Excited-Not chicken related

Since I moved from a city in the states to a big farm in Canada and in my opinion, pretty much the middle of no where, I have had a very steep learning curve. I have basically been thrown (by choice even if I didnt understand the full thing at the time) into being primary care giver of all the animals on the farm and then told I have to feed them off the farm, make ends meet selling products of them, and oh yeah, you have to learn what each animal needs and how to make things from them. We are trying to push the farm in a new direction and be self sustaining on it. I have learned a lot from my peers, these forums, my vet, and even more from trial and error.

I have learned what to watch for in the animals I care for regarding their health and what the signs are if they are missing something in their diet.

I have learned how to butcher a chicken. Cook a heritage bird. And cut a chicken (yeah, never had done that til I moved here).

I have learned how to milk cows and no goats.

I have learned how to let go a little with my own children and not smother them, mostly because now I dont have time too lol.

I have learned how to pull calves, bottle feed baby goats, and what to watch for with both when they are due.

I have learned how to make butter, buttermilk, pasteurize milk (long story), and learned to drink whole milk.

I have learned so much in three years that the people that knew me before says I am almost a different person. I no longer care about an office job, but would rather be shoveling out a stall. Almost the same thing in my opinion, both jobs you deal with crap!

Well, my latest accomplishment may seem small or not that big of a deal to some, yet it had me dancing around the kitchen while my DH laughs at me.

I FINALLY SUCCEEDED IN MAKING MOZZARELLA CHEESE AND IT TASTES GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That is all. I will now return to dancing in my kitchen.

Cheese making can be a lot of fun. Congratulations on all of your learning. It is a big part of what living in the country is all about,and poor city folk don't understand why we like to work so hard.

My mom still tells me I need to move back so I dont have to work so hard. I can get her to understand I am choosing this! It is wonderful isnt it!

Mozzarella! Mozzarella! Do the dancea, wave you handsa, stomp you feeta! Eat a piecea homemeade pizza, clapa you hands for mozzarella! (little Italian song I sang for you)

You are living the dream. Being able, capable and smart is a HUGE thing in life. You have done very, very well.

You are living the dream for sure.

And mozzarella cheese making skills are not to be taken lightly. Dance on, dance on!

I made some really good cheeses, but the two best were parmesan and gouda.

It's fun, isn't it? Did you do the microwave method or water bath?

I loooooove mine served on slices of baguette with a little pesto on top. Yum!

I am curious to hear your story, if you're compelled to share it, of how you came from the city in the U.S. to live on a farm in Alberta. I am impressed with all you've accomplished, and wish you well. I sometimes feel some urges to do stuff like preserve food or make cheese, but I always find an excuse, no time, stressed, whatever. Tell us your story if you will! And congrats on the cheese. I would die without cheese.

Oh my, yes, you should be doing the happy dance, and am so happy also, to hear that you got back into your kitchen. There are so many other places to do the happy dance, that kitchen is where you work, and hard you work.

City girl gone country. In every respect. Now ain't that just a beautiful thought. Country. I was born country, but strayed for short periods into more city life, but country, always returning to country, right from the get go, country. And I could never go back, nope, not even for brief periods. I am set in my ways, and I am country.

The things that you have accomplished in these few years is staggaring to think about and is just wonderful. Keep on. Your Mother will one day understand how much you love the new life and always tell her that yes, there is work you do, but the years that will be added to your life, from this hard work, not being couch or office potato, will surely make her smile. Tell her that yes, it is work, but it is a work that you enjoy (well, I am sure there are some things that just make ya, wince, we shall call it, and it is hard work) and think of the goodness that comes to nourish bodies and souls, from this hard work that you do. My hat off to ya!! To us all too, whether city or country folk, hats off! Have a beautiful day, CynthiaM.

Thats great I could never make cheese mainly because I'm still argueing about getting a milk cow . I too am interested in your travels in life. I love how people can have such interesting stories and end up where they are.
I would really like to now how your family is doing on whole milk?

Good job. I shall do a celebration dance for you!

*Does a little dance,
Makes a little cluck,
Gets down tonight (gets down tonight!)*

Sorry, been so busy. I used the water bath method. My microwave SUCKS!

If I did a story on how I ended up here it would be a novel LOL!

I have a blog that I started a while ago, not many posts yet. If you want that, pm me and I will give it to you.

You made mozzarella...what is next on your list? You've now opened up a whole new other world...just warning you if you don't already know...It is a fun one!

Ruffledfeathers, you can make fresh mozza and a couple of other cheeses with bought milk. That is, unless you are using the cheese making idea as leverage to get your cow.

We like the fresh water bath mozza, quick cheese and farmer's cheese so far here. I still have to try some others one day.

Our jersey is now dry and we are waiting on our dairyman to have another available...and hopefully soon. We have been so sick on the store bought stuff (and I have gained the 6 lb. it always puts on me) and can't wait to get the raw milk goodness back into our bodies and me to start losing that weight again. It goes on within one week, and within one week of being on the raw, it melts off. I can't wait...

niglefritz wrote:
Our jersey is now dry and we are waiting on our dairyman to have another available...and hopefully soon.

Is your Jersey to old to rebreed or something? My oldest Jersey is 10 and is giving 6 gallons a day right now. She tops at 8 in mid lactation.

We find that she is a heavy producer and it can be hard with one that produces like her to figure out her heat cycle. In her dry term, we miss the milk, so we would like one to overlap and still give milk when she isn't.

Totally understand that one. That is why we have three LOL! One is a nurse cow and the other two over lap and gives me butter, cream, and cheese for the freezer when I have both going, plus the milk. And I get the heavy producer. My youngest on her first calf was doing 5.5 gallons a day. She is ready to drop her second calf now. She is due in one week and is looking like she could go any second. Our first was doing 7 gallons a day.

Yum...our first one came close to that and she milked on 3 quarters. Awesome!

YOU rock!