[Ag-eq] introducing Bonnie

Thu Nov 12 17:07:37 UTC 2015

Tracy:

I tried responding earlier and the cat ran across the keyboard and everything
was lost!  She is a little cat that just showed up a couple of months ago and
I'm such a sucker I kept her.  She had been injured and her leg had to be
amputated.  She is doing very well as a 3 legged kitty.  She loves to climb all
over my computer table, only when I'm using it of course.

Yes, the hot chocolate was yummy.  This morning I put a spoon full of cream in
my hot tea and that was good too.  I'm not much of a coffee drinker, but bet it
would be great.

I definitely plan on making yogurt and cheeses.  I have a yogurt culture and
some different ones for cheeses.  I also have a sour cream culture that I want
to try.  I've never got to use it with the goat milk, not enough cream.  It
will be very interesting to see how things compare to the goat milk products.

When making yogurt I've never brought it to a boil; I think it is 112.  Then you
add the culture or some of the last yogurt and let is sit for about 12 hours.
It turns out better if you keep it at about 80 degrees while it is making.  I
usually wrap the container in a couple of towels and place in the microwave; it
stays pretty warm that way.  I use my microwave for everything but cooking.

I wish you lived close enough so that I could share.

When you try different cheeses or flavored butters please let me know what you
like.  Sometimes I try new goat cheeses to see if I like them and could make
them.

I got almost a gallon of milk from Bonnie this morning.  She should be giving a
bit more, but she is probably a little stressed by the move.  I'm also pretty
slow at milking her, which she probably finds annoying.  She did run right up
to me this morning so she could eat.

I find Bonnie to be a little harder to milk than the goats.  It may just be that
she's not letting her milk down very good.  Both cows and goats will do that
when they are stressed or someone new is milking them.  It was easier to milk
her today than yesterday.  I'm sure both she and I will get the hang of it.

Please let me know if you have any other great ideas; I like trying new recipes.

Have to stop typing, the cat is sitting on my shoulder now.

Nella

Quoting Tracy Carcione via Ag-eq <ag-eq at nfbnet.org>:

> Mmmm Nella, hot chocolate with fresh milk.  Yummaroo.
> You could make yogurt, if you wanted.  I heard an Indian cook describing the
> process the other day.  She said you boil the milk a bit, take it off the
> heat, and stir in a starter, which is usually a bit of yogurt from the last
> batch.  Wait a bit, and there you are.
> A local place makes their own Greek yogurt, and it is great.
> You could make cottage cheese, too.  See, I'm just full of ideas for your
> milk and your time. :.)
> Tracy
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Ag-eq [mailto:ag-eq-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Nella Foster via
> Ag-eq
> Sent: Wednesday, November 11, 2015 2:55 PM
> To: Agricultural and Equestrean Division List
> Cc: nfoster at extremezone.com
> Subject: Re: [Ag-eq] introducing Bonnie
>
> Tracy:
>
> Yes, she is very easy to handle, Jersey cows are usually pretty docile.  She
> has the traditional Jersey look, a lighter brown color with big dark brown
> eyes that have long lashes.  Her face is dished and she is smaller, but
> average for a Jersey.
>
> I have a goat bell on her, it looks like a cow bell, but smaller.
>
> If she has a bull I will definitely sell it.  If she has a heifer I might
> keep it.  This will be her 6th calf and she has only had 1 heifer.  I will
> just have to wait and see if I enjoy owning cows as much as I enjoy the
> goats.  I don't have enough pasture to have more than a couple.
>
> I just made some wonderfully rich hot chocolate with some of her milk.
> Maybe a cow isn't such a good idea, I might get as big as a house.
>
> Nella
> Quoting Tracy Carcione via Ag-eq <ag-eq at nfbnet.org>:
>
> > Hi Nella.
> > How exciting!  She sounds great.  And I imagine she's quite lovely, in
> > a cow way.  Is her bell an actual cow bell?  Will you keep the calf,
> > or sell it?
> > Tracy
> >
> >
> > > Hello to all:
> > >
> > > Well, I finally made my decision about dairy sheep and dairy cows
> > > and purchased a Jersey milk cow.  Her name is Bonnie and she is 7
> > > years old.  She is currently in milk and will calve in the beginning
> > > of May.  I got to see 2 of her off spring and they were big and
> > > healthy.  I just got her home yesterday, so she is settling in.
> > >
> > > She can be hand milked or by a machine.  She walks on a halter and
> > > lead and stands quietly while being milked.  I just tie her and she
> > > eats while I milk.
> > > Sometimes she walks away when I try to catch her, but she will
> > > always come for food.  I put a bell on her so I know where she is in
> > > the pasture.
> > >
> > > She was shown at the fair when young and has been a family milk cow
> since.
> > >  She
> > > is used to different people milking her, even children.  She likes
> > > to be scratched, especially around her horns.  She was never
> > > dehorned, so has long curving horns, which do not bother me.
> > > Another woman was interested in her, but was afraid of her horns.
> > >
> > >   I'm going to save the cream and make butter.  I will also make
> > > some cheese.  I already have people that want to buy any extra,
> > > which is good since she has more than I can use.  I will stop
> > > milking her in the beginning of March.  Her body needs a couple of
> > > months to get ready for the new calf.  She is bred to a North Devon
> > > bull, they are red.  During the summer I will have both goat and cow
> > > milk to sell; it will keep me busy.
> > >
> > > I really thought about the dairy sheep, but they are so hard to
> > > find; it would be hard to find new animals to bring into the heard.
> > > They just aren't common around here.  I also didn't want to deal
> > > with sheering.  Also compared to the goats the sheep produce a
> > > pretty small quantity of milk.  My other concern about the sheep
> > > were diseases.  There are some diseases that goats and sheep can
> > > share and I don't want my goats getting sick.  There are few
> > > diseases that goats and cattle can exchange.  It will be a lot
> > > easier to find bulls to breed Bonnie with, there are several very
> > > close.
> > >
> > > I will keep everyone posted on Bonnies progress.
> > >
> > > Nella
> > >
> > >
> > >
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