Goat's milk: Have you herd the benefits? - Wanganui Chronicle

 

Phil and Bryanne Weber aren't given to blasphemy, but they swear by goat's milk.

They have a lifestyle block on Mosston Rd and milk a herd of 50 goats twice daily. While the family takes what it needs, the bulk of the raw milk is fed to calves.

Now they are watching with interest the next move from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF), which is seeking the public's views on whether to continue farm-gate sales of raw milk.

Current regulations let farmers and people like the Webers sell a daily maximum of 5 litres of raw milk per person from their farm gate.

"The idea of being able to sell from our gate has real appeal as long as the Ministry doesn't put to many regulations in our way," Mr Weber said.

But the Webers want to educate the public about raw goat's milk and its benefits.

"The interest in getting the milk is there but a lot don't understand its values," Mrs Weber said. "It's far superior to cows' milk and is great for people who have all sorts of allergies."

With that many goats, the family has never had to buy milk from the supermarket and, having tasted store-bought milk, she said she could never drink it.

The Weber farm is a hobby farm, so they were not reliant on the milk as their staple income.

Their family of seven sons and a daughter have all been brought up drinking the raw goat's milk and their parents say they are so healthy, the doctors don't even know them.

"Their teeth are perfect. While Phil and I have got a mouthful of fillings, the children have hardly a filling among them," Mrs Weber said.

Mr Weber can attest to the values of the milk, too, because as a child he suffered from severe eczema: "I scratched myself constantly, and the doctor told my mum to get me on to goat's milk. She bought a goat and once I started drinking its milk everything came right. So when our family came along, we decided to have a goat and the herd's just grown."

Goat's milk is known to have less fat, less lactose, fewer allergens, different proteins and more minerals than cow's milk.

"There has been a recent study done by scientists at Massey University which looked into the dangers of consuming raw cows' milk. That study showed there was very little risk because of today's hygiene standards in milking sheds and the general health status of farm animals," Mrs Weber said.

GATE SALES

MAF called for submissions on whether to continue farm-gate sales of raw milk and these have now closed. Current regulations let farmers sell a daily maximum of 5 litres of raw milk per person from their farm gate.

The three options proposed were:

to maintain the present legal position

to make some amendments to the conditions of sale and retain the requirement for a risk management programme (RMP)

to make some amendments to conditions of sale, and exempt farmers from an RMP for farm-gate sales but still require them to meet some animal health and hygiene requirements and keep records of sales (this is MAF's preferred option).

Rising Milk Demand Pulls Farmers to Goat-Rearing - Middle East North Africa Financial Network

The medicinal value associated with goat milk is making it one of the most lucrative ventures in Githunguri, Kiambu. The milk is recommended by doctors for some patients.

Because of lack of adequate land to keep big animals, a section of farmers have started keeping the animals, which they say are less expensive to maintain compared to cows.

Mr Edward Muchai from Gathanji village has seven dairy goats and he says the animals are more profitable.

He started rearing three goats in 2009 which produced 15 litres of milk a day. Mr Muchai sold the milk to a local self-help group that owns a small processing plant.

The factory based in Githunguri town processes goat yoghurt, which is sold to hospitals and supermarkets.

Goats are profitable

A litre of goat milk in the area goes for Sh60. "Goats are very profitable. You don't require big capital to rear them, their milk fetches more, and a goat gives birth twice a year, meaning that you can be selling milk through-out the year," said Mr Muchai.

According to the farmer, six goats equal a cow in terms of expenses.

Because of the high demand for goat milk by hotels, supermarkets, and hospitals, a number of farmers in the area have decided to start adding value to the milk.

Mr William Njenga, a director at Togen Goat Milk Limited, a goat yoghurt processing plant, said the factory received low quantities of milk because most farmers have only recently learnt about the animals.

He said the company has entered into an agreement with the Mini Saving and Credit microfinance, where farmers interested in goat-keeping get a loan of Sh20,000. He said about 100 farmers have ventured into the project, although most are flouting an agreement to deliver their milk to Togen Goat Milk Limited.

"Due to the value of the milk, most farmers are consuming a big percentage and we end up lacking milk to process," he said.

Mr Njenga said the situation has affected their plant, which is operating at a capacity of 100 litres. The number of goats in the area can produce over 1,000 litres a day.

Copyright The Nation. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com).

Uralla farmer finalist in rural woman of year - Armidale Express

Her range of boutique goats milk skin care products ‘Sunhill Skin Essentials’ has gained national recognition leading her into the chance to win 10,000 dollars. Mrs Annett said she is already a winner as both finalists get to attend a directors course based on business planning and networking as well as a 12 month mentorship by the Department of Primary Industries.

The finalist said there is magic in goats milk.

“I’ve always suffered from dry skin and never found a moisturiser to help me and this (goats milk moisturiser) was the first thing thats ever worked,” she said.

“Goats milk is great for sensitive skin.

“It’s close to your own skin’s pH and it contains lots of minerals and vitamins.”

The goat farmer sells her products at the Armidale, Uralla and Walcha markets as well as through her website which is where the business really took off.

“As well as our website we have Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn,” she said.

“Social media has been a huge thing for driving traffic to our website - we do really well on Facebook.

“We have a couple of international customers and we distribute all over Australia and that is all through the website.”

Mrs Annett has been rearing goats for the last decade and is hoping to expand into more into the goats cheese market.

“My plans are of course to get the cheese factory up and running and I would love to have a grand opening at the Uralla Food and Wine festival and as part of it,” she said.

“I would like to tour other goats cheese factories in Tasmania and in New Zealand so that’s where the money would be spent if I win.

“I want to keep the cheese as a local thing, I can fill the restaurants and wineries and have it as a tourist thing so people can come here and do cheese tasting.”

The other finalist is Danica Leys, formerly from Narrabri who now lives in Sydney, but keeps in touch with her rural connections through her twitter site AgchatOz. The winner will be announced on Febuary 21.

“It’s absolutely fabulous to be recognised and to be a finalist,” Mrs Annett said.

“It’s a great opportunity to let people know what is going on in the goat industry.”

Iberico's blend of milks produces distinct flavor - San Angelo Standard Times

I've noticed Iberico cheese here and there over the past few years. Without close examination it looks a lot like Manchego — another Spanish cheese with a bone-white paste and a waxy brown rind imprinted with a woven grass esparto design. I mistakenly assumed that it was a Manchego knock-off produced outside the Manchego DOC area.

Until I tasted it — when I reminded myself about what happens when you assume.

Once it is out of the wrapper, there is not one thing about Iberico cheese that resembles Manchego. Unlike the pure sheeps' milk Manchego, Iberico is made from a blend of milks; it must contain at least 50 percent cow milk, at least 30 percent goat milk and at least 10 percent sheep milk. Blending types of milk this way is quite common in Spain, but has not been practiced much elsewhere in Europe; it just now is coming into vogue among some American cheesemakers. It is a very good way to tailor the cheese to meet specific desired characteristics.

Cow milk lends the cheese its creaminess and silky texture and supplies a round flavor and the acidic base. The goat milk whitens the color and adds a spicy, citrusy quality, while the small amount of sheep milk adds a higher fat content and a rich concentration of proteins without contributing the barnyard aroma associated with pure sheep cheese.

In my research, I noticed that many sources list Iberico (which can be aged up to six months) as a hard cheese; but the El Cortijo brand I purchased from Sam's, while firm, is noticeably softer and quite creamy compared with most Spanish hard cheeses, and has a young, "juicy" feel to it.

Because of the brilliant blending of milk, Iberico melts beautifully, does not turn oily at room temperature and manages an interesting and distinct flavor while remaining mild enough to please everyone. The flavor is rich behind a strong upfront tang, without a hint of bitterness.

This is a really delicious all-purpose cheese for everything from sandwiches to fondue; or simply broil it over a slice of baguette. If you like Havarti (which I do), you'll love Iberico, which has all the appeal of the former with a bigger tang and far more interesting depth of flavor.

Iberico is produced in Central Spain and has been made under strict guidelines since the mid-80s. The producers are awaiting their DOC, or lawful denomination of origin, which will protect the cheese from imitation outside the traditional region of its manufacture.

It has not surprisingly become one of the most popular cheeses in Spain, but has not yet taken over Manchego's spot in the United States. If you give it a try, you might become a convert.

Iberico and Salami Long Roll

For each large sandwich

1 LaBrea demi baguette* (*available at Schnucks; get frozen ones and bake)

2 ounces Molinari Finocchiona** or Sopresatta or another quality dry salami, sliced thin (** available at Vecchio's market in Newburgh; Finocchiona is highly flavored with fennel seeds; if it is not available or if you don't love fennel, any good tangy dry salami will do)

2 thick slices of Ibérico cheese

2 slices tomato

1 Handfull arugula leaves

- Paper-thin slices red onion

- Extra virgin olive oil

- Sprinkle of sea salt and a big grind of black pepper

Directions

1. If you purchased the frozen demi baguette, bake it as directed, then immediately wrap in a clean towel to keep the crust pliable and bite-able. If you are using another bread with a softer crust, this step is not necessary. La Brea demi's are really the best for European sandwiches though because they taste great, are personal-sized, have awesome chew and you can control the texture this way for a baguette sandwich you actually can bite through without cutting your gums.

2. When cool, slice the baguette lengthwise and drizzle both halves of the cut bread with olive oil.

3. Layer the salami, cheese and tomato on the bottom half. Sprinkle the tomato lightly with salt and pepper.

4. Top with the arugula and onion slices and another sprinkle of salt and pepper. Place top half on bread, skewer with two picks and cut in half, if desired, and enjoy. This is a terrific medley of punchy Mediterranean flavors.

Cookbook cues: Goat: Meat · Milk · Cheese by Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarbrough - Isthmus Daily Page

When deciding what to cook for dinner on any given night, "goat," for most of us, is likely the one of the last ideas to come to mind. Goat meat is on the rise in Madison restaurants, but it's still largely absent from home kitchens. Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarbrough, authors of a plethora of cookbooks and the blog Real Food Has Curves, are out to change that in their recent cookbook, Goat: Meat · Milk · Cheese (Stewart, Tabori & Chang, $30).

In the preface, Weinstein and Scarbrough explain how goat meat hasn't yet fallen into the "tastes like chicken" category because "nobody has morphed the DNA of goats so that they have breasts so big they can't walk (hello, chickens), or hooves so weak they are prone to rot (hello, cows)." In fact, no hormones and only a few antibiotics have been approved for goat production in the Unites States. In other words, this stuff is pure and deeply flavorful. What's more, upwards of 70% of the red meat eaten globally is goat. All said, we are only left to wonder why the heck we hadn't thought to cook with goat meat and dairy until now.

The authors effectively deconstruct the illusive goat into three easy-to-grasp sections: meat, milk and yogurt, and cheese. Those sections are broken down further into familiar categories like "hunks," "chunks," "moles," and "curries" in the meat section. The recipes are interlaced with anecdotes that add a level of fun to what is some pretty serious cooking, and give valuable insight to everything from goat farming to the intricate art of goat cheese-making.

The "meat" recipes range from simple (chili) to complex (the seven-hour leg), and from familiar (burgers) to foreign (dopiaza -- think of really fancy French onion soup). The first recipe I tried, however, was from the "cheese and yogurt" section. The directions for corn pudding were easy to follow, and in no time I had myself a rich, cheesy corn casserole made with goat milk, soft goat cheese and hard goat cheese. The tanginess of the goat products added an enjoyable dimension to what would otherwise have been a pretty ordinary dish. The goat cheese cheesecake recipe was also easy to follow; however, those who consumed it didn't realize it was made with goat cheese until they were told.

Overall, this is a great guide for those who are ready to embrace these up-and-coming ingredients. If you're low on time, money or sense of adventure, though, you may be best off simply finding a fresh baguette and giving it a generous smear of soft chevre. Perfection.

Don't know where to get your goat meat? Weinstein and Scarbrough provide a list of US farms. The most local they list, Shepard Song Farm , is in Downing, Wisconsin. Other local purveyors include Black Earth Meats in Black Earth, Greek Acres Farm in Cambria and Ruegsegger Farms in Blanchardville.

O, The Oprah Magazine Showcases Jonas Family's Goat Milk Stuff All-Natural ... - San Francisco Chronicle (press release)

O, The Oprah Magazine showcased Goat Milk Stuff, a family business run by PJ and Jim Jonas with the help of their 8 children that makes and markets all-natural goat milk soaps, lotions, lip balms, bath products, laundry soap and more on their Indiana farm.

The January 2012 issue, showing Oprah and Dr. Oz on its cover, features an interview with PJ Jonas appearing in the beauty section, O Beautiful!, along with family and product photos.

Discussing Goat Milk Stuff, the magazine writes about "the surprising, skin-smoothing power of goat's milk." It showed readers a homemade 5-ounce bar of soap for $6, liquid soap for $10 and what it called "velvety" goat's milk lotion, for $18, available at www.GoatMilkStuff.com.

The January issue is also making news since for the first time its cover shows a man, Dr. Mehmet Oz of TV's Dr. Oz Show, who appears with world-famous star Oprah Winfrey, Founder and Editorial Director of the magazine.

"PJ talked to us about how her family's cottage industry took off, and the surprising, skin-smoothing power of goat's milk," said the article headlined "Kidding Around" reflecting the family's eight children and many goats (kids).

In an interview, O asked PJ what her biggest surprise was in building the company. PJ said, "How dramatically our soap can change the quality of people's skin. I set out to make soap that was gentle and smelled good and looked pretty. Then my husband, who worked outside all winter, started using it and the skin on his fingers stopped splitting and cracking."

The magazine reported as Goat Milk Stuff began to grow, PJ, a former systems engineer, asked husband Jim, a former science teacher then working outdoors, to join full time. PJ, Jim and the Jonas' children are now working together to build Goat Milk Stuff into a major success.

PJ added, "It is a dream come true to be in O, The Oprah Magazine. Oprah is a role model for us and represents the epitome of quality and kindness. We are honored to be in her magazine."

O reported that Goat Milk Stuff started with PJ making soap from milk of the family goats for her children, then to earn the family extra money, followed by marketing online at GoatMilkStuff.com. They now have customers across the USA and around the world.

Each of the home-schooled Jonas children, ages 4 to 15, have age-appropriate tasks in the business, from helping in the office and putting soaps in environmentally-friendly bags to milking and feeding their many goats, which they consider pets.

In addition to its marketing activities, the Jonas family's popular GoatMilkStuff.com website is augmented by other social media presence at Facebook.com/GoatMilkStuff, YouTube.com/GoatMilkStuff and Twitter.com/GoatMilkStuff.

At the GoatMilkStuff.com website, which features the company's extensive line of products, including an array of gift packs, also has a testimonial page with customer comments about the benefits and quality of Goat Milk Stuff products.

Online at www.GoatMilkStuff.com, the Jonas' company markets a full range of products that are quickly shipped directly to consumers. The Goat Milk Stuff™ website also lists retail stores across America where shoppers can find Goat Milk Stuff™ products. Goat Milk Stuff™ is based in Charlestown, Indiana, and markets natural goat milk soaps.

Goat Milk Stuff™ and GMS™ are trademarked brands and assure the finest quality of product and value. Look for Goat Milk Stuff™ Goat Milk Soaps, GMS Lip Balms, GMS Lotions, GMS Bath Bombs and GMS Laundry products.

For media, licensing & entertainment, email Brian Dobson at BD (at) DobsonPR.com.

Photo Gallery: On the Homestead's from goats to making soap - National Post

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