Last year I purchased raw goat milk in half-gallon containers and have just started again this year as it became available. (My doe is still nursing and I am only milking a little each day for us to both get the hang of it and will start separating at night in two or three weeks so I can get realistic milk amounts for me.) My question is, does goat milk separate - I understood that the cream does not readily separate like cow's milk and what I bought last year did not? There is not a lot of cream coming to the top (like cow's milk) but there is some. I am wondering if this is normal, maybe because it is early in the milking season, or if the seller might be adding some cow's milk to "stretch" his supply? What do you think?
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Wow, that is so interesting. They(bees) just always seemed like they would be to much trouble to me. I am not big on messing with things that might sting me. That is really ironic about your being on the committee. I could never do that because someone who is ignorant about animals would, without a doubt, p*** me off. I don't deal so well with that. Like for instance, someone I know who knows absolutely nothing about animals, and every time she sees a speck of hair missing on one of my dogs, swears they have "the mange and should be put out of their misery" (even if WE KNOW that they got in a fight with another dog or scratched themselves on a fence etc.. Sometimes, I think about telling her she needs to be put out of her misery. But that wouldn't be nice and even though I get real mad sometimes, I really am very nice. At any rate, it is a great thing that people like you are out there making it possible for people to have the opportunity to provide themselves with some wholesome foods even in the cities. And showing them how to do it right!
I have partly myself to blame for the number (and counting dogs). I was on the committee for updating the code, which ironically I served on to protect our chickens from being limited to three, and argued that many dogs were bigger than these goats (three is the limit on dogs without a kennel license). It seemed logical to not argue the numbering idea since it might end in no goats. And if someone decided to have three goats and three large dogs, it would be too much for a 50x100 lot; not many in town have a 100x135 like I do.
As for the bees, unless you tell people they are there, no one even knows, that is if you provide the water source on your own property. The only disadvantage of bees is to be certain the hive is positioned so the cleansing fight path is not over your or your neighbor's car; otherwise they will be multiple "poop" spots on the car which would undoubtedly be an annoyance. That is easily solved by positioning of the hive(s) not only not beside parking places but so trees or other structures encourage them to fly up rather than out as they leave. In my yard it is not an issue as I have mine against the chicken house or a tree with the landing pad facing into my own yard.
Everyone's flowers and gardens do better when there are hives around. :-)
That is awesome Glenna. But I cannot believe they count the dogs! That is ridiculous. I don't think I would have ever thought of having the bees in town, because of their flight path. My luck they would pick a bad spot and I would be in the middle.
Thank you, Rachel. I appreciate the answer so now I know all is okay. :-) It would take a long time to get enough to make butter.
I am very much looking forward to having my own milk even if it is only a cup or two a day. Though I am putting my tiny milkings in the freezer for soap later, I have drank it a couple of times. It is, of course, very good!
Right now, the left side is getting easier to milk but the right side is very difficult; I'm milking from her right side. I've considered turning the stanchion around as it seems to make no difference which hand I use. I did get the MaggieDan milker which arrived on Monday but Capri really, really doesn't like it and started kicking the second time so I've gone back to milking by hand which she seems to not mind. (Can't blame her, I didn't like the breast pump either!) It will be great when I get the hang of this milking. The only way I could have a nicer doe to work with is if she had been milked before.
One night last week for a snack, I had a drink of my own goat's milk and honey from my bees on bread so it was a mini land of milk and honey - not bad for living in town on a city lot. :-)
Since goats are so newly allowed, I am probably the only one in town with hens, honey bees and goats, on a city lot anyway, cannot count annexed farms. <g>
My aunt asked me today if I was going to get a dog - I told her no because I would have to let one of my goats go elsewhere as dogs count toward the three miniature livestock and I cannot part with any of my girls!
Rachel Whetzel said:
yes. The layer of cream is thinner (in width) than cow's milk when it separates. Thanks for clarifying for me, Margaret!! Another thing, Glenna, is that the older goats milk is, the more it separates, so it could be that the milk you're getting this year is a day or two older than it was last year.
That would be the layer of cream would be a thinner layer, not the milk itself being thinner. But basically it doesn't really separate like cow milk does. No. As far as your supplier adding cow milk, well you never know these days what people will do, but I wouldn't think he would do that. I certainly would hope he would not .
There is a very small layer that actually does separate. It is just MUCH thinner than cow's milk.