Frustratedearthmother's Journaling Journey

[Mini Horses]

I've given up most dairy products

For your diet issues?? Geesh, milk goats and no cheese. I'm so sorry. This isn't like "I don't have time" it's like a life change. Hope it's only temporary.

I've slacked so badly on milking this year that I hope I can keep them in milk for a while. They have kids nursing but, pulling within a week. Got a supply of great alfalfa hay to pump them up some and plan to milk for "a while". Will see how it goes. Some days ya just don't feel like it after a long day at work I know the feeling well.

It won't be long... I can do it...I can do it...I can do it...

Keep repeating. Let me tell you, I cannot wait!! It is so hard and some days I just move my work and stay home! Sometimes I cannot. is is a tough place to be "biding our time". Yes, attitude is sometimes hard to maintain.


OMG -- bush hog!! I hate the damned thing! Not much else to say as we all know

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Trying to get the cholesterol numbers down... I'll give it up for awhile as an experiment. I haven't milked for a month or more...just got over it one day. None of the does wanted to come in and they were being total witches so I kicked em out to the pasture with their babies. They're still producing but... I went out today and thought about milking....but couldn't do it. I've got too much going on and I want to visit my daughter for a few days in mid-July.

OMG -- bush hog!! I hate the damned thing! Not much else to say as we all know

Amen, sistah!

 

[Mini Horses]

I went out today and thought about milking....but couldn't do it. I've got too much going on

YEP I'm there. Maybe next yr???? Might be better, more time.

I'm having wine right now. Relaxing.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Definitely next year, lol!

 

[baymule]

We buy goats milk kiefer from @Devonviolet. It is salty, tart, slightly sour, and so durned good!!! We've been waiting for her to start milking. As much as I love it, I am not dedicated enough to milk a goat or a cow.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

It's a huge commitment. I milked already this year from January to May-ish. I'm done. Too much going on with DH's health/surgeries and work. I'll be more dedicated when I retire - I promise, lol!

 

[baymule]

Do you ever make cheese? I would want to do the whole kit-n-caboodle, so that's another reason I don't want milking animals. I would dive in the deep end and want to sail a yacht in a toy boat sized swimming pool. LOL LOL

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Yes! I've made chevre frequently. Super simple and super delicious. You can flavor it with anything you want from savory to sweet, and it freezes pretty well. I've never made hard cheese. Mini has plans to do that I think.

I've fed it to pigs, dogs, even clabbered it and fed it to chickens. I've frozen it for future use. It's really versatile. I feel guilty that I'm not milking now but next year - when I'm retired - watch out! LOL

 

[Mini Horses]

All of our home efforts require the time element that commercial products have already addressed. From eggs to cheese, to a tomato. When still working -- TIME -- not there.

NEXT year -- FEM & I will be broke & busy!! Loving it, too
Plus I have no help & FEM is limited until DH is rebuilt.

Even tho the soft cheeses are quick to make -- delish & versatile -- you still have so much more involved. Time to milk, handle the milk, set up the kitchen, clean up after. Yeah, you can make that cheese in an hour but you've got 2-3 more hours for all else.

I have everything to make hard cheeses. I am hopeful that I will get a batch or two made this summer. It takes several months to age. But since I HOPE/PLAN to retire next year, I'd like to have tried this to see if I want to make it a project. It is a project!! May or may not happen 2019

 

[wyoDreamer]

DH is totally set against anything goats. I personally would like to try good goats milk and see if I like it. When I was a kid, one of the neighbors had dairy goats and I tried that milk, but it was so strong in smell and taste that I said never again. But, I read that the milk will taste like that if you kept the billy goats with the females and they definately did that. Those Billy goats were so nasty - and by the time you were done milking you would stink also from just being so close to the nanny goats.