norseofcourse's journal - spring and show update

[BrownSheep]

Just an idea but would those seal glass jars work. You could milk into one pail and pour into the jars to cool while you keep milking.

Kind of like this http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/70227986/

 

[norseofcourse]

@BrownSheep - thanks, I'll look at those.

 

[Southern by choice]

We freeze our milk til we can "get to it". I tend to get behind with pasteurizing and also I don't make cheese all the time... yet.

I don't use the slushy mix right now but will need to in the future, when we are doing 3+ gallons a day. For now we milk into a milkpail and then strain it into containers and put straight in the freezer to chill quickly. Some we will let freeze some we just chill and take it out once really cold.

We did the 1/2 gallon jars but I didn't realize they don't recommend them for freezing so we found lots of cracked jars. The quart jars did better but we still had some crack.
My Dh finally found these...

The small one is quart size so the milk chills really fast, better than the larger sizes. We use a lot of containers but it makes it easier when I pull them out for my needs. They are wide mouth for easy cleaning, the strainer fits perfectly in them too! Freezer ready! We also use tabs to write the date ob. They leave no glue residue and are easy! Dh seems to only find these at Target.
I like these for when I am keeping each goats milk separate.

The larger blue top is 3qts. It is great for all the same reasons as above and I can fit 1Lamancha and 1 Nigies am milking in one 3 qt container. Usually. Wide mouth too.

The big jug (red lid) is for pasteurized drinking milk... that way everyone knows what milk is what. We often have other milk in the fridge so we can make cheese when ready or thawing more milk for drinking.

You could always milk right into a container To look at each ewes output, chill quickly then take in and strain and combine once you record everyone's output then freeze or whatever you decide to do.

 

[norseofcourse]

I don't use the slushy mix right now but will need to in the future, when we are doing 3+ gallons a day.

I can't imagine dealing with that much milk every day!I don't know if I'll ever get to the point where I'll want that kind of quantity. I'm happy for now with smaller amounts as I learn.

I like the containers, why do so many people say stay away from plastic though? Is there some kind of chemical concern, or can plastic have an effect on the taste of the milk?

Some of the milk will be frozen for future use as cheese, soap or recipes like fudge. Some of it I want to separate the cream out and try to make butter. I'm thinking of trying one of those 'gravy separator' gadgets - let it set for a day or so, then pour out the skim milk at the bottom, and use the cream that rose (use the skim milk for maybe mozzarella). I hadn't thought of having enough milk to actually drink! I'm not much of a straight milk drinker. Milkshakes, on the other hand...

You could always milk right into a container

LOL only if my aim gets a *lot* better! I milked into a nice 8" diameter plastic bucket. Set right underneath the udder. And Icelandics aren't tall, so it's not like it was even that far away. There were still times I missed... It's almost like, as I milked, the orifice at the end of the teat would point in a different direction. Or maybe my grip was changing slightly without my noticing it. Looking forward to lots more practice next year!

To look at each ewes output, chill quickly then take in and strain and combine once you record everyone's output then freeze or whatever you decide to do.

That looks like the best plan, and I have a scale so I can track it by weight if I want to. I may record both weight and volume.

 

[Southern by choice]

The plastic has the issue of possible harboring of bacteria. We clean ours with soap and bleach and sterilize them.
The glass is great BUT we had so many shattering from freezing it was ridiculous.

My DD does most of the milking- well for now all LOL My hands are severely arthritic. She is good! Super fast too and she knows each goat. Every once in a while she will squirt some on the lid and if you tease her and say, "hey what about getting it in the bucket" She will take aim with that teat and squirt you! while she gives that look

 

[Pearce Pastures]

We use a lot of glass containers here too. I know lots of folks who wash out and reuse regular milk jugs for milk that they are giving to animals but I would worry about bacteria too with anything that was going to be used repeatedly. You'll have to report on the cream thing---it never seems to really separate out for us.

 

[Southern by choice]

I know lots of folks who wash out and reuse regular milk jugs for milk that they are giving to animals but I would worry about bacteria too with anything that was going to be used repeatedly.

Do you have many that crack?

 

[Pearce Pastures]

Do you mean plastic cracking because I don't know there--I don't personally use plastic, just glass for stuff we are going to be drinking fresh. The times we froze it though, we froze the milk in plastic freezer bags. Lays nice and flat in the freezer.

 

[Southern by choice]

Do you mean plastic cracking because I don't know there--I don't personally use plastic, just glass for stuff we are going to be drinking fresh. The times we froze it though, we froze the milk in plastic freezer bags. Lays nice and flat in the freezer.

I meant glass. We were freezing our qt jars and they still cracked even though they had head space and are rated for freezing.

 

[Pearce Pastures]

That's weird? I haven't used glass to freeze but would think it would be fine.