Frustratedearthmother's Journaling Journey

[frustratedearthmother]

Slowly, but surely life is trying to return to normal. I was beginning to believe that would never happen.

And, wonder of wonders we got a cool front! Downside is that it came in like gangbusters with lots of wind, lightening and thunder that totally disrupted the little sleep I got last night...whine...complain...grumble...

I think we're gonna go visit DH's mom tomorrow. I'm not sure he's really up for a 2.5 hour drive, but he neeeeeds to see his mom. Crazy that she recovered from her stroke faster than he's recovering from his injuries. Not that she doesn't have some lingering issues, but thankfully they're mild.

I really need to get back to concentrating on the farm stuff too. I need to do some health maintenance on goats and get ready to get some fall gardening in gear. Our awesome weather is supposed to hold through the weekend so maybe Sunday I can get started.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

DH couldn't make the long ride to his mom's. We got about a half-hour down the road and I could see him grimacing with every bump, so I asked him if he felt like dealing with that for the next couple hours...he didn't want to give in but there's simply no reason to torture yourself like that. We turned around and came home. I think it was the best thing to do. He's had a nice laid back day in his recliner watching football. Much better way to spend the day.

I've tried to take advantage of a full day at home. I started pulling weeds in the small garden so I can try and get some fall veggies planted. Found a nice bonus when weeding around the asparagus. There were a couple nice spears, neatly blanched by weed cover that I enjoyed as a snack, lol.

I've also been cleaning up some of the raised beds so I can utilize them too. I want to put in cabbage, broccoli, kale and carrots for sure. Not sure what else I'll try - maybe some rutabagas or turnips. I need to drag my seeds out and go through 'em and see if I can get any inspiration. I really, really want to get some Napa cabbage planted. I don't have any seeds, and didn't see any plants when I looked at Wally world the other day. I neeeeed some so I can make some Kimchee. DH and I looooove Kimchee!

I got a couple of the doelings wormed. Little Noir had a bit of soft stool this morning - not diarrhea, more like a dog log. Most likely from an addition of a new feed into their mix. But, she's wormed now and I'll keep an eye on her stool. We've been so damp and wet that it's prime cocci weather. I haven't had an issue in a very long time, but I certainly don't want to take any chances.

Need to worm a couple of the older does too. I checked eyelids yesterday and a couple of 'em are pretty pale. Where's a good hard freeze when you need one. Geeze, did I say that?

Think I'll grill some ribeyes tonight. I'm trying to get DH to eat more protein...he needs it for healing. He hasn't had much of an appetite and has been just snacking more than eating. He's probably lost nearly 10lbs since the accident. Poor fella - not an easy way to lose weight.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Decided yesterday afternoon to make use of the milk that was stacking up. Funny how milking one doe gives us just enough milk for drinking and coffee...but with two I've got more milk than we can stand. And, the second doe I started milking is only giving a bit over a quart a day with once a day milking.

So, I experimented with goat milk yogurt. In the past I've tried to make goat milk yogurt with raw milk and while it tasted yogurt-y (if that's a word) the texture was very thin. I did some reading and it seems that for yogurt you need to kill the natural goat milk beneficial bacteria because it competes with the yogurt beneficial bacteria. I decided to give it a try and boiled the milk first (goes against everything in me to kill my raw goat milk, but...) and voila! This morning I have thick goat milk yogurt.

And, just because .... I set another quart of milk out to clabber. I love clabber. It's similar to yogurt kinda, but it's got a tangier almost sour cream-ish taste and texture (but not that sour) yet smoother taste to me. I dunno why, lol. AND.... because I still had a whole bunch of milk I made a batch of chevre too. I was kind of afraid that my culture might be getting old, but nope, it set up perfectly. I need to drain it today and maybe incorporate some roasted garlic and rosemary. We loooove that...

AND - because I still have some extra milk I do believe that some Cajeta is next on the list.

I just love my milking girls! Not so fond of bucks right now though - one in particular. Little Dusty (who isn't little at all anymore) is getting out of his pen daily. It's not a tragedy, because the space he's getting into has no girls in it. It's where I park the tractor and implements, so no harm done. But, it makes it difficult for me to drive in and out because if I'm driving into or out of the pasture, he could dart through an open gate. Grrrrrr! I need to bring the tractor around to the front some time today so I can put air in the tire. One of the tires has a slow leak which I just haven't had time to deal with - so I keep adding air every other weekend or so. What a pain!

But, while I have the tractor out, and as soon as I get the tire filled, I need to use the front end loader to pick up the riding mower. I caught the end of a piece of rope that was hanging on the fence the other day and of course now it's totally wrapped around the mower blades. I'm sure that will take me awhile to unwrap. I'd really rather not cut the rope if I don't have to....except that it might already be somewhat chopped up from the mower. Ugh.

Still want to finish weeding the garden and get some things in the ground. I picked up some broccoli, kale and cabbage starts a couple days ago. I dug out my seeds and found some carrot, turnip and lettuce seeds that I think I'll put into one of the raised beds. Maybe some radishes too. Who knows, I might just toss a bunch of random seeds in there and see what happens. I like an experiment.

I think chicken is on the menu today. We pulled one of the home grown meaties outta the freezer and need to do something with it today. I think I'll stuff some rosemary butter and garlic under the skin and roast it. It's a big ol bird so I expect we'll eat off of it for a couple days at least.

Time to get busy.... Happy Sunday ya'll.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

almost forgot - I even made a little butter yesterday.... I think I'll go spread it on some toast

 

[Denim Deb]

Did you make the butter out of goat's milk? Hubby keeps talking about getting raw milk so we can make stuff, but it's not legal to sell it around here. So then he starts talking about breeding the goats.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Yes ma'am, I did make the butter out of goat cream. It's so mild and sweet...only odd thing is that it's pure white!

I spent about two hours digging the rope out of the mower blade this morning. OMG - it was waaaay tooo much to hope it would come out of there easily. I tied a rope to the front-end loader and found a spot on the mower to tie off to and lifted the mower right up. But even with the mower standing on it's back wheels, I still had a hard time getting to the blade. The first part of the rope unwound pretty simply, but parts of it had crawled up in between the shaft and the blade and I almost never got it out. And truth be known, I still didn't get ALL of it out. DH kept telling me I was gonna have to crawl under it to get a better shot at it...but I refused to stick my head under there! AND, IT's A GOOD THING I DIDN'T! As soon as I had all the rope out that I could get out I went to lower the mower back down - the rope broke! I said an immediate "thank you" to the guy upstairs and gave my husband the "I TOLD YOU SO" look! No way he could've saved me if that thing had fallen on me with all his broken ribs....

Went out back and noticed that Spooky was teasing the boys and flagging her tail so I stuck her back in with Dusty. For an eight month old buck he sure knows how to do his job, lol. In fact, he did his job at least three times in 10 minutes! What a good boy, lol.

I brought Lil Bit's daughter up to watch her and try to get her bred too. After losing Lil' Bit a couple weeks ago, I want to be sure to get her daughter bred. I'll breed her to a Pygmy buck for her first kidding. I like having that option because I don't have to worry about those first fresheners having a big ol' baby. AND, I really like the looks of the kids I've had that are 3/4 pygmy and 1/4 Nubian. They stay pretty stocky, but get much taller than a pygmy.

Still working on weeding the garden and beds to get my fall garden started. I think I've got ne raised bed cleaned out enough to throw some seeds in it. I've just gotta put some panels over it to keep the chickens from dusting themselves in there. Stoopid chickens...

Speaking of stoopid chickens, I've got one all thawed out and just about ready to throw in the oven. I'm hungry!

 

[Denim Deb]

I seem to recall reading some place, it might have been in a Little House book, about someone taking a carrot and using it to color butter, but don't recall now how they did it.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

No biggie- I don't really mind white butter. It still tastes good!

Really, really didn't want to get out of bed this morning. Can't seem to get caught up on my sleep or my rest. I was soooo sore from sitting on the concrete driveway digging the rope out of the mower that I had a hard time sleeping last night. Finally broke out the trusty heating pad and slept with it.

Next thing on my list is to get a new roof on my house. After hurricane Ike my cheap insurance co wouldn't spring for a new roof. They'd only shell out for some repairs. I noticed a couple weeks ago that some texture from the sheetrock is falling off the ceiling right where we had a leak during the hurricane. Called the roofer this morning and he's gonna come out tomorrow and give me an estimate. Not looking forward to that! And wouldnt ya know it- it's raining right now. Haven't had an actual water coming down into the house kinda leak yet- but I stood on the bed the other day and felt of the sheetrock and it felt damp to me... Ugh!

DH canceled his business trip that he was supposed to go on tomorrow. No way he cAn carry luggage, deal with overhead bins on an airplane or sleep flat in a bed. Hope his company understands. I think it'll be alright- they've been wonderful so far.

 

[goatgurl]

oops, FEM forgot to mention that goat butter is pure white, has to do with the way they use the beta carotene in their diet. looks like lard but tastes like sweet cream butter. in the fall i start saving and freezing milk for use in the winter. i put it in gallon freezer bags and freeze it flat to save room. i use it for anything i would use the fresh milk for and i also can milk in pint jars in the pressure canner. it tastes like canned milk from the store and i use it for cooking during those times when my does aren't fresh. so tickled you made butter and liked it.
bummer about the roof, hopefully they can get it fixed quick. suppose to rain here for the next four days
.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

I had actually made it before but had forgotten how pure white it is! But, tastes great so I dont hold it's color against it, lol.

I froze milk for my daughter when she had younger children. My grands were practically raised on goatsmilk. When DD weaned them from the breast they went to goat milk. The babies didn't seem to mind the separation when it thawed (even though I can't seem to get past it myself). Have you tried making cheese with previously frozen milk? I've heard such mixed answers when that topic comes up. Guess I should just try it for myself and see.

I've thought about canning it too - but I'm such a raw milk snob, lol. Of course, canned milk would be better than no milk at all for sure! Generally I just try to keep a doe or two going year round, but that sure makes it hard to get away. However, I've been known to skip a day occasionally without any more damage than a pi$$ed off doe.