Raw Milk

[Sebrightmom]

I have been milking goats for several years now, but last Friday I got a Medium size miniature Jersey and an Aryshire both in milk. The Aryshire is my fathers. He also gave me a milking machine to use. I love all the milk. I have been making cheese like crazy. I have made butter two different times. I am starting to slow down on using all the milk but I am sharing with family and friends. Raw milk taste so much better than the stores.

There are several good books on making cheese. I like to get recipes from other people. One reason is that they are there to help you along the way. I met someone on facebook that post recipes that she uses. She is a wonderful person. I love having the internet.

 

[shortstaque]

Quote:
I find quark (a German soft cheese, delicious and healthy) and ricotta are among the easiest cheeses to make. You don't need any fancy starters or anything. Just buttermilk as a starter for the quark and vinegar for the ricotta. Maybe I'll get around to starting a thread with a few of my favorite soft cheese recipes. I haven't made any hard cheeses yet, but I'm going to try farmhouse cheddar to have it aged and ready to give for Christmas gifts.

I use Ricki Carroll's Home Cheese Making, In addition to formal cheese recipes using commercial starters, which you must buy, she includes recipes from home cheesemakers that are made the old fashioned way with natural starters.

Cheesemaking is lots of fun!!!!

 

[Moabite]

In my day

Pot was illegal too.

 

[shortstaque]

Oh yeah, I got out a bunch of books on cheesemaking from the local library. Its great, because you can try it out and see if it is for you without spending any money on books. Also, you can see which book you like the most and then buy it if you like .

This mozzarella recipe is from Ricki Carroll and was featured in Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver (a must-read for the aspiring homesteader.) It's called 30 minute mozzarella, and after making it a lot it might only take that long, I say allow yourself 2 hours before you want to put it on your pizza. Better yet, make it the day before.

http://www.cheesemaking.com/includes/modules/jWallace/ChsPgs/1Mozz/Index.html#Anchor-How-47857

 

[Shaun]

I agree about getting books from the library. Carla Emery's book has a nice section on cheesemaking, at least the older versions do. Carroll's books are good too. Carla has lots of good info on raising and caring for cows. Don't get all riled about equipment, you can make do with a variety of homemade stuff - the molds and presses are nice, but the biggest problem for us was where to store hard cheeses while they were curing. Mozz was a couple time a month deal around here - made huge batches and froze the "excess". Don't make so much now that the kids are gone, but was a lot of fun, and once you've done it a few times and get the hang of it, it won't take so long. Remember - cheese takes a LOT of milk.

 

[michickenwrangler]

About storage while curing, I have that issue too so I only make soft cheese. Someday ...

 

[seymore0626]

We milk three jersey girls, make lots of cheese (hard and soft), yogurt, butter and sour cream. A year ago I had never had raw milk, and had never mind milked a cow. I learned almost everything from Keeping the Family Cow which is a wonderful book/website. The cheese forum has lots of good recipes, and Dr. Fankhauser has lots of info as well. It's not hard, just takes time, space and lots of pots and pans!

 

[urban dreamer]

(sigh) Raw milk, reason #9,000,000 to move out of the city!

I love making cheese and homemade butter. I have to use the store bought stuff though.

 

[sheila3935]

Wish I could have a cow. Thought about getting a mini and telling neighbors that it was a new breed of dog. Somehow I dont think they buy that. Anyway anyone around my area sell raw milk? Id buy some. You know for my pets

 

[Illia]

Quote:
There's a book called Home Cheese Making - Best book ever for cheese making. It's my bible.

It will tell you how, what you need, etc. It also has recipes for over 70 cheeses.