milk on a homestead (not powdered)...

[Kristianna]

I was really thinking of cheesemaking - something that I am getting ready to try. Then I thought that we couldn't really make cheese unless we have a source of milk.

I cannot/will not use powdered milk - even though I know it stores well since I read information on www.realmilk.com about powdered milk. That is some dangerous stuff.

Anyway, how can you have or get real milk on an Alaskan homestead? If dh eventually agrees to it, we *will* be homesteading in Alaska some day.

This is another one of those subjects that I just can't work out in my head.

[Chuck]

Hi, this is Jenny (Chuck's logged in, so I just posted under his name).

I totally agree that powdered milk is POISON! We used to use it, but now we know better. For that matter, most commercial milk and milk products are terrible for you. I know that many people would disagree with me on this, but after doing lots of research on milk and milk products, I believe that RAW milk is the only really safe and healthy milk. One of our sons was born with a rare genetic disorder. We've had to research every food he eats, especially milk products. Although we were told by doctors that he can't have any milk products, we found that RAW milk is actually very helpful. The doctors said he could only have soy milk. He had sooooo many health problems. The more we read, the more we were convinced that soy was the cause of most of his problems. When we switched to raw milk, and made a healthy formula for him, we saw improvement after the first bottle. Within a few weeks, he was a healthy, happy baby. But we couldn't afford to have enough raw milk for the whole family flown out here, so I still drank pasteurized milk from the store. (If you're confused about this, read our introduction). But the more I read about commercial milk, the more I became convinced to stop drinking it.

That said, we have found one alternative. Since it's still the middle of winter here in Alaska, and we can no longer get raw milk shipped to us, we buy powdered goat milk. I have not been able to find organic powdered milk, but this seems to be the best. At least no hormones and no antibiotics. The brand is Meyenberg. We usually order online from www.pricegrabber.com , and then it comes from The Vitamin Shoppe, which has a catalog or you can buy online. But going through Price grabber is cheaper.

I haven't tried making cheese from it yet, but I plan to. Still not as good, I'm sure, as from raw organic milk, but much better than store bought pasteurized milk in the jugs, and waaaayyyy better than from powdered milk in the big boxes. When we go back to the homestead, even though our children will be on solid food, I plan to take back a few cases for cooking, cheese making and such to use until we get goats in full swing, and for when production is low.

If I were in the Lower 48 again and didn't have my own milk animals, I'd look into buying raw milk locally. Laws are different in different states regarding the sale/purchase of raw milk, but I'd still call around. If you go pick it up, the price will be very reasonable. Well worth it! ALSO ****check our link to the Weston A. Price Foundation. You can do a search for it, or click on the link to it under "Interesting Lynx". That's how we found raw milk up here. They have a listing of the chapter heads for each state. We e-mailed her and told her about the health problems of our son, and asked if she knew of any way for us to get raw milk. She immediately responded. It was such a blessing! I'm sure you could do the same. Also, if you join the foundation, you get a quarterly magazine. It's packed with the most accurate nutritional information you'll find anywhere, and there are also many ads in the back for places to purchase healthy, organic foods that you either can't or don't want to produce yourself. I don't agree with everything that some of their board members and such are about, but nutritionally, I believe it's very sound information.
Now, LOTS of folks in Alaska raise animals for milk, including goats and cows. Often, what you raise depends on where you live. We lived so remote that it was not practical for us to fly grain and hay out for our goats. But, before we got them, everything we read and everyone we talked to said it was impossible to raise them totally by "free-ranging" them like chickens. Well, we didn't believe them and ended up with some of the healthiest goats you've ever seen. But, without the calculated diet of their city cousins raised on grain, they did not produce near as much milk. They produced plenty for their kids and a little extra for us. So, we had to raise more and milk more. But they didn't cost us anything beyond the initial purchase and flying them out, and we had much healthier animals. It was certainly much more work, but then again, living in the bush is more work. But, it sure is much healthier for you, your family, and your animals. And such a blessing to live that kind of life ;D

Jenny
Alaska HOMESTEADING Journal

[Kristianna]

Jenny ~

You are such a *wealth* of information! Thank you for your reply.

I should have mentioned a few things:

We do indeed get raw milk from a farm that is less than a mile from us. My children have been so healthy this year. I have only brought one of my children to the doctor *one* time during this entire fall/winter season. I had to make sure my son didn't have strep throat, that is the only reason I brought him in.

Anyway, it took a lot of convincing my husband that pastuerized milk products are just no good. He delivers milk for a living (to schools, nursing homes, convenience stores, etc.) and really believed in the pastuerize milk "myth". He almost felt as if he was betraying his own company. But, then mid-winter we realized and talked about how healthy our children have been this year - which is completely unheard of for our kiddos - and he was instantly convinced of the benefits of raw milk.

I make our own butter from a bit of the cream off the top of each bottle of milk.

I understand your need to use the powdered goat milk, but I am afraid to use *any* powdered milk now.

Oh, another thing I wanted to mention is that I have been researching sheep for milk. I know it sounds strange, but it has been said that milk from sheep is even healthier than raw cow or goat milk. Plus there is the added bonus of the wool fleece that one can harvest. I love to knit for my children.

I wonder if you have any simple cheese recipes. I bought vegetable rennet recently (both tablet and liquid), but I am afraid to try and can't seem to get past this hurdle.

Okay, my children are being very quiet...I must go check on them. Thanks again, Jenny!

[Freeholdfarm]

I looked into sheep for milk, too, but I don't know of any sheep breed that will milk for more than about six months. Then they dry up. You could maybe milk a few sheep along with a couple of goats? Only thing is, rams will breed does, and bucks will breed ewes, and then they abort a few weeks into the pregnancy, so you'd have to keep the males completely separately.

We had goats in Alaska, also, and for the most part they did fine. We did lose two doe kids born in January (doe was bred before I got her) when it was fifty or sixty below. And we lost our buck at the same time. I don't know how much you've been around goats, but the bucks have the nasty habit of peeing all over their front legs and face during rut, and being wet when it's that cold out is a recipe for disaster, even with an insulated house.

Right now I have Kinder goats, which are excellent for a home milk supply. You might check them out.

Kathleen

[Jenny]

Kinder goats sure sound interesting. I keep hearing about them and keep making mental notes to check into them, but keep forgetting Raising sheep doesn't sound odd at all. I've heard great things about thier milk, and we've thought about them. But, I just don't think our location would be so great for them. I know a woman who was raised in Ireland. She said her parents are still there and still raise sheep. I've never tasted any of their cheese, but she said her mom sends her some delicious cheese ever so often. That would be a treat!

BTW, I have a question about bucks. Actually it's more of a debate we're having about keeping them with the does or separating them when we get home. The folks we know who have raised them all together seem to do things in a simpler way and seem to have calmer bucks. They also dont' have to work as hard and be as organized to keep their does spacing out their kidding (they kid from about January to June), and end up with an almost steady supply of milk year round. Anyway, this is off the subject here, but just looking for ideas.

One of the things I love about forums is that you get the benefit of knowledge from so many other people. Thanks for the complement, but I don't think I'm a "wealth" of information at all. We all have information that can help others. We're all in different situations. When we hear about how someone else does something, we don't usually do it exactly the same way, but we always learn something that will help us improve on our way to fit our lifestyle, or prevent us from making a big mistake. Sounds like you're doing so much and have lots to share. For example you said you knit. I've been wanting to learn, but don't know anything about it or where to start. I'd love for you to post information about yarns, spinning, dying, patterns, websites, anything.

[Kristianna]

Thank you both for the information.

I was actually thinking that it might be good to dry off the sheep mamas for the winter.

Kathleen, I recognize your from another site (a preparedness type site;) ).

I agree about being able to draw off so many others' experiences in a forum setting.

I can see it will take a lot more thinking and maybe even a "trying out" in our current situation.