Blog Posts

Long time no blog ~grin~

5/7/2018

Yes, we know, it’s been quite some time since we’ve blogged…..believe me, it isn’t that I didn’t have a lot to say, you know me…no excuse, but I will admit we aren’t as young as we used to be…..this winter definitely made us feel our age a time or two.

Anyways, we will be blogging again…..like I said, it’s not like I don’t have a lot to say ~grin~ Until then, check out our 'Kid News' page for our busy spring!

And if you just need a giggle or two......check out the 'Romper Room' section in our blogs.

Blessings
Brenda Lee

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Raw Milk Safety

6/15/2017

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Is raw milk safe? A question we have been asked more than once. In fact, it is a question that keeps the argument over raw milk sales going. What we say is, “we’ve been milking and drinking raw milk for over 9 years”. We gave it to my husband 100 year old gram without any harmful effects. We’ve hear about every comment, technique, and handling method used by people and some have been quite shocking!

Let’s be honest though, the MAJORITY of people we know do everything they can to practice safe raw milk handling and wouldn’t dream of risking themselves or anyone else if they thought it wasn’t safe.

Montana is very strict on raw milk usage. It is legal for personal use ONLY and only among ‘close’ family members (meaning members living in your home). Raw milk is illegal to transfer to another for human consumption. Pet milk is illegal, goat shares aren’t legal, etc. Though technically, goat shares are not considered legal, the State of Montana has never taken anyone to court over goat shares. Strict right? Yes, but many of us still want raw milk and our only legal option is to have goats.

So this blog is about how we handle raw milk and some of the things you should think about before you get raw milk from anyone. Again, most of the people we know personally do everything in their power to keep their milk safe…..but there is always one out there that doesn’t.

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Broth Baby!!

4/8/2017

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Fall has come and gone, but I find that winter is the best time to make broth. As the snows pile high and the outside events are limited to feeding and milking the kid critters….heating the house with the wondrous smells of broth just seems right. Like everyone else, I followed the broth recipes that most do, leeks, onions, carrots, so many vegetables added to our butcher bones. Until……..

You knew there would be a but, or until, if you read any of our blogs before. ~grin~

Years ago while shopping for the normal broth, you got to have these vegetables, I had a chat with a sweet older lady. She grinned and asked me why I would waste a good carrot on broth!! Really, she did…so my response was because the recipe I use said too…..such an adorable giggle she gave me. Then she proceeded to rest her arm lovingly on my shoulder and told me I was wasting my time, that a good broth didn’t need it. Then she told me her secret to a good bone broth….of course I listened, smiling politely, thanked her for her recipe. I then took my shopping home and chopped, diced, and followed my recipe.

It was years later that I finally followed her advice, and I have to admit, it wasn’t because I wanted to. Money was tight that year….try finding vegetables in winter in Montana, that didn’t cost an arm and a leg - let alone finding ‘fresh’ vegetables! Well, you can see where I’m going with this. A good broth indeed doesn’t need all those veggies, unless you’re making vegetable broth of course!

The first time I did it her way; I was shocked, pleased, and forever changed in how I make broth. I don’t regret making it this way; I just regret not trying it earlier. Not only do I save money, all those beautiful veggies can be used as food us, not scraps that go to the chickens.

So how do I make a good broth? Let’s talk…..

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Say Cheese PLEASE! {part 3 of 3}

2/24/2017

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Making cheese at home is more than a pleasure; it reduces our food costs, encourages us to utilize more of our own resources, and adds a whole new dimension to our lives.

We want to go into detail about the process we use for different cheeses, so this blog will not be our last cheese blog……..because of copyright laws, we can’t share the actual recipes……but we don’t always follow the recipes exactly either!

Take Feta, fabulously edible, tantalizing and aromatic! This is one of many that we use and in all honesty, use often. Feta freezes well, crumbles nicely and can be added to other cheese combinations to add a slight tang, even though it doesn’t melt as well as Provolone, etc.

So let’s talk Feta cheese!!!!

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Say Cheese PLEASE! part 2 of 3

1/10/2017

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We’re back!!! In an earlier blog, Say Cheese Please part 1, we talked about some equipment hacks you can use for pressing cheese, and shared our DIY drying rack setup & cheese presses. Hopefully, you all have been dreaming up your own ideas on how you can press cheese?

Now let’s talk about cultures, powders, rennet, & even cheeses you don’t need all that stuff for!

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Say Cheese PLEASE! - part 1 of 3

1/4/2017

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Many of us with Kinders find that we end up with far more milk than we can drink, unless we have kids of course. What happens when you have too much milk? Many of us start out with the soft cheeses, such as Chevre. Why? It’s very easy to make, you can create a variety of cheeses buy just adding some herbs of choice. But what about the firm cheeses? Quite a few of us haven’t wanted to take the plunge……afraid that it would be harder than we wanted , however the plunge is FUN and easier than you think. Equipment to expensive for you? Well, you can be surprised how creative you can get when you really want something.

We would like to share our experience with some softer pressed cheeses, like our Feta and our White Cheddar that needs to be pressed, waxed, and aged. Though it takes some planning, it really isn’t hard to do at all. Looking at it as individual steps, instead of a whole process, and it’s far easier than you think. Though we aren’t actually sharing recipes with you, (YET), we do want to share the process to encourage you to give it a try! So cheese please!

Cheese needs only four things to make: milk, cultures, salt, and rennet (or other curdling agent, like lemon juice or vinegar). We use just plain old Kosher salt. You can make cheese without cultures, just herbs to flavor, like the Indian version Paneer or use Buttermilk as a culture. We like using cultures, including buttermilk, it gives us far more variety in cheese making. Your first step is having milk of course! Most recipes call for 1-2 gallons of milk. But let’s talk about DIY cheese equipment hacks first….

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New Organic Products!!!!

12/10/2016

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OK!! We are really happy to post this SHORT post! Short? Yes, finally, a short post! Even we can do that from time to time....

Everyone who has goats need to supplement minerals for their overall health. Unlike others, we like to do things as organically, or natural, as we can. Thanks to Advanced Biological Concepts they are making it really EASY to do.

Check out our Helpful Links page!

Now let's talk about new products we are so VERY happy to use! All are from Advanced Biological Concepts.

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Milk safety or politics?

12/10/2016

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Many people want raw milk, yet find that the laws in their respective states make it impossible to purchase raw milk.

We, the state of Montana, tried passing some legislation recently that would allow for farm sales of raw milk. However, it didn’t pass….many are hopeful that it will this next legislature, however if based on Idaho’s model, that is unlikely to pass – however hopeful many are. Why? Well that is what this blog is about…..we believe that its politics from 1989 that affects our right to purchase raw milk today and that Government intervention proved to be the catalyst of our ranking only 38th in the US dairy industry.

Government intervenes in our daily lives in so many ways, whether federal, state, or local levels. We affect this intervention by our desire to improve things, yet when has the Government really understood the long term affect of their intervention? Those that push for one legislation or another, have only good intentions, yet themselves do not consider the long term consequences’ of their own desires to improve their ‘lot in life’, or fix what they feel is broken.

So even though we usually don't talk politics, today we're on a roll.............~grin~

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Poop and the possibilities

11/29/2016

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Many of you with goats should already guess where this is going………..pretty obvious. Let's be perfectly clear, we aren’t giving you medical advice, but we are going to talk about kids, kid goats that is, and kids with runny stools………so as long as you aren’t eating……..let’s talk……..

Everyone has had at least one kid with a loose stool……..panic and Facebook have been the option for many………. Don’t get me wrong, the first time for us, diarrhea had us running for the internet, the local chat group, anything as we searched and despaired over WORMS or WHAT???

We, however, take it mostly in stride now, and use it as an opportunity to practice what we preach. What do we preach? Keeping it simple, as natural as possible, and before you dose with chemicals? Find out what is going on. So let’s talk about some of our run in’s with the runs.

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Our longest Goodbye....

8/8/2016

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Goodbyes……in its most benign form, a mere formality as we go about our day to day lives. Never contemplated but a small moment in time, almost an afterthought in passing.

Then there are the goodbyes that influence our lives, sometimes bringing joy in its semblance as a new beginning. Sometimes its connotations are darker, the ending of someone cherished. These goodbyes are so very personal, so life altering in the details of emotions and memories they confer.

This has been our hardest goodbye, our longest……made non the easier for its length. Our sorrow and grief extended over years as we watch dementia take our precious mom from us day by day.

Our memories of mom…..hunting at the ‘rock’. Shooting the 6x6 that was displayed proudly on her living room wall for years. Our vibrant mom, whose laugh was so very contagious, giggling like a young maiden, blushing over her first dance. The Ann who cooked such huge meals, determined to feed the world every holiday. So child like in her pleasures, as she proclaimed each and every precious pet chicken’s egg laying accomplishments. Our mom who would sit quietly knitting or crocheting endlessly. We called her our walking family tree, how she could recite the lineage of all branches with ease. Our camera queen, with endless photographs of…..everything. Able to tell stories of each and everyone with pride.

Slowly our memories became our lifeline to the mom we knew as she slowly became lost in her dementia. How cherished each memory became, making us miss her even more, as she became someone else, someone we didn’t know. Her cognitive moments became less and less as we lost her slowly through the years. Her gradual descent into madness changed her joyful smile to tears of loss as each day she relived her grief.

So tonight we said goodbye one last time, as we brushed mom’s hair and dressed her in her favorite housecoat. Washing her face gently through our tears. Our sorrow just as strong, even as relief fills us. And we pray that mom finds the peace in death, that dementia stole from her in this life……our longest goodbye.

In Loving Memory
Ann C Shelt
March 25. 1935 - August 7th 2016

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Long time no blog ~grin~

Raw Milk Safety

Broth Baby!!

Say Cheese PLEASE! {part 3 of 3}

Say Cheese PLEASE! part 2 of 3

Say Cheese PLEASE! - part 1 of 3

New Organic Products!!!!

Milk safety or politics?

Poop and the possibilities

Our longest Goodbye....

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