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BOARS RUINING
STINKY CHEESE
A recent newspaper report tells
how wild boars, foraging in Alsace,
France pastures are ruining the
land for the cows that produce the
milk for Munster cheese.
Munster cheese if a soft, washed
rind cheese famous for its strong,
some say pungent, smell. The
origins of this famously stinky
French cheese date back to the
7th century when Irish monks
settled in the Munster Valley of
Alsace and started breeding milk
cows to provide food for the local
people.
The cheese is traditionally made
by rubbing it in a brine which
helps grow bacteria. This process
seals the rind, prevents mold but
also provides the powerful aroma
and flavor. The wheels of cheese
are washed and brushed daily and
allowed to mature. In the olden
days, the cheese was matured in
the monks' damp cellars.
Experts say that the best
Munster cheese is made from
pastures in the Vosges Mountains
that have been mowed for
midsummer hay.
Strict rules apply to the making
of Munster cheese. Most of the
cow fodder must come from
local farms in the area but local
boars have a different idea. Boars
forage for acorns, underground
grubs and roots and have dug up
about 60% of these pastures on
43 farms.
The Munster cheese production
is threatened because the
damage to pasture land means
grass cannot grow and is often
contaminated by droppings.
The quality of the cow's milk in
the area has suffered and the local
farmers are asking for hunters
to come and reduce the boar
population.
In 2004, a scientific study at
Cranfield University in England
ranked a cheese called Vieux
Boulogne as the worlds' smelliest.
The smell was described as
"unwashed feet and unwashed
tom cat."
Source: The Telegraph,
Jan 2018
Photos: Valentin
Panzirsch, Abrahami
THIS RESCUE BUNNY REIGNS AS
THE FURRY CHAMP OF JENGA
Mordecai the bunny—or "Morty" for short—doesn't have any thumbs;
but that doesn't stop him from absolutely dominating at Jenga.
The little rabbit used to spend his days in a backyard hutch, neglected
of any companionship or attention.
In fact, Morty was so ignored at his
old home, he developed a botfly
infestation: a nasty parasite that
preys on furry mammals.
After he was rescued by animal
shelter workers, however, he was
eventually treated for his condition
and transferred to PETA.
A staffer named Kendall Bryant
then adopted Morty as her own—
and he has been enjoying a life of
luxury ever since.
Morty now enjoys running
around his new home, snuggling
with Kendall, and "supervising"
meal preparation in the kitchen—
but most of all, he enjoys a good
game of Jenga.
Visit OfficialKidsMag.com
to watch this bunny
play Jenga!
Off icialKidsMag.com • APRIL 2019 • 7
