After reading my post on 5 reasons to milk test your does (or cows), you have decided you want to get started! So, what next? 1. Read the rules If you have goats, you can do DHIR (Dairy Herd Improvement … Read More
Remember that goats are herd animals, which means you need to have at least two so that they have a friend who speaks the same language. Keeping them with a pig, sheep, or horse is not the same. Pigs communicate … Read More
I admit that we started milk testing because my daughters wanted our does to have those fancy stars and letters after their names like *M in ADGA and *D in AGS. However, after getting started, we discovered there are many … Read More
If you are thinking about getting goats or planning to bring home a couple soon, here are eight things that you will want to make sure you have ready for them when they arrive! As an Amazon affiliate, I earn … Read More
This is a great cheese for beginners to try because it requires no special equipment or ingredients. It is a traditional Mexican cheese, and it does not melt, because it contains no rennet. We like to cube it, lightly brown … Read More
Last year after a speaking engagement in a Seattle suburb, a woman asked me somewhat sheepishly, “Don’t you think this sort of thing just puts women back into a traditional role in the kitchen?” It took a minute for me … Read More
Were you absolutely sure that goat was pregnant, but she never kidded, and now she doesn’t look as big as she did last week? It is possible for a doe to get bred and stop cycling and even to get … Read More
We have now had 8 sets of quintuplets on our farm, and one of the most popular questions is, “Can the doe feed that many?” I never say “never,” but I will say it is highly unlikely that a doe … Read More
Most ricotta recipes call for using whey and have a very low yield. I discovered this variation one day when I was in the middle of making queso blanco and a goat went into labor. I had just added the … Read More
A few years ago when my husband realized I was intent on making cheese with goat, sheep, and cow milk, he asked if I was going to get buffalo someday because their milk is used for real mozzarella. It is … Read More
Thrifty Homesteader was created in 2012 after the publication of my second book, Ecothrifty. The name was coined by one of my followers because I said that I didn’t want anyone to think that they had to be rich to homestead or live a greener life....
