Clabbering!

I put some cow's milk out on the work surface this morning, thinking I would have a go at canning it, so that we have a supply of milk when Elise dries up. I had researched how to do this on the Internet, so I thought I would have a go. 

The morning trotted on. The milk was left out, to remind me to get to it when I have a spare moment. That moment arrived. Opened the jars. Blimey, flipping milk was moving into its second stage, heading towards its sour state, which is mid way between fresh and separated into curds and whey. Strooth, but this milk is only two days old. The goats milk does not move into its second stage for at least three to four days, so what the heck was happening to the milk that it should shift so fast, this was my dilemma as I looked at the jars. 

So..... Internet search, and crikey, but that milk is actually 'clabbering'! Store bought milk won't do that, it will just go yucky and must be put down the sink, but raw milk, well, apparently, ....

Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist, she says this:

"Grass fed cows have natural lactobacillus acidolpholus bacteria in the milk. This is what causes souring. Warm the milk to 100 degrees for 8 hours and you have yoghurt. Real milk, fresh from a happy, healthy, pastured cow that has soured has not gone bad. It has clabbered, which means that good bacteria have simply consumed a good portion of the milk sugar (Lactose), thereby giving the milk a more yogurt-like smell and taste."

http://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/best-use-ever-for-soured-raw-milk/

Wow! So that's the lesson for today. Don't get cross because the Elise's milk runs into the second stage so quickly, but be glad of it because it means that the lactose, which Lester and I are intolerant to, is getting eaten all up, thus rendering it a healthier food source for us. 

Not only that, but the third stage, which is separation into curds and whey, well that is stupendously healthy as well. 

Was thinking that perhaps having a cow was becoming a bit of a drain on us. Elise is not milking out very well, perhaps because we are sharing the calf with her. She has been moody of late, refusing to come out of her stall in the mornings, and then getting into a thorough temper because her mates, the goats, get to go out into the field before she does, because Lester refuses to argue with her, and leaves her to sulk. Not sure why she has taken to being so moody. She reared up in front of Lester this morning when he went in to milk her. He said that it was not one of his best moments. She would pack quite a punch if she landed on him. 

So off to sort the milk out. Might let Mum Pig have the milk which was destined for the canner, just as a treat. Have some fresh milk on the stove, slowly dehydrating, and hopefully on its way to becoming evaporated milk. Oops, have forgotten to stir it, as per Internet instructions, otherwise it might get a burnt taste. Ah well, not to worry, shall donate it to Mum Pig as well. 

I have some milk in a jar warming outside in the sun, which should have separated by now. This is being donated to the hens, to say thankyou for the eggs they have laid in the past, and to perhaps encourage them to think about laying eggs in more findable places because we have not had hardly any eggs for several weeks. They are either laying them out and about, or they have decided to put themselves on summer vacation. Hopefully the clabbered milk might make them get back to work.

And I am going to try making a smoothie. Apparently you can use the clabbering milk for making one of these, so I am going to have a go. 

Gosh, but life is flipping interesting, especially with the aid of the Internet! 

PS. Just remembered that you need a blender to make a smoothie and that I can't find the rubber seal of mine so have had to order another one so smoothie is no go today but might be on another day when the seal arrives. 

PPS. Was in no-go with cooking today when all cooking ideas were somewhere else and  not in my head. The hour was getting on. Urgent to get some food sorted. Was thinking about popping into the supermarket for ham and baquettes. Lester said why not open one of the canned jars. Did that. Took twenty minutes to serve up the meal. Wow! We have fast food on site! Inside the jar? Minced goat in tomato sauce. Tasted exactly the same as how it did before it went into the canner. Am well impressed with canning. Am also well impressed with the taste of goat. It is delish!

Saying bye for now.......