Goin' Country

Well - I lived on a "farm" for five years, but this is by far the most "country" that I have been yet! We started buying "cows" milk. What I mean to say is that we started buying fresh, unpasteurized, whole milk. It took a couple of days and conversations to teach or kids that we have always had COW's milk for breakfast, but now we are drinking "FRESH" milk.


With fresh milk comes lots of cream, with cream (and some time) their comes BUTTER! Yes I made my own butter today. I feel like a true country girl! I think I need a little more practice to get it just right.... but it is a cool feeling to know that you can make butter.

This is how we get the fresh milk from the farm. In large, glass, gallon jars. Old pickle jars. You can see, the cream has separated and is sitting on top. (It brought back memories of pumping while nursing).

You spoon off the cream put it in a smaller jar and let it "ripen". After is has reached 75 deg. or so, you start shaking. And you shake and shake for 10-15 min.

Then you end up with this lump of butter and the buttermilk. You strain this and rinse it.

Then you "work" the butter to remove all the water and the rest of the buttermilk. Sprinkle a little salt, put in the fridge and you are good to go!

However, I think that next time I will use something else besides my hand to work the butter.

Tomorrow morning....... toast, homemade butter, and homemade strawberry jam!

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Thank you Lord for creating a world that is self-sustaining. For making a place where man can "live off the land". That was you design, that was your plan. Thank you for new opportunities to learn and grow and try things that I have never done before. Thank you for knowing what I need to keep life interesting!