The Secret to Good Goat Milk
The triplets born last month are doing great.
I’m having technical difficulties with my computer’s wireless connection, and am borrowing another family member’s to get this post up. So I thought I’d dig an old post out of the archives which may be of interest. My comments are closed on older posts to control spam, so please come back to this post for your comments.
Whenever I talk to dairy goat owners or read posts about goat milk I am amazed how few seem to know this very simple tip about how to keep goat milk from getting that “goaty” flavor. Most people I know who think goat milk is bad tasting have had bad experiences because this simple technique was not used.
Here is an old post called “The Joys of Goats on the Homestead” which was originally posted nearly two years ago back in February of 2011, before we lived on our new homestead. That was also before we had experience milking a cow. We’ve learned to enjoy raw goat and cow milk equally well, with their varying uses. There is nothing like drinking milk and kefir or eating cheese and butter from your own dairy animals who you know are free from GM feed and other undesirables.
Jody and her kids
The Joys of Goats on the Homestead
What says, “Naaaa” and eats tin cans? I grew up believing goats eat anything. After 14 years with goats, we know that is false. They chew on things out of curiosity, but are actually very picky eaters. If hay touches the ground and gets stepped on, they won’t touch it. They do love to forage and clean up overgrowth in the woods or on fence rows…(read more).
I hope you enjoyed the post. And I hope my computer issues are soon resolved! 
Blessings,
Great article, thanks for posting it on the barn hop. We currently have a source for raw cow’s milk, for which we are very thankful. I am hoping that in the near future we will be able to move someplace with room for goats so I can give it a try. It sounds like a much more manageable way to start home dairy than buying a milking cow. Thanks again.
You are fortunate to have a source for raw milk. We’ve milked goats for years and you’re right that they are much more manageable than a cow, and the amount of milk is much more manageable too. The only thing about goat milk is it is harder to seperate the cream to make butter. And I hate having a billy goat, at least near the house area. They stink!
Hello, we have milk goats as well. Many goat milkers say a buck on the property can effect the milk’s taste. Do you have experience with this?
In our 15 years of keeping goats we have never noticed a difference in the taste when we have a buck here or not. My parents have milked goats just as long and they have not noticed anything like that either. We’ve both had customers that buy from us because of the good flavor.
Maybe it makes a difference if the milk is not cooled but if you cool it right away you can’t tell.(???) Or maybe it is different with other breeds of goats. We’ve had mostly nubians, but also a mix of saanen and alpine. I don’t know, but this has never been an issue for us.
I had a milk goat for awhile, and a small herd of meat goats for another couple of years. I really like goats. And the milk that I got tasted fine. I used it in ice cream for a potluck, and no one knew the difference. But I’ve had storebought goat milk, and it tasted foul. As soon as I tasted it I knew why goats milk gets such a bad rap.
We’ve used our goat milk in potluck dishes or for guests as well, and they can’t tell. When our oldest was little we once left her in someone else’s care overnight and they bought goat milk at the store since they knew she ususally drank goat milk. It tasted so awful, she refused to drink it. So, yes, I agree that is why it has a bad reputation.
I would love to have you join us on The HomeAcre Hop again at:
http://www.theselfsufficienthomeacre.com/2013/01/1213.html
Hope your computer issues are solved soon!
Thanks for sharing on the HomeAcre Hop!
You’re welcome. I appreciate the opportunity!
Very interesting! We hope to have goats one day, and I’ll remember this tip. I bet there’s nothing better than milk from your own goat! I know I love eggs from our chickens
So glad if it can make a difference.
I sympathize with your computer issues Rose Petal. I have had a few of my own lately. I enjoyed reading your old post again. I haven’t got any dairy goats of my own yet, but I did borrow 3 nubian does last summer for a few months and I really enjoyed them. I LOVED making chevre and using the fresh milk in place of store bought dairy. I am hooked and prayerful that my day will come for a homestead dairy. Have a great week ahead.
I know you are looking forward to having a dairy goat of your own. Hope it can happen for you soon!
Hi Rose Petal,
I am sorry to hear of your computer issues and well done that you were still able to give us an update! I too love goats and particularly goat chesse.. which has to be one of the nicest tastes in the world and not at all ‘goaty’ in flavour:-) Thanks so much for sharing at Wednesday’s Seasonal Celebration! Have a good week:-)Rebecca@ Natural Mothers Network x
My WiFi is still acting up but not as badly, so I’m making it.
Thanks so much!
Rose Petal what a great post I did not know that goats were actually picky eaters and how nice that you provide your family with a healthy source of milk where you control the quality. Thanks so much for linking up to The Ole’ Saturday Homesteading Trading Post this week!
You’re welcome Karen!