Can you mix raw milk from day to day milkings?

[FatBottomFarm]

Not sure if this is the right area to post, but I tried a search and could not find the answer I was looking for so here it goes.

I have 1 alpine goat that I am milking, once a day (other times she nurses 3 kids) and I get less than a quart of milk each morning. Once the milk is cooled, can I mix them together until I get enough to make cheese.

I realize I can mix once I begin the cheese making process, but can I mix yesterdays milk with todays, tomorrows until there is a least a gallon.

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

Smiles,
L

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

i dont mix.. but Freemotion does. i think its a preference. "they" will tell you not to...but if it works for you then its your call.

i put the milk from each session in either big half gallon jars and put them in our coldest fridge (we have more than one) or i put it in big stainless steel pots. after its totally chilled i mix them together until i have enough milk for cheese making.

 

[FarmerJamie]

i dont mix.. but Freemotion does. i think its a preference. "they" will tell you not to...but if it works for you then its your call.

i put the milk from each session in either big half gallon jars and put them in our coldest fridge (we have more than one) or i put it in big stainless steel pots. after its totally chilled i mix them together until i have enough milk for cheese making.

don't know if it's goat-specific, but on my grandpa's farm, the fresh milk went right into the cooler with the previous milking (pickup was only 3 days per week).

I'll be interested seeing what the consensus is here.

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

i think now the milk police would burst into flames, FJ

but

i have a buddy who milks dairy cows currently. he has those big stainless "milk cans" in a big cooler. he just fills each one with that milking and he has several just sitting there in the water bath.

of course i swoon every time i see all that milk from those beautiful cows.....

but i dunno b/c i'm not there every day -- and i'm hypnotized by the lovely cows.... who are NOT goats. i say no more.

 

[Kala]

Well, that's what we do,mix them together...

But then again I'm wrong alot, so I'll be interested to see what others say as well.

 

[FarmerJamie]

i think now the milk police would burst into flames, FJ

but

i have a buddy who milks dairy cows currently. he has those big stainless "milk cans" in a big cooler. he just fills each one with that milking and he has several just sitting there in the water bath.

of course i swoon every time i see all that milk from those beautiful cows.....

but i dunno b/c i'm not there every day -- and i'm hypnotized by the lovely cows.... who are NOT goats. i say no more.

Heavens, I have been away from actual farming for too long a while, methinks.

 

[lwheelr]

I leave my goat milk out to curdle before making it into cheese or butter (the cream separates better after it curdles). Raw milk curdles and turns to buttermilk which tastes about like cottage cheese, and many cheese recipes call for buttermilk.

I put each milking into a jar, and leave it on the counter, oldest at the back. When it curdles enough to separate, I put it in the fridge.

After I have enough bottles in the fridge of that curdled, separated milk, I process it all. There will be more bottles still sitting out, not quite ready, getting a head start on the next batch.

I can make a little bit of cheese about twice a week that way from the extra milk from one goat.

 

[Wifezilla]

and i'm hypnotized by the lovely cows

The latest issue of Hobby Farm magazine has a spread on Dexters....just saying....

 

[freemotion]

When I am getting enough to make cheese, I put it into gallon jars in the fridge. I filter each milking directly into the jars, and add warm milk right into cold milk. I've made cheese with week old milk. It is always an adventure when you don't follow the rules.

 

[aggieterpkatie]

I also sometimes add warm (fresh) milk into cooled milk. I've never had any problems. Like someone said, the warm milk gets dumped into the bulk tank at milking on large dairies.