# Milk: I need a 101 starting point. Help :-O



## FlyOverZone (Aug 7, 2013)

We just bought 40 acres and we plan to get a cow. I am truly looking forward to making all the things I normally buy from the store using cow milk (butter, yogurt, sour cream, etc) Um, but, I haven't got a clue how to do any of it.

I'm an INTP type of person for those of you familiar. I feel the need to make a sort of flow chart of all the things that can be made from milk, however, as I said, I haven't a clue.

If anyone could direct me to a website or youtube video. Or simple post what you know about it and others could add to it. That would be lovely. 

After I milk the cow, What are the initial ways that I could process the raw milk?


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## Awnry Abe (Mar 21, 2012)

Familycow.proboards.com is a good starting point.

I don't quite understand your question about processing raw milk. Are you wanting to know more about the daily milking process, or about the things you do with the milk (cheese, butter, ice cream, cookies, etc.) once you have it collected and strained? Because you asked in the dairy forum, I'll assume the latter. If the former, HT's Cows forum is the right place to ask about the dairy operation.

On to my assumption about your question. You will be swimming in milk, and that is a good thing. If permitted in your state, I would sell the excess raw milk to support your habit. Cheesemaking is also a great way to burn through milk. There is a lot of google-able resources on the subject. It is a very approachable thing to do with very little up front expense or skill at the novice level. 

Oh, and welcome to HT!


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## BarbadosSheep (Jun 27, 2011)

I don't own a cow, but I am getting milk from our neighbor's cow. I am really new to this. My neighbor does not have a good clean place to milk....just a dirt floor stall. It's not my ideal milking situation. So I choose to pasteurize the milk to kill off any bad things the milk may pick up during milking. So here's what I do with the milk.

1. pasteurize it, low temp. I go to 140 and hold it there for 30 minutes. You can also go to 160 for 20 seconds, but any higher and the taste may be affected. If I am making a simple farmer's cheese, I don't bother with pasteurization since the milk is heated to boiling for this type of cheese anyway.

2. After pasturizing it, quick chill it by putting the jars of milk into a large pan of ice water. Then refrigerate it.

3. Let the cream rise to the top for 2 days, skim it off and make butter. You also end up with fresh buttermilk from this, which you can either use as-is, or culture it to make cultured buttermilk. I use it fresh.

4. make cheese from the rest of the milk. You can make a simple mozzarella from the milk, and make Ricotta from the whey. Note....this only works if you don't use an acid to make the mozzarella. 

5. you can reserve the whey for use in baking....just freeze it. Or feed it to livestock because it is super high in protein.


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## FlyOverZone (Aug 7, 2013)

Yes to both, Abe. I haven't milked a cow since I was a little girl. And I'm not sure what steps are necessary to create each item, i.e., butter, sour cream, half and half, etc. I'm sure there is a sort of, "do this to the milk and then make that", "do that to the milk and then make this" kind of flow chart to it, but I don't have a clue.

My Grandmother used only a bucket, and a stool to sit on when she milked. I don't need a $1500 milker, but I've seen little milkers around $100 (If that's what they are) with a 2-3 gallon enclosed tank. I don't know anything about them.
I will be pasteurizing some of the milk, but I would like to use raw milk in some items.
I'll check out the website you posted, Abe. Thanks.


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## Awnry Abe (Mar 21, 2012)

Google is your friend on the "how-to" of using milk. DW and I are beginner cheese makers, and have found lots of good info on the web for cheese making. I am really liking her cream cheese. 

As for the mechanics of raising a dairy cow and collecting milk, the best bet is to just jump in as soon as you are comfortable. On the one hand, I will tell you that cows are easy. On the other, I will tell you that some days the girls really push my buttons. You don't need a fancy set up. A good set of hands and an obedient cow is all you need. And you are right, good deals on milking equipment can be had.


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## arnie (Apr 26, 2012)

I have a gentle giant brown swiss milk cow . my first advice is to get a gentle cow that is milkable . cows have there own personality if you can find a cow that is already broke to be milked =GREAT they are hard to find and expencive ; I searched for a while before I luckily found a nice cow never take a sales persons word make sure they can milk her and that you can . make sure you have a milking barn or shed to keep you both out of the weather .if you have a lot of time raiseing a heifer calf and handling her daily teaching her to lead and feeding her in your milking stall . my cow friendly and she is the biggest contributer to the homestead I cross her with a angus bull and her calf is raised as my beef for the year . there is still plenty of milk for all my diary needs and help to feed a pig . my cow barn has a dirt floor covered in straw I use a seamless stainless steel bucket and milk by hand I let the calf nurse on one side as I milk on the other the cow comes in from the pasture like clock work and learned the routine right away . a good book to read is keeping a family cow by dirk van loon . a gentle cow is the key a wild untouchable cow can be broke but it is quite a job and can be dangerious if you don't have a good stall built and still is a pain remember you have to milk 2 times a day and a rodieo is no fun


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## arnie (Apr 26, 2012)

one thing I use daily is the milk strainer mine is an antque stainless funnel with a fine brass screen in the bottom and it fits on top of a wide mouth mason jar many people pour there milk through cheese cloth . I also like my glass ice tea jug with the spout at the bottom the cream floats on top and the skim milk comes out the spout . makes saveing up cream for butter and icecream easyer .


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## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

Here is an incredible resource on basic things to do with milk:

http://biology.clc.uc.edu/fankhauser/cheese/cheese.html


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## chewie (Jun 9, 2008)

> You can make a simple mozzarella from the milk, and make Ricotta from the whey. Note....this only works if you don't use an acid to make the mozzarella.


maybe that's true using cows milk, but with my goats milk, i make mozz and then ricotta at least once a week, using citric acid for the mozz, along with thermo b. the ricotta turns out very nice.


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## Westwood (May 13, 2002)

I'd get an alpine goat. Not much butter fat but you have two hands and she has two teats. You won't be flooded and you'll learn how to use the milk. The only problem is that she'll think you're her personal human. Goat cheese is so easy to make. A little acid, lemon juice, a few herbs, cheesecloth while it drains and there you go.


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