A Splash Of Goat Milk {First Time Freshener & Milker}

So, this little line from my last post…

We understand that this option isn’t the best for maximum milk production, but since we will probably get around a gallon a day from a single morning milking of our four does, we should have more then we need to drink with a little leftover for making cheese, yogurt and soap.

 …I need to add a little footnote to it. *If I can get any milk from them.

I have been trying my best to rise around six o’clock to start my morning milking routine. The whole getting up part is going pretty smoothly. My little six-month-old alarm clock is up and at it by then, so that part works out quite nicely.

Then the chaos ensues. The goats are just learning the routine, which I would like to go something like this: one goat at a time calmly walks to the milk stand, hops up into the stanchion to leisurely munch on grain while I skillfully milk. Just the sweet smell of dew, cool morning air, chirping birds and satisfying ting, ting, ting of delicious, raw goat milk hitting the side of my milking pail.

Here’s how it’s been going…

The alarm goes off. I mix my udder wash and grab my shiny new milking equipment. At the goat pin, I crack the gate. Four full-grown Nubians, push their noses through with all the muscle they can muster, as I do my best to only let one through at a time. Three escape, but I wrestle two back into the pin. Gypsy is first and it’s me versus her to the stand. She knows there is grain waiting at the finish line. I slip in goat poop and she takes the lead. Around the stand we go. “Come on girl, up here. Not that way. Wait. No, jump up here.” Finally, I get her to stretch her head through the headpiece and I quickly secure the lock. But her back legs are off the stand to the side. Maybe I can lift her the rest of the way up? “My gosh, how much do you weight?” Now, she’s laying down on the stand. How to get her up? “Up girl, up.” I dig deep and finally get enough umph to lift her onto all fours. By this time the grain is almost gone. I grab my wipes to clean her udders. Wipe. Kick. Another wipe. Kick. Finally, I’m ready to start milking and get a squirt in the strip cup. Kick. I quickly realized that my nine-quart milking pail might have been ambitious. One teat at a time, I get a couple squirts in the pail.

Repeat. Times four.

The Mischievous Duo, Ginger & Gwen {Twin Nubian Doelings Born Last Week}

Over two years ago, I decided to make the leap into raising goats. To be honest, what peaked my interest in diary goats was the need for an alternative to breast milk after giving up breastfeeding my first little one following several terrible bouts of mastitis. Little Farmer T was diary obsessed, and still is, so I wanted an option that I controlled to ensure that it was hormone, antibiotic and toxin free. Diary goats seemed like the perfect answer.

Our four Nubians have been wonderful to raise. They are full of personality, and their friendly and gentle disposition make them the perfect farmyard companion for the kids. We introduced a buck into the herd last fall and after a successful breeding period, we are anticipating our first kidding season here on the homestead.

Gypsy, our first gal to give birth, delivered twin doelings last week. Now several days old, they are all legs, ears, and spunk.

My sister, Amy, and I have decided that we are going to go the milk-once-a-day route. We have numerous reasons for doing this. First, we need the flexibility in our schedules. Secondly, we can raise the kids with their mothers to elimination the need to bottle-feed and the cost associated with milk replacer. We understand that this option isn’t the best for maximum milk production, but since we will probably get around a gallon a day from a single morning milking of our four does, we should have more then we need to drink with a little leftover for making cheese, yogurt and soap.