Itty Bitty Hooves

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I didn’t know her very long, but for the short time she was here, I knew she was sweet, loving, gentle, and kind.

Our beautiful little long awaited paint filly that I just knew Mark had in him to throw finally arrived just three short days ago and she was one of the friendliest right from the start foals we’ve had here in a long time. Sadly, when a dog got loose and chased the horses, she was too young at just a little over a day old to take the stress and she passed away on Wednesday night. I’ll miss her nuzzleing as I walk through the paddock. The cute way she followed me everywhere leaving mom to trail behind nickering for her to come back where she belonged. She didn’t care. She liked people and was curious as to what they were up to at all times.

Sleep peacefully my sweet Flash.

Easy Pudding

I’m making cottage cheese again today. Along with mozzerella it’s my favorite cheese to make. I made some pudding yesterday for desert. I like that too because it doesn’t take a whole lot of milk the way cheese does, and it tastes fantastic. It’s easy too. Here’s how you make fast, easy, goat’s milk pudding.

EQUIPMENT
sauce pan
pudding cups (or dishes, or a big bowl)
whisk

INGREDIENTS
3 cups goat milk (any milk)
3 tbsp corn starch
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs yolks
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp butter

Separate eggs, and beat the yolks. Mix the sugar and corn starch in saucepan and pour in milk. Heat and whisk until slightly thickened. Pour about one cup of milk mixture into beatten egg yolks. Stir well and return to saucepan milk mixture. Return to heat and bring to slow boil while whisking often until thick (about 2 minutes). Remove from heat. Add vanilla and butter, mixing well. Pour into bowl, or pudding cups. Refridgerate about 2 hours.

Easy as that–and delicious.

Sad Morning

Last night was such an awful night. Not only was I dealing with a headcold that made me feel like my head was going to explode, but my really lousy farm dog (great with people, awful with animals Border Collie) got out and chased the horses until one of the babies died. I didn’t even realize he was out since it was really late in the evening. I should have known something was up because my house dog (really great with people AND good with the animals) was barking her fool head off. I kept looking out and not seeing anything. All the comotion was going on behind the barn. So we lost our beautiful little paint filly who was only a day old. She couldn’t take all the chasing. The other two babies were old enough to handle it. He has to go. That’s all there is too it. We’ve been hemming and hawing about getting rid of him because he is such a sweet dog otherwise, but he has no place on a farm. He also killed a chicken which was par for him, that’s what he usually goes after. Either chickens or cats. He doesn’t really ‘kill’ the larger animals, just chases them. The baby would have been okay if it had been a little older. Doesn’t make it okay though. We’ve been successful enough keeping him apart from the other animals, but last night was prime example that it only takes once — one escape to cause destruction. It was sad going out this morning and seeing Immy calling for her baby. The barnyard seemed that much emptier.

He Did It Again

Mark is on a roll I don’t ever want him to quit. Mark is our four year old Miniature Horse stallion.

As of this morning he is six for six–girls that is. Last year we’d bred him to three mares for his first year, and they delivered three gorgeous girls. This year we bred him to four mares and three of them so far have given us beautiful little girls! I have one mare left to foal.

Here is Dolly the first filly of the year born last month:

And here is Star, born last week:

From the front:

And here is our newest arrival at one hour old–Flash
It was hard to get a good shot of her because she kept on following me around and putting her face right in the camera. LOL. She’s a real ham:

Finally got her trying to grab a ‘drink’ from mom from behind:

I really don’t like taking shots right at birth because the babies haven’t really had a chance to unfold–but I had planned to get a pic of Star a few days later and it’s taken me until today to finally get a shot of her, so I figured as long as I was out there with the camera, I’d get Flash too.

I’m so happy with the babies Mark has been producing–well, of course my wonderful mares had something to do with it as well, but it’s the stallion that definately produces the sex.

Spread The Word

One way we use to advertise our farm is with pens that have our farm name and number on them. Giving away pens is easy, and they aren’t discarded as often as business cards, although we use those too. Everyone seems to love the pens, and the bonus is, they see our name everytime they use it. You can find discount pens at really reasonable prices and it’s a fantastic way to spread the word about your farm, or business.

Mozzerella

Well I did make the cheese today. I rushed it though and it didn’t end up being firm and hard and stretchable… however I put it in a lasagna for dinner and it tasted just fine. In fact it tasted wonderful. That and the farmer’s cheese I made yesterday along with it. I only used half of the farmer’s cheese though and the rest I divided into two half pint containers and flavored one with dill, and the other with onion. I think I’ll have some of that for dessert on a few crackers. I was going to make pudding but didn’t have time.

Refreshing Waters

I’m on the run a lot. No matter where I’m going I usually have my bottle of water with me, especially during the warmer months. I love water. I don’t love the prices of bottled water though, and don’t much buy into the ‘purity of spring water’ etc… I love the water at home. My problem is I don’t like OTHER water, so if I run out when I’m not at home I’d be out of luck except for one ingenious invention.

Portable water filters are simply wonderful. They remove any impurities, and the water tastes just as crystal clear as your last bottle. I can refill my bottle anywhere and don’t have to worry about not liking the taste. I don’t even like restaurant water. That’s how picky I am about my water. With portable water filters it’s just like any other sports bottle you’d normally carry, only it has it’s own little filter in it. They cost about as much as one case of ’spring water’, and treat about 40 gallons! They’re lifesavers when you’re on the move.

Today’s Cheese

I’m making mozzerlla today. I’m never quite sure if I’ve spelled that correctly or not, but as cheeses go, it was ALWAYS my favorite to make. It’s just fun. Basically it starts out like all the rest, but the end step requires stretching, and pulling like taffy. (Making taffy is great fun too). I’m not going to post this to the recipe files just yet because to be honest I am doing this one just from memory and am not sure how my ‘recipe’ will turn out. I’ll let you know tomorrow. Hopefully it will work out well because I plan on making lasagna tonight for dinner with the cheese I made yesterday, and the mozzerlla from today for the cheese parts. Wish me luck.

Sweet and Tart Yogurt

Yesterday I also made a batch of sweet yogurt. To be honest I found it to be a little bland. My ’sour cream’ yogurt had more kick and I think even as yogurt I liked it better. The basic recipe is the same. You need:

one saucepan
A whisk
one quart goat’s milk (will work with any regular milk if necessary)
one tbsp starter culter or existing yogurt
one packet unflavored geletin (if you like thick yogurt. If you like thinner which is great for smoothies, leave out the geletin.)
1/4 cup sugar if you want the sweet variety

Heat the milk in the sauce pan to 80 degrees. Stir in the tbsp of culture, geletin and sugar if desired. Whisk well. Pour into quart jar and seal. Put in the oven (off) for 8 to 10 hours to incubate. (The oven should be warm enough from the pilot light). Remove and place in refridgerator 4 to 6 hours at least. When finished it has a thick, firm custard-like appearance if geletin is used, or a thick milkshake type consistancy if no geletin.

Eat plain or with fruit, or honey.

Great Cottage Cheese

I finished my first batch of cottage cheese in many years yesterday and had some for dinner. OH was it good! Fresh, homemade goat’s milk cottage cheese beats store bought by a mile! It’s so easy too. I’d like to share the recipe with you. If you don’t have the luxury of owning a goat to make cheeses with, you can make it with store bought whole milk (or 2%, or skim if you desire low fat, or fat free versions).

You need:
one large pot with lid
candy/milk thermometer
a whisk
cheese cloth, or a clean pillow case
a bowl
rennet–I prefer liquid rennet but that’s harder to find if you’re not going to make cheese all the time it’s not worth the hassle of finding it. You can get ‘junket rennet’ tablets in most grocery stores in the baking aisle where they have custard and ice cream supplies.
1 cup buttermilk
one gallon of milk
long knife

Note: This receipe requires very little actual cooking time, but LOTS of waiting time. So do it on a day you’ll be home all day, or in the evening when you’ll be home in the morning to finish the process.

First pour the gallon of milk into the large pot and slowly bring to 90 degrees. While you’re doing that dislove 1/4 tsp liquid rennet, or 1/4 tablet of junket rennet in 1/4 cup cool water. Then pour in the buttermilk and the rennet mix into the milk and whisk thoroughly.

Cover the pot and let sit at room temperature for 8 hours (or overnight).

The milk is set when you take a spoon and cut a piece and it comes out holding it’s shape with nice crisp edges to the cut.

At that point take a long knife and cut the cheese diagonally, and then horizontally in roughly 1/2 inch sections.

Cover and let the curds sit for an additional 30 minutes.

Warm the milk to 115 degrees slowly and keep it between 115 and 120 degrees for 30 minutes.

Pour the cheese into the cheese cloth, or pillowcase. (If you want to save the whey — the discarded broth from the cheese–to make ricotta put a bowl under the cheese cloth and put the cloth in a strainer). Let the cheese drain for 30 minutes.

Dip the cheese (still in the cheese cloth or pillowcase) in warm water and drain 5 minutes.

Dip the cheese (still in cloth) in cold water to rinse and drain.

Put cheese in bowl and salt to taste while breaking up the curds.

Viola–perfect cottage cheese for you and your family.