Editor’s Note: Avery has just completed an eight week internship on the farm.
I’ve been reading this blog for nearly five years, so when I began the PDC Internship I wondered how the experience would differ from what I’d been reading about on my computer screen. Besides the drastic difference between learning by reading and learning by doing, there has been one major activity that only began when myself, Sarah, and Karen arrived – goat milking!
Susan’s babies finished weaning two months ago, allowing us to try goat milking for the first time. Dani and Nelson taught us the process, and the Goat Girl Gang has perfected it with time, now getting two liters per day from each goat. Here’s what you’ll need:
First – goats with udders ready to be milked.
Susan is skittish and Francis is calm, but all goats will let you milk them in exchange for one thing: maize. They will barrel across the field and trample their own babies for the chance to get even a sniff of that good stuff.
Since setting up the milking stand our job has become infinitely easier.
Wrangle them into place and get your milking hands ready. Make a tight ring with your thumb and forefinger at the top of the teat to prevent the milk moving back up into the udder, then squeeze it out using your other fingers.
Milk in hand, it’s time to make cheese! We’ve tried a few variations, including attempts at mozzarella (marginally successful) and halloumi (incredibly successful – hail Sarah), but our standard is a ricotta/chevré that can range from soft to crumbly. Slowly heat about 8 liters, or 2 gallons, of goat’s milk to 180 degrees F or approximately 80 degrees C. An instant-read thermometer would make this step much simpler.
Then add 2.5 cups lemon juice, or half that much white vinegar, depending what you have on hand.
This acidity will coagulate some of the milk proteins, separating the curds (what you eat) from the whey (use in other recipes or feed to the pigs!). Let sit off the heat for ten minutes, then mix in salt (~ 2 teaspoons).
Pour or spoon the curds into cheesecloth and hang to drain between 30 minutes and two hours, depending how dry you want it.
Time to dig in! We’ve used this cheese in lasagna, on pizza, and with crackers. It’s especially nice with rosemary sprinkled on top.
Cheers from Whanganui, Avery
