Latestarter's ramblings/musings/gripes and grumbles.

[Devonviolet]

DH slept for about two hours and felt much better when he woke ue had a break in the heavy rain, so we went out to tend to the animals.

Of course, we got another torrential downpour while we were out there. But, this time it didn't last very long. During the rain, I found out the tarp, on our hoop hut, has holes in it. So, now we need to find either UV safe plastic or tarp, to replace it.

 

[Baymule]

You sure don't want the fence up against any trees. We had 16 acres in Livingston and we stapled wire to trees. REALLY a DUMB thing to do! Trees die, they fall down, so does the fence. On one of our property lines is a HUGE pine tree. The neighbors didn't want it cut, so we put T-posts about a foot out and went around it. Most of the tree was on our side, so they didn't lose much.

You really need to drive all the posts you can now while the ground is soft. You will be glad you did.

We got 2 1/2" today. Combined with the 3 3/4" we got this past weekend, we've gotten over 6 inches. It sure beats the heck out of a drought and 100 degrees!

@Devonviolet, I wonder if you could get a canvas painter's tarp and paint it with polyurethane or a waterproof finish.

 

[Devonviolet]

Actually mine will be gelato, I can't call it ice cream as the goat milk doesn't have enough cream to make it legal.

Do you have a recipe for Gelato? I would like to make some. Since I have a cream separator, can I assume that the rule about fat content doesn't apply?

If it needs to be heated, I won't be able to eat it though. Lately I've noticed that the pasteurized milk causes a lump of mucous in my throat. It been coming on slowly, and getting progressively worse. This what peanut butter does to me, and I am allergic to peanuts. Raw cow's milk doesn't do that to me. So, I'm starting to think low temp pasteurizing destroys the enzymes, that I need to digest the casein in the milk. I read, and was told low temp pasteurizing doesn't destroy those enzymes. I can drink raw cow's milk, but not commercial cow's milk, which is pasteurized. So, I'm going to stop pasteurizing my milk. We shall see how that goes.

Anyway, now I don't think I will be able to make cheeses, that have to be heated to 160-180*F, like Ricotta, or custards, for that matter. This recent batch of Ricotta, that I made, caused the lump, in my throat, BIG time!!! If I eat bulky foods after I get that lump, food gets caught in my throat. Just ask @Latestarter and @Baymule how bad it can get. It happened when we ate at Latestarter's house. And I couldn't finish my dinner.

 

[Baymule]

Anyway, now I don't think I will be able to make cheeses, that have to be heated to 160-180*F, like Ricotta, or custards, for that matter. This recent batch of Ricotta, that I made, caused the lump, in my throat, BIG time!!! If I eat bulky foods after I get that lump, food gets caught in my throat. Just ask @Latestarter and @Baymule how bad it can get. It happened when we ate at Latestarter's house. And I couldn't finish my dinner.

There, there now..... (comforting hug) .......you just keep on making all that wonderful cheese and I'll be happy to eat it for you! It won't make a lump in my throat!

 

[Devonviolet]

I wonder if you could get a canvas painter's tarp and paint it with polyurethane or a waterproof finish.

That's a thought. Since the tarp is a cotton fabric, I wonder if the high humidity, around here, will cause it to mold? Also, the tarp would need to be 8x12'. I can't be around wet paint (I react to the chemicals in it), so DH would have to roll the polyurethane on it.

 

[Bruce]

I'm thinking I would enjoy a steak but too late to thaw one for tonight

For the future, I've had good luck putting frozen steak in a ziplock bag and putting that in hot tap water. Change the water frequently so it stays hot. Way better than defrosting in a microwave which always cooks the outside some.

you just keep on making all that wonderful cheese and I'll be happy to eat it for you!

@Devonviolet you have your first customer! I'm sure she will be willing to pay a premium price for your premium product

 

[Devonviolet]

There, there now..... (comforting hug) .......you just keep on making all that wonderful cheese and I'll be happy to eat it for you! It won't make a lump in my throat!

​

 

[Devonviolet]

@Devonviolet you have your first customer! I'm sure she will be willing to pay a premium price for your premium product [/QUOTE]
Well, well, now! I'm liking THOSE prospects!!!

I'm figuring if I charge a conservative $4.00/ gallon for my milk, and it takes three gallons to make a pound of Mozzarella, that's $12. Add cost to heat the milk, $2/16lb bag of ice, to cool it down, and my time, we're up to $15/lb, for Mozzarella cheese. N-I-I-I-CE!!!

Somehow I don't think I'm going to get too many takers at that price.

 

[Bruce]

Does the mozzarella use the milk as it comes out of the goat or is there a separation step? Maybe there is a secondary product you could sell to keep the price of the cheese down.

 

[Baymule]

don't forget to charge for your labor-time caring for and milking the goats, time pasturizing and cooling the milk and time making the cheese.....whatcha' reckon we're up to now on price?

LS you can thaw a steak rather quickly using an iron skillet. Iron is a great conductor of heat or cold and will transfer the cold from the frozen steak to the skillet. I have run hot water over the skillet to warm it up, so it would thaw a steak faster!