The Natural Home DairyHow to raise dairy animalsand make dairy products for your family . . . naturally!

Who am I?

Moved to the country in 2002

Currently milk 12 to 18 goats year roundAlmost all Nigerian dwarfHave milked la manchas and minis

Produce 100% of our own cheese, buttermilk, and yogurt

Have also milked our cows and sheep

Why do people do this?

Health

Safety

Ethics

Quality & taste

Variety

It’s fun!

Why am I talking about this?

I wish I would not have had to learn everything through trial and error

Commercial dairies take babies away from their mothers at birth and feed them with a bottle or bucket so the dairy can have all of the milk

Misconception that cows, goats, and sheep must be bottle-fed to be friendly enough to milk as adults

Advantages of dam raisingKids know they’re kids (or calves or

lambs) Have animal instincts Not overly friendly Respect fences more

Babies keep up milk supply while you learn to milk More milk Less risk of mastitis

Antibodies in mother’s milk make healthier babies

Provides more flexibility for humans

Getting started

You need a goat, sheep, or cow – or two or three

Choosing which speciesSizeMilk

QuantityTaste

Buying a dairy animal

You get what you pay for

Buy from a milking herd Udder pictures Milk records

Test for diseases before purchase

At least one of you should have some experience milking

Great idea to milk an animal that is nursing a baby if you’re new to milking

Working with milkersMammals make milk for their

babies

Separate moms and babies overnightAn extremely good milker may

make more milk than her babies can consume, but not usually

No hard rules about when to start or how often to milk

Watch the baby (or babies)

Equipment for cheese makingMozzarella

1-gallon pot and spoon

Queso blanco or feta Cheese cloth

Chevre Molds (optional)

Mold-ripened cheeses (brie) Molds

Aged cheese (cheddar, gouda, parmesan) Press with pressure gauge Cave (place to age)

Ingredients for cheeseMilk

Something to ripen cheeseAcid (vinegar or citric acid)Culture (mesophilic or thermophilic)

Rennet

Mold (white, blue, red)

Queso blanco or ricotta1 gallon milk

¼ cup vinegar

Heat milk to 180 degrees

Add vinegar

Drain hot for queso blanco

Drain room temperature for ricotta

Making soap -- equipment

Making soap -- ingredients Optional:

Essential oils

Fragrance oils

Herbs and botanicals

Clay

Pumice or egg shells

Oil

Frozen milk

Lye

Making soap – step by step

Melt oils or heat to 110 to 120 degrees F.

Add lye to frozen milk.

Making soap – step by step

Add lye mixture to oils. Both should be less than 120 degrees.

Making soap – step by step Blend.

Pour into mold at “trace.”

Cover.

Insulate?

Making soap – step by stepLet soap sit for 24 hours to saponify.

Slice.

Place on a wire rack for three or four weeks before using.

Castile soap recipe24 ounces olive oil8 ounces palm oil8 ounces coconut oil4 ounces sweet almond oil13 ounces milk (frozen)6 ounces lye2 ounces essential oil (optional)

Makes twelve 5-ounce bars of soap

Resourceswww.homegrownandhandmadethebook.com

http://nigeriandwarfgoats.ning.com

Facebook.com/ homegrownandhandmade.com

Homegrown and Handmade

Supplies Cheesemaking.com Dairyconnection.com