Catchy title? I think you will understand my choice after you read this
article. After only two years of owning my own meat and dairy goats, I
have come to learn a great deal about their usefulness to us. Being
health conscious for family, and myself I have come to prize the
precious raw milk I get from my goats. I have to admit that they are so
friendly and puppy-like as kids, that I havenÂ’t been able to bring
myself to serve goat burgers at dinnertime yet; but I know itÂ’s only a
matter of time. The more research I do on the chemicals, hormones, and
antibiotics pumped into this countryÂ’s meats, the stronger my
convictions on eating only organic, grass-fed critters. Goats in
particular are high in protein and low in fat. Since I raise them
myself, and have control over what they eat, and what medications (if
any) are given them, it is silly of me not to raise them for my own
table. ItÂ’s a fact that my family eats meat, so it might as well be
healthy meat that we already raise for the consumption of others.
The focus on this article, however, is really about the milk. Raw
goatÂ’s milk is easier to digest than cowÂ’s milk. Pasteurizing milk
kills bad and good in it, including the natural enzymes and proteins,
vitamins and minerals. If the milk is handled properly, and is clean,
then you have one of the most healthful, whole foods available. IÂ’m
going to assume you already know how healthful raw goatÂ’s milk is, and
jump right in to the many wonderful things you can do for the health of
yourself and family with it. (If you arenÂ’t aware of the benefits of
raw goatÂ’s milk, check out my website at:
www.freewebs.com/dailywalkinfarm/gotrawmilkkefir.htm, or get a copy of
the book, NatureÂ’s Prescription Milk, by Dr. Gilbere.
People who are eating as natural and healthful as possible are
interested in learning more, right? I know I am. I have delved into the
world of dairy and lacto-fermented foods this past year, and have been
quite surprised by all the opportunities to use my goatÂ’s milk that I
have been missing out on. I believe the Bible and have found great
wisdom for every area of life in it, so when I read Proverbs 27, which
gives a promise in verses 23 through 27 that if I am diligent to care
for my sheep and goats (granted, I donÂ’t have any sheep, yet) that the
goatÂ’s will supply money for land and provide food enough for my entire
household, I decided to investigate the matter more seriously.
I started last year making my own cheeses. Mostly raw milk aged
cheeses, but also some fresh. It wasnÂ’t nearly as frightening as I had
thought! I assumed it was complicated and required a great deal of
skill. Not so. People used to make cheese in their own homes on a daily
basis during some seasons of the year, if they owned dairy animals.
Kefir and yogurt, buttermilk, and butterÂ…these are all ancient foods.
They are also incredibly beneficial to your digestive health. Live
kefir grains and cultured yogurt and buttermilk provide probiotics for
your gut. These little armies of good guys invade and take up space to
crowd out the bad guys in your gut. They really are little heroes.
There are kefir fans that claim that it is the biblical manna. They say
when it is dehydrated it looks like coriander seeds, and tastes sweet,
like honey. IÂ’m not sure about that, but I do know the health benefits
to drinking kefir made with real grains and raw milk are outstanding
and addicting! Read more about them in, Kefir Rediscovered, by Klaus
Kaufmann. I learned to make cheese by purchasing books and a video from
New England Cheese Making Supply Company. (www.cheesemaking.com)
To keep this short, IÂ’ll just tell you that with good, clean, raw milk,
you can make butter, sour cream, yogurt, cottage cheese, buttermilk,
kefir (my favorite), a huge variety of soft and hard cheeses, and the
whey left over from cheese making is not a waste, either. This is where
a lot of vitamins, proteins, and minerals are left behind. You can use
this to make ricotta cheese, ferment vegetables and grains, (read about
this in Nourishing Traditions, by Sally Fallon) make bread, broths, and
letÂ’s not forget you can feed your plants, inside and outside with this
liquid. You could feed it to puppies, kittens, chickens and other
poultry, pigs, and more. IÂ’ll tell you this; even my horses and some of
the goats enjoy slurping up cooled down whey after I make cheese. Some
people really enjoy it as well. I suppose itÂ’s an acquired taste, but I
believe you can make smoothies and other good tasting drinks from it.
I invite you to take an interest in the many ways you can use the milk
from dairy goats to your advantage. Just a few does supply my family
with milk to drink, all our dairy products, including kefir, which has
completely restored my husbandÂ’s digestive problems, and helped clear
up my acne. The milk also supplies a base for homemade, natural soap
and the whey, fertilizer for my plants. I also plan on raising a couple
of beef calves on the extra milk and whey.
ThereÂ’s no denying that goats are useful and beautiful animals. I am so
thankful to be able to offer my family an array of natural, healthy
foods from just a few goats that are easy to keep and a joy to share my
life with.
