Re: Milk & Yogurt Containers, etc.

[Guest guest]

I have also had this problem!! what containers to use. I have tried the glass jars from Walmart with the spicket on the bottom. They worked great for keeping the cream on top and skimming when you want to, but the ones from Walmart were hard to clean and they break easy, the lids also leak (especially a problem in the car with the milk swishing around while driving). I get the milk myself from my parents farm, in the winter it can be treacherous when their is a lot of ice and I have broken many glass containers. I have also used glass one gallon pickel jars that were cleaned out well. These are easy to clean and free, If they break no problem. It is easy to skim the cream off the top. But the lids do not always fit well after opening and they will leak.

I have also purchased cheap one gallon blue plastic pitchers from Walmart. These have worked out but they leak and I purchase new ones often because of the grade of plastic. I do not know what this is called, the plastic smells like the milk, I'm sure if it smells like it there is some bacteria growth building up, milk will sour in these containers faster than others. One really good thing about the blue containers is they are a dark color. Milk will lose its nutrients when light reaches it...

Then I purchased a Tupperware plastic one gallon container. These work great, but are very expensive, almost $30 each. But the plastic does not soak in the smells of the milk, the plastic will not break and they do not leak. The downfall here are the covers. they come apart nice for cleaning, but they have many cracks and crevases and are hard to clean.

My mom likes the rubbermaid pitchers from Walmart that are only half gallons. They do not leak, I do not like how small the lid is, hard to get cream out and hard to clean!!

I'd love to hear if someone else has found something that works great. I was thinking it would be great to have a square pitcher, like the milk cartons at the store, to fit better in the fridge with a large cover on the top, as big as the pickel jar cover, and a spout with a lid that does not leak made either of the top quality plastic as Tupperware or glass in a dark color or stainless steel and with a handle that is solid so the milk cannot get into it and make it hard to clean. Maybe we could share ideas and make the perfect jug for getting milk from the farm with and get a company to work with us to manufacture it. Is this to much to ask?

For yogurt I love my glass handled 2 qt bowl with a plastic cover. I have two and want to get more for everything: sourdough, kefir, piima, etc. They also come in 1 qt size. They have a spout and they have the measurement markings on the glass. Pampered chef has them and I have seen the 2qt at Walmart with lids. My second choice are my 2 qt glass casserole dishes with lids. Maybe others have better ideas though please share before I purchase lots of these!!

a Augustine

I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright.I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun more.I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive.I wish you enough pain so that the smallest joys in life appear much bigger.I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess.I wish you enough ''Hello's" to get you through the final goodbye.--anonymous

----- Original Message -----

From: Carmen

Sent: Thursday, July 19, 2001 12:20 PM

Subject: Milk & Yogurt Containers, etc.

Hi All,I only joined this list a couple of days ago when I got Sally's book. Isearched the archives and didn't see anything related to my questionregarding milk containers. I have found two farmers with a couple of Jerseycows each who are willing to give me raw milk for a $ 2.00 "donation" pergallon. I need to supply the containers. Will some of you share whatcontainers you found most suitable? I am wondering about the glass galloncontainers at department stores with the spigot on the bottom. I think thiswould be nice so as not to disturb the cream on the top, but am concernedhow easy and well the spigot itself can be cleaned.I also want to make my own yogurt. Wal-Mart has an ideal one-quartcontainer. It's in with other stainless steel containers and the label onthe shelf says "SS" (I'm assuming this also means stainless steel.) Thelabel on the bottom of the container says "Made in Indonesia for Wal-Mart".My question is, can I be assured that this container IS stainless steel?What do you all make your yogurt in?My last question...what things should I know as far as safety before gettingmilk from these farmers? I've asked about medications, feed, tb andbrucellosis tests. These farmers also use this milk for their own families.Thanks,Carmen Fiber Friends & County Fiber Arts GuildSouth Carolina

[Guest guest]

Dear Carmen,

A glass jar would be good, but you want to have the cream in the milk, so pour from the top. Quart-size jars might be easier to handle. The most important thing is that the cows are certified healthy. Otherwise, as long as the barn is clean and the milk goes into a stainless steel tank, you don't need to worry. Sally

[Guest guest]

Carmen, I'm not sure if you have this available where you live... but

here in NC we have a local dairy that sells their milk in 1/2 gallon

glass containers (available at most supermarkets.) They're really

nice and have a plastic carrying handle on them. I purchased 2 of

these (with the milk in them), threw the milk away and have kept the

bottles. I think the deposit on them was about $2 a piece - a very

good investment. They're alot easier to handle than a gallon jar. I

don't care for plastic.

Gianine

[Guest guest]

Gianine,

I'm from NC too! What part do you live in? I'm in ville, near

Raleigh. Do you know of source for raw milk?

I have just started a chapter here and have great resources for

everything but raw milk.

Thanks,

> Carmen, I'm not sure if you have this available where you live...

but

> here in NC we have a local dairy that sells their milk in 1/2

gallon

> glass containers (available at most supermarkets.) They're really

> nice and have a plastic carrying handle on them. I purchased 2 of

> these (with the milk in them), threw the milk away and have kept

the

> bottles. I think the deposit on them was about $2 a piece - a very

> good investment. They're alot easier to handle than a gallon jar. I

> don't care for plastic.

> Gianine

[Guest guest]

Hi , I live right down the road from you in Durham! I'm so glad

you have started a chapter, as I have been thinking about it and have

been so busy at work that I've been putting it off. My acupuncturist

was also thinking about it and we decided last week to make it a

joint effort, but now we have you! Yay :-) There is an amish woman

who sells fresh cows milk at the Durham Farmers market every

Saturday. She is not there today because she went to a family

reunion, but she is there almost every saturday. She also sells free

range eggs and a few organic veggies. I also have access to raw goats

milk, as well as local free range meats. Send me email privately and

we'll talk about all of this. As you know, it is illegal to sell raw

milk in this state and the cows milk is sold as " pet milk " .

I look forward to meeting you and if you need any help, let me know.

Gianine

> > Carmen, I'm not sure if you have this available where you live...

> but

> > here in NC we have a local dairy that sells their milk in 1/2

> gallon

> > glass containers (available at most supermarkets.) They're really

> > nice and have a plastic carrying handle on them. I purchased 2 of

> > these (with the milk in them), threw the milk away and have kept

> the

> > bottles. I think the deposit on them was about $2 a piece - a

very

> > good investment. They're alot easier to handle than a gallon jar.

I

> > don't care for plastic.

> > Gianine

[Guest guest]

I buy one gallon honey jars with the screw top jars. They work great. Find

a bee supply company in your area and they should have the jars. I use them

for storing grains, etc as well. Also, if Azure delivers to your area you

can order from them as well. They can be contacted at www.azurefarm.com.

The other jars I use a lot of are the kerr/ball 1/2 gallon jars. I make my

kombucha in them. Bi-Mart carries them as well as other stores that have a

canning department.

R

[Guest guest]

I know this is an old topic, but since I just am reading some of the old

messages, I thought I would add my .02. When I have gotten milk directly

from a dairy where I provided my own containers, I used half gallon glass

jars (these were from orange juice) and one gallon jars (both wide mouth

that we had from somewhere! and some narrow mouth ones that had apple

juice in them. Then when I have gotten goats milk from friends we have

used quart canning jars and half gallon canning jars. (In the past I had

gotten narrow/regular mouth half gallon canning jars at the grocery

store--Ingles for anyone who lives in NC, SC, TN?, and anywhere else they

might be! It is usually just the bigger, newer Ingles that have the half

gallon jars. But last time I had my dh pick a case up at the store they

just had wide mouth. The wide mouth are easier for washing, but a little

harder for pouring when the jar is pretty full.) Now I am getting

certified raw milk in SC and it is in plastic half gallon jugs, but the

lady recommended transferring it to glass jars, since it will keep better

in glass. She also recommended not having it near the door of the fridge

in the summer anyway, so it will stay good and cold and keep longer.

When I make yogurt I use a two quart casserole dish (like a mentioned

was her second choice).

Speaking of glass to keep things better, if you grind your own flour and

freeze some of it for later, it keeps better in a glass jar in the

freezer than in plastic. I have never had a problem with jars breaking

that way even when I haven't used canning jars. I wouldn't think there

would be too much stress on the jar when it is dry flour. :-)

Bonnie in NC

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