After work today I went to a soap making class. But I didn't go as a student but as the photographer. I went to her class this fall and she e-mailed me and we have been keeping in touch and as she is setting up a web page she needed some pics. In exchange she gave me her recipe for making her style of soap. It got me day dreaming ( Even though it's night right now ) about getting goats and making soap. Also I picked up some soap from her for another person. I have 10 bars right now. (I hope I can pass on all 10! ) My house is smelling great. I smell lavender and peppermint.
My sister and brother in law are going to come down to help build the goat pen and chicken coop. That will be a lot of fun. He's the same brother in law that built my cabin up in AK. He likes to build, or he really really loves my sister and thinks that I'm OK too. I heard a lot of "good enough for the sister of the girl that I go out with" when he was building my cabin. I think that I will be hearing those words again. This time maybe he will say " Good enough for a goat! "
As I sit here day dreaming I realize I have one big big problem. I don't know how to milk a goat! I better go get a goat milking book. I wonder if that lady at my church that has goats would let me practice on hers?
1 year ago
Hummm, milking a goat. I don't think I've ever seen anyone do it! No problem. Good thing you work in a library....there's got to be a book that will show & tell you how to milk a goat.
ReplyDeleteAnother thought, maybe you'll have to take some field trips to the goat farm!!!!
It's easy. I did it once when I visited my inlaws. You can always run down to the farm and visit J & J. They'd love to have you.
ReplyDeleteThere's over 100 goats (and more being born every day) down at the ranch. Rumor has it Rich is going to buy 900 more - so much for what used to be a wonderful cattle ranch!! Anyway, I would think goat milking would be lots easier than milking a cow but the same technique (I had many years exerience milking cows!!). You should do some research to see what breeds of goats (if they are like cattle) are the best milk producers. And would imaine, just like a cow, the goat needs to be "fresh" -in other words, a kid(s)on her "side".
ReplyDeleteI've done little milking of cows by hand. We would wash the bags of the cows before putting on the electric pump milker and milk each teat once in what we called stipping. Sometimes I would help with the washing and the stripping. I don't know how goats compare to cows, but I imagine it would be a lot easier as they are smaller.
ReplyDeleteA good book is always helpful, but I'd say observation is probably the best way to learn. Maybe the gal you got the soap recipe from would be willing to help. There is a family that comes to story time that has goats.
I've milked cows by hand. I can't imagine milking goats would be that much different. If you DO get goats and make your own soap, I'd love to try it!
ReplyDeleteLet me tell you about goats. I had two, which ultimately gave me three. They were cute and the baby was adorable, but it didn't take me long to get irritated by their constant braying every time they heard my house door open and close. We never got to milk them, but we could have had we been set up properly. Good luck with them and watch out for the males...they're a bit messy and stinky.
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