Post by kellyinco on Nov 10, 2009 23:06:15 GMT -5
So, we weren't supposed to be expecting a calf (and thus Momma's milk) until Dec or Jan but no one ever claimed certainty on the dates and Claire has been acting different lately. She's been "lovey" and seems to be slowing down a bit, moaning on occasion. Which could, of course, mean that she's just gradually nearing the end as expected. But DH and I both noticed independently a rapid change in her and we're thinking we may need to prepare for this a little sooner than expected. Yikes!
I just ordered my milking supplies last night and I've been pouring through previous posts about people's milking routines!
I have NO experience with milking, or any big animal for that matter. But we've been bonding the last couple of months, Claire and I, and I'm pretty confident that she'll be good to me. But the only time I've ever even seen it done was the day we picked her up from Shalali and Shalali graciously let us watch her milk the others.
How do you trasfer book learning to the real deal? What if I can't milk her out? I have no one around who can stop by and help. Will it all just sort of make sense as I fumble along? I'm startin' to get a bit nervous here.
Any reassurance amongst you all?
Also, I did buy a strainer and I have a ways to walk (or trudge through the snow) back to the house so I bought a tote too. Would it be best to pour the milk from the bucket into the tote through the strainer in the barn, or to just pour it straight from the bucket to the tote and then strain it back at the house into jars?
Somebody told me to immerse the milk in the jars into an alcohol or ice bath in a cooler to get it cooled faster and avoid off tastes. Do any of you bother with that step or do you just stick the jars into a cold fridge and hope they cool fast enough that way?
Always grateful for your wealth of experience and willingness to share! Thank you!
Kelly
I just ordered my milking supplies last night and I've been pouring through previous posts about people's milking routines!
I have NO experience with milking, or any big animal for that matter. But we've been bonding the last couple of months, Claire and I, and I'm pretty confident that she'll be good to me. But the only time I've ever even seen it done was the day we picked her up from Shalali and Shalali graciously let us watch her milk the others.
How do you trasfer book learning to the real deal? What if I can't milk her out? I have no one around who can stop by and help. Will it all just sort of make sense as I fumble along? I'm startin' to get a bit nervous here.
Any reassurance amongst you all?
Also, I did buy a strainer and I have a ways to walk (or trudge through the snow) back to the house so I bought a tote too. Would it be best to pour the milk from the bucket into the tote through the strainer in the barn, or to just pour it straight from the bucket to the tote and then strain it back at the house into jars?
Somebody told me to immerse the milk in the jars into an alcohol or ice bath in a cooler to get it cooled faster and avoid off tastes. Do any of you bother with that step or do you just stick the jars into a cold fridge and hope they cool fast enough that way?
Always grateful for your wealth of experience and willingness to share! Thank you!
Kelly