dairy goats/ uses for goats milk

[demi]

can you make butter from goats milk? how much milk would you need?
how do you skim goats milk?

anyone know?

[wildbee]

Yes, I've bought some before from ASDA. Don't know how easy it is to make yourself, especially without a cream separater but I found this page:

http://www.motherearthnews.com/Modern-H ... rator.aspx

'Strain one gallon of fresh milk into a clean, shallow, large pan and allow the container to sit uncovered and undisturbed-in your refrigerator for 24 hours. The next day, take the pan from the fridge and-with a large spoon carefully skim off the cream that has risen to the top and store it in the refrigerator in a sterile, tightly covered jar.

Repeat the foregoing procedure on a daily basis until you've accumulated one pint of heavy cream in your jar. This should take about five days, if you skim a gallon of milk per day. (Naturally, if you use two gallons of milk and two large pans, you can cut this time in half.)'

... so 5 US gallons (18 litres!) of milk would yeild 1 US (0.8 UK)pint of cream??? :O

Interested to know how you get on - I'm having a go this week with 1.5l unpasteurised cow's milk.

[snapdragon]

I only use goat butter (and goat milk/cream/yoghurt) so yes it is possible - the actual doing of though is not in my skillset

wishing I had space for the actual goats

[Silver Ether]

I like goats butter a lot .. but no idea how to make it ...

[red]

i love goats milk and cheese. would love to keep goats... not sure if my neighbours would though! have 'accidentally' booked myself on a dairy goat keeping course.....

[okra]

Hellim or Halloumi is a traditional Cypriot cheese and is usually made with goat's milk.

Ingredients - To make 2-3 rounds of hellim use 4.5 litres of goat milk; 1 tsp of rennet and a little salt.

Add the rennet to the fresh milk which has been heated gently to 32c (use a thermometer to ensure the correct heat) and leave for about 30 minuted to set. Break up the curds and place the solids into a large muslin bag or several and allow the whey to drain into a pan.

Once the curds have fully drained bring the whey gradually to the boil. Any curds that form at this stage can be gathered and hung to dry to form a much harder hellim which is traditionally grated onto pasta. Or alternatively the curds can be mixed with sugar and cinnamon and used as a filling for traditional Cypriot filo pastry cakes.

Return the first curds to the boiling whey and simmer for about 20 minutes until the hellim floats. Allow the hellim's to cool fully, fold in half and place in the fridge with a weight on top for a few hours to allow the hellim's to firm up. Your hellim can be stored by freezing or in a container with some of the cooled whey.

The remaining whey is not wasted and can be used to cook pasta in or used as a base for soup.

[red]

oh - i fancy have a go at making my own halloumi - thanks for this

[demi]

just bought a cream seporator to get the cream out of the goats milk. doing it without one seems like way too much hasstle.
made butter for the first time the other day. amazed at how simple it is. just over mix the cream with an electric whisk and it turns to butter, then wash it to get rid of the buttermilk ( which makes it go off if you dont ) and press it into molds. simples :)

[oldjerry]

Of all the livestock we no longer have,I miss the goats the most.Hilarious really as Ifought tooth and nail NOT to get them,having a same attitude as many trad. stockmen,i.e they're not proper livestock like pigs,cattle,sheep.Well Mrs. OJ prevailed,fortunately.I still cant stand their milk,cheese,etc when pasteurised(too goaty)so now the remaining 3 are away on a sabbatical(maybe for good)it's cow stuff or nothing.I know what some people think about the dangers of drinking 'green' milk(ad nauseum) but up 'till last spring my kids 11,7 and 5,had never had anything else,and by the grace of god,remain healthy,and free of asthma,skin complaints and most other 'kids' stuff.(still can be a pain though!).

Despite what you might think, they do not need a lot of space,and if you're prepared to put in a bit more effort,will thrive in a large garden situation.They do best as a group(min 2) in a secure shed,say 12'by12' which adjoins a concreted area twice that size.You bring all their feed to them ,unlimited hay\foliage in a freestanding manger,concentrate oats etc as you milk them,and on nice days take them for a walk round the garden on a lead (up the lane if no ones looking).The DEFRA holding reg. thing is do able,and if more people with access to a decent garden did the same,they'd have to make it easier still.

Twice daily milking is atie,but if there's 2 of you it's not too bad,and when your kids are young your 'me' time is zero anyhow,and as they get older you've got a ready made relief milker when you want a weekend away at your train spotter's convention or whatever.

[oldjerry]

I've just re-read the diatribe above,and (just in case anyone from social services is surfing by) the second paragraph refers to the goats and not my children.

[safronsue]

nice writing oj

[Thomzo]

Hmmm, I know some children that could do with being registered by DEFRA!