Re: Raw milk - not quite right

[Guest guest]

Sour milk is not bad. Make some custard with it you will never know the

difference. I give some of my soured raw milk to my animals because it is so

good for them having more bacteria in it.

Allyn

_____

From:

[mailto: ] On Behalf Of Lana Gibbons

Sent: Wednesday, August 29, 2007 10:19 AM

Subject: Raw milk - not quite right

My last of 8 - 1/2 gallon containers of raw milk has bubbles suspended in

the cream, as if it were fermenting prior to being chilled. It doesn't

taste quite right, but it doesn't taste quite off either. I'm a bit wary as

I don't like to accumulate CO2 producers in my gut...

Should I give it to the compost pile, or do you suppose it is safe to drink?

Thanks!

Lana

[Guest guest]

It isn't sour... the taste is much different from lactic acid... its a bit

butyric-like, but not quite. I'm more concerned that there's some

undesireable microbe in it than anything else - I've had milk go sour and

curd but never bubble. My gut isn't quite perfect yet and I don't want to

compromise it. I guess if I heated it to make custard, it'd basically

pasteurize the milk so I wouldn't have to worry. I think I'll do that,

thanks for the idea!

I gave some to my dog and she did some weird thing where she kept recoiling

everytime she took a sip - but she did keep going back for more so I guess

it couldn't be that bad.

-Lana

On 8/29/07, ALLYN FERRIS <aferris7272@...> wrote:

>

> Sour milk is not bad. Make some custard with it you will never know the

> difference. I give some of my soured raw milk to my animals because it is

> so

> good for them having more bacteria in it.

>

>

>

> Allyn

>

[Guest guest]

If it were me, I would not drink it - raw milk is wonderful, but it

can be a problem if it goes iffy. Better safe than sorry. Hate to see

4 gallons go to waste, though - what if you made a cooked cheese like

panir from it - one that you cook to a high heat? It would kill the

bugs, but not waste the milk. Panir is a very traditional cheese, and

not hard to make.

Here is a link to a recipe: http://fiascofarm.com/dairy/quesoblanco.htm

Thea

On Aug 29, 2007, at 7:19 AM, Lana Gibbons wrote:

> My last of 8 - 1/2 gallon containers of raw milk has bubbles

> suspended in

> the cream, as if it were fermenting prior to being chilled. It doesn't

> taste quite right, but it doesn't taste quite off either. I'm a bit

> wary as

> I don't like to accumulate CO2 producers in my gut...

>

> Should I give it to the compost pile, or do you suppose it is safe

> to drink?

>

> Thanks!

>

> Lana

>

[Guest guest]

Are you in CA? Others have complained there about the poor quality

of the raw milk they get. Maybe you have the same source. I believe

the problem most often reported is that by the time they get it, it

is already going sour. If you pour some in a hot cup of coffee and

it clumps up, that's a sure sign! Not that you'd drink coffee,

right???? LOL

A question, tho - where you are, is there actually grass for the

cows to eat? Because some areas where they have grazing livestock

they have to feed them grain, etc. most of the year because of the

dryi climate. I doubt that kind of raw milk would be great anyways,

tho maybe better than nothing.

> >

> > Sour milk is not bad. Make some custard with it you will never

know the

> > difference. I give some of my soured raw milk to my animals

because it is

> > so

> > good for them having more bacteria in it.

> >

> >

> >

> > Allyn

> >

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

I'm in the NE right now. As far as I know the pastures are green (haven't

been out to see this farm yet), they are supposedly grass-fed but I dunno if

they get occasional grain or not. The other 7 half gallons were fine, it is

just this one that is weird. Maybe one cow was off?

My usual dairy dries up their cows in July due to lack of demand over summer

vacation (such a pity seeing as the grass is so nice then) - they'll be back

in September.

-Lana

On 8/29/07, haecklers <haecklers@...> wrote:

>

> Are you in CA? Others have complained there about the poor quality

> of the raw milk they get. Maybe you have the same source. I believe

> the problem most often reported is that by the time they get it, it

> is already going sour. If you pour some in a hot cup of coffee and

> it clumps up, that's a sure sign! Not that you'd drink coffee,

> right???? LOL

>

> A question, tho - where you are, is there actually grass for the

> cows to eat? Because some areas where they have grazing livestock

> they have to feed them grain, etc. most of the year because of the

> dryi climate. I doubt that kind of raw milk would be great anyways,

> tho maybe better than nothing.

>

--

" There is nothing more useful than sun and salt. " - Latin proverb

[Guest guest]

Lana,

The policy with all our farmers here - if you don't like the taste, return

it, no questions asked, and get a replacement out of the 'fridge. In the

case of the CSA, they pour it for you on request. I'd go with your " gut "

so to speak and not drink it if you have gut issues.

I'm curious - do you eat fermented foods?

Sharon

On 8/29/07, Lana Gibbons <lana.m.gibbons@...> wrote:

>

> I'm in the NE right now. As far as I know the pastures are green

> (haven't

> been out to see this farm yet), they are supposedly grass-fed but I dunno

> if

> they get occasional grain or not. The other 7 half gallons were fine, it

> is

> just this one that is weird. Maybe one cow was off?

>

> My usual dairy dries up their cows in July due to lack of demand over

> summer

> vacation (such a pity seeing as the grass is so nice then) - they'll be

> back

> in September.

>

--

Deut 11:14 He will put grass in the fields for your cattle, and you will

have plenty to eat.

[Guest guest]

Sharon,

I get this milk from a co-op that gets a monthly delivery and we got shorted

milk this time so I don't think there is any spare. I'll have to see what

their rules are regarding this, thanks for mentioning it!

I do eat fermented foods, but I don't do 100% wild fermentation (well,

except for the raw milk). I use extra salt and innoculate using a

restricted set of microbes (some probiotics, some starters) and that seems

to do the trick. My biggest issue is CO2 producers - I don't do well with

kombucha or kefir, but thankfully just about everything else is game. I can

marginally tolerate beer yeast, but I have to go easy on it otherwise I'm

consuming vast amounts of salt to offset the issues it causes.

-Lana

On 8/30/07, Sharon son <skericson@...> wrote:

>

> Lana,

>

> The policy with all our farmers here - if you don't like the taste, return

> it, no questions asked, and get a replacement out of the 'fridge. In the

> case of the CSA, they pour it for you on request. I'd go with your " gut "

> so to speak and not drink it if you have gut issues.

>

> I'm curious - do you eat fermented foods?

>

>

> Sharon

>

[Guest guest]

On 8/30/07, Lana Gibbons <lana.m.gibbons@...> wrote:

> I do eat fermented foods, but I don't do 100% wild fermentation (well,

> except for the raw milk). I use extra salt and innoculate using a

> restricted set of microbes (some probiotics, some starters) and that seems

> to do the trick. My biggest issue is CO2 producers - I don't do well with

> kombucha or kefir, but thankfully just about everything else is game. I

> can

> marginally tolerate beer yeast, but I have to go easy on it otherwise I'm

> consuming vast amounts of salt to offset the issues it causes.

>

> -Lana

>

Lana,

I've been struggling to help DH with his IBS, so was intrigued to see you

mention CO2 producers with gut issues. He seems to improve with kefir, for

a few week time period, and then gets worse. Trying to figure that out.

Also, he does seem to do okay with kimchi, sauerkraut, etc., which I thought

were prolific CO2 producers, so I'm trying to fit that all together. We

attended a fermentation seminar a few weeks ago at a Solar Fest event in

VT. The instructor gave little free commentary about the evil of " carbon

footprints " . Dh and I had to laugh (quietly, sinking low in our seats)

getting a kick out of the image of wild fermentations being politically

incorrect as they do leave a " carbon footprint " , albeit small. But

collectively.....I dunno...this thing is growing in popularity.

Sharon

[Guest guest]

In Kraut and Kimchee, I find in the later stages of fermentation, the CO2

production pretty much disappears. It probably also helps I use a strong

brine, because most yeasts can't live in brine. The big difference between

kimchee, kraut and kefir is that there is no salt in the kefir. I have to

be really careful with saltless ferments, as I tend not to do so well on

them.

-Lana

*

*

> Lana,

> I've been struggling to help DH with his IBS, so was intrigued to see you

> mention CO2 producers with gut issues. He seems to improve with kefir,

> for

> a few week time period, and then gets worse. Trying to figure that out.

> Also, he does seem to do okay with kimchi, sauerkraut, etc., which I

> thought

> were prolific CO2 producers, so I'm trying to fit that all together.

>