he also states in the article that it isn't always greener on the other side either.

Despite his growing success, Jay is divided as to whether he would recommend Russia as a suitable business environment. The bureaucratic struggles are constant, and he describes lengthy difficulties in buying land and getting his cheese certified for sale. "You've got to have some inside connections. For a foreigner thinking he's going to start something in Russia, it's too much - the culture, the people, the land...

A lot of people just give up," he says. "I can't say you wouldn't regret it."

Sounds EXACTLY what it's like over here doesn't it?

So, he's doing what he loves, living in the Countryside, married to a woman half his age and earning a living to boot...

I guess if we're going to bend over we might as well eat cheese while we're down there.

Jude

originally posted by: jude11
It really says something when a man who was born in America and has lived Mexico, Australia, Papua New Guinea and Fiji as a child, while speaking English, French, Spanish, Italian and Russian...chooses to live in Russia.

That he likes Russian women half his age?

I mean whats not to like about that?

originally posted by: Lysergic

originally posted by: jude11
It really says something when a man who was born in America and has lived Mexico, Australia, Papua New Guinea and Fiji as a child, while speaking English, French, Spanish, Italian and Russian...chooses to live in Russia.

That he likes Russian women half his age?

I mean whats not to like about that?

And THAT'S what you took from this?

Jude

a reply to: jude11
That was very enjoyable to watch. He seems happy. Thank you for posting that.

Very cool indeed 😊 his conviction is very admirable and noble. He's doing what he wants in this life and keeps working through the down slopes.
👍👍👍

a reply to: jude11

youtu.be...

Someone please embed this for me. I can't figure out how to do it on my phone.

Just to clarify the content, it's a British guy farming in Russia questioning putin. This thread reminded me of it and I think it's relevant to the topic.

a reply to: jude11

very cool story. I can't help but think I was hearing Tommy Chong talking.
But this guy makes cheese, not bongs. Thanks for posting this.

a reply to: jude11

Okay, so you're about as much use as a chocolate teapot. Thanks for nothing.

Deleted due to ungrateful people.

originally posted by: network dude
a reply to: Wide-Eyes

originally posted by: Wide-Eyes
a reply to: jude11

Okay, so you're about as much use as a chocolate teapot. Thanks for nothing.

WOW!

And just after I embedded it for you.

Nice.

a reply to: jude11

Well I didn't know. I'm sorry, I'm a little cranky today. Please accept my apologies.

a reply to: network dude

Thank you network dude.

I love how amused Vladimir is about the fluent Russian English bloke.

originally posted by: Wide-Eyes
a reply to: jude11

Well I didn't know. I'm sorry, I'm a little cranky today. Please accept my apologies.

Thanks for that.

I see you got it posted now as well.

Peace

Jude