Curd Nerds (2021)

Not long ago my son introduced me to several offbeat YouTube channels.  I know this will be old news to many readers, but to me it was very educational to learn about the cultural landscape out there, and in particular the many forms of today's digital media. In "Aquaholic" (62 million views), the British host Nick Burnham "shares with you the sheer joy of life afloat" (yacht tours). Then there's "Lock Picking Lawyer" (2.59 million subscribers), which is exactly what it sounds like. In "The Detail Geek" (2 million subscribers), a young Canadian named Mitch cleans cars. And on the "Hoof GP" channel, Graeme Parker of Kirkcowan, Scotland, cleans gnarly cow hooves (500,000 subscribers). My favorite channel among such obscure options is by Gavin Webber. He has a "normal" job as an IT specialist, but since 2009 his real passion has been making cheese at home. His YouTube Channel now has 260,000 subscribers. Webber has diversified into tee shirts and coffee cups with cute slogans like "Keep Calm and Make Cheese," "Make Cheese, Not War," "Blessed Are the Cheese Makers," and "Certified Curd Nerd." His YouTube segments feature him making a specific type of cheese (eg, cheddar), and are about twenty minutes long. Some segments have had as many as 3-4 million views. He also has a Twitter account (2800 followers), and has started a Curd Nerd Academy in which viewers learn to make cheese. What a joy it is to watch someone do something just because they love it. For a viewing sample of Webber, see here: https://www.youtube.com/user/greeningofgavin

Dan Clendenin: dan@journeywithjesus.net