Monday, May 11, 2009

Thanks To Jammies

Thanks to Jammies I can now say I love goat's milk.
Here is Jammies. You can read about her here

To let you in on a big secret, the goatgirl doesn't like goat milk or goat cheese. It has always tasted...well...goaty to me. I want to like it and have tried it often but I can always taste a hint of goat. As a kid with goats the milk was pretty good and I would find pleasure in serving our unsuspecting guest a glass of my goat's milk but my mother wouldn't use the milk as a rule and what we had was fed to the babies or given to a friend of a friend for their child that was allergic to cow's milk. Or my mom's friend's hippy son. It was the '70's man.
When I got Nubians after I was married the milk always tasted a bit off so once again I fed it to the babies and then let the momma dry off after they were weaned.
One day at school, someone brought in the most gorgeous salad you would ever want to eat. You know the one, three different kinds of lettuce, candied pecans, cranberries, raspberry vinaigrette dressing.......and goat cheese. Chucks of smelly goat cheese that tasted like I had just licked my goat. The only one that couldn't stand it was goatgirl...and the secretary because she too has extraordinary taste buds. So I have pretty much stayed clear of anything made from goats.
Until now...
The other day I went over to the goatfarmer's to learn how to be her relief milker when she needs relief. It was very fun but since I hadn't milked in years I was a little rusty. The LaManchas were a breeze but the Minimancha, Jammies, was a bit of a challenge for me. The dwarf-sized teats and these farmer-sized hands did not a match make. I milked out one side but could not get my weak left hand to milk the other side. The farmer got it started and I knocked her out of the way so I could finish. While milking Jammies and knowing that her milk was the farmer's favorite I asked for a taste of it. The farmer got a funny look on her face and said she was so sorry but there was none left. I said well what about this milk right here that I'm milking out now? Well what could she say then? She took the milk inside and poured it in a clean jar and set it to cooling while we milked the rest of the does.
After we finished milking all but one doe (Bertie wouldn't come in from the pasture as long as the relief milker was anywhere in sight) we went inside to get the milk. The farmer told me to have a taste now. I made some lame excuse about it not being cool but saw that wasn't getting anywhere so gingerly I took a sip. Wow, my eyes flew open because swirling around in my mouth was the best milk, goat or otherwise, that I have ever tasted. Creamy, sweet goat's milk like none I had ever experienced.

I took my prize home and have been enjoying it all weekend in my coffee wishing I had some cheese making supplies. Even Hubby has been bypassing the 2 gallons of milk he bought the other day to slip some of that delicious milk into his coffee. After two days I tried it again, almost sure it would have a hint of goatiness....not a hint. This is good news and I am now on a mission to find my own sweet milking goat since neither of my Nigerian's are going to kid this year:(

So thanks to a little goat named Jammies I am now a true goatgirl enjoying all that is truly goat.


update: Being a "nothing ventured, nothing gained" kind of person, I told the goatfarmer that I would buy Jammies. I was politely reminded that I had a darling Nigerian named Cora Belle that is related to Jammies and would provide me with the same sweet milk next year (I guess that's a no). I had somehow forgotten about that in my goat milk stupor.

15 comments:

Lisa said...

Oh Yay! I am pretty picky too and I can't drink "big" goat milk but I LOVE the little goats. My nigerian dwarf has the sweetest milk ever.

Smiles,
Lisa

Marigold said...

Maybe it has something to do with the lack of ears. You know, like when one is blind they can hear better. That sort of thing. Has to be it, simply has to be.

frugalmom said...

I had no idea that different goats had milk that tasted different. (did that make sense at all?) I have yet to find a goats milk that I like....

I am happy that you found one that made your taste buds smile.

Esther Garvi said...

That is so funny, because I too don't like goat milk! Too bad we don't have any miniature Nigeriens but only the big girls!

Danni said...

I. am. SO. excited.
Thank you, Jammies ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Lynnie said...

Wow! Makes me want to do a taste test! We milked one of our goats last year. The milk was.....okay. My own children drank it without batting an eyelash, but I guess I needed time to let it grow on me! This year we have no reason to add to our chore load by milking that goat (we only did last year b/c we had one abandoned kid to feed from another mama), but I feel like doing it anyway just to give it another try! And then compare it with another breed!

Mindy said...

Oh good! Now when I eat goat cheese I'll think about licking a goat! ; )

Anonymous said...

excuse me, where are jammies ears? bonnye in west sacramento

Holly said...

good for you!

I am happy that you finally found some goat milk you like.

Stephanie said...

I'm afraid of goat milk...and goat cheese. I guess I can't be sure that I don't like it. I suppose now I'll have to give it a try when Cora Belle has kids next year!

goatgirl said...

Lisa, I am sure that some big goats have good milk but after I tasted this milk there is no going back.

Marigold, I had never thought of that. It pays to have friends that have time to stand on a stump and ponder.

frugalmom, Keep an open mind. This IS good milk! And when Critter Farm has milk someday you will surely agree.

Esther, I will have to send you one someday. I wonder what it cost to ship a goat to Africa.

Farmgirl, I know. If you ever come visit I'll somehow make a deal with the goatfarmer to get some more milk. And since my first-born is already grown I'll have to think of something else to offer her.

Lynnie, Give it another try. I don't know what kind of goat you have but I am talking Nigerian milk and that is like candy.

Sorry Mindy!

Hi Bonnye in West Sacramento, Oh Jammie has ears all right. She just has short ears. The LaMancha breed is a earless or short-eared breed of goat bred from Spanish short-eared goats. They can either have an ear like Jammies or ones with little ear flaps like the Flying Nun. Google it. You will see. Thanks for asking.

Holly, You don't know what this means to me and my quest for eating locally. By the way I have been working with Sunny on catching him and giving him a carrot when he finally stops and it's getting better.

Goldilocks, I know. I have been afraid of goat milk and goat cheese too but when you come this summer I will get some Jammie milk come hell or high water for you to try...since my attempts at buying her is falling on deaf ears.
Well really I was just informed that I am number one on the Jammie list is case she ever wanted to sell her. I'm not holding my breath.
I hope the goatfarmer doesn't read about all my offers of getting Jammie milk and letting you try it:) Shhhhhhhhhh. Maybe she will go somewhere and I can be the relief milker.

Danni said...

Ha ha ha...you're funny. Your comments back to commenters are nearly as funny as your posts are sometimes. :-)

goatgirl said...

I like funny!

goatfarmer said...

"...when you come this summer I will get some Jammie milk come hell or high water..."

????

Jammies' bodyguard will have to be informed about this.

He takes these kinds of things very seriously.

goatgirl said...

On second thought, maybe I'll just ask politely and bring money:)