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Deborah Niemann @ Thrifty Homesteader

🐐 Brewers grains for goats, black and white chickens, and ricotta cheese recipe

Published 29 days ago • 1 min read

Hello Reader,

During the spring, I get a lot of questions about when to wean baby goats. And, as usual, the answer is…it depends. Still, I have a few guidelines that help me determine when it’s the best time to wean baby goats, and I share them with you in this post.

If you’re looking for a stunning new addition to your flock, there’s no better choice than a black and white chicken breed. Whether they’re speckled, laced, barred, penciled, or spotted, these birds wear an incredible plumage that stands out and never ceases to be a joy to look at. Learn more about them in our post.

Want to know more about Cayuga ducks? While they may have fallen out of popularity as meat birds, they’re still an incredible choice for your homestead. Whether you intend to enjoy their rich eggs or their beefy, tender meat, these birds can add a lot of value to your farm.

Want to save money and eliminate toxins by making your own laundry detergent? You've probably seen lots of recipes and opinions online about homemade laundry detergent and maybe even horror stories such as homemade detergents ruining washing machines. After trying several different combinations of ingredients, I now use only two inexpensive, natural ingredients in my homemade laundry detergent.

Brewers Grains for Goats

Who wouldn’t love free food for your goats? But before you call your local brewer or distiller and ask if you can pick up their spent grain, listen to this episode with Dr. Robert VanSaun, vet professor and ruminant nutritionist at Pennsylvania State University.

Bringing Home Bottle Babies

In a recent Goats 365 meeting, one of our members asked for tips on bringing home her first baby goats.

Cheese Recipe: Ricotta

One day when I had just added the vinegar to a batch of queso blanco, I got called out to the barn because one of my goats had gone into labor. When I came back into the kitchen, I was disappointed that the curds and whey had already cooled to room temperature. Luckily, when I tried draining it in cheesecloth and it crumbled, I discovered it had turned into a delicious ricotta.

Happy homesteading!

​
Deborah
and the ThriftyHomesteader Team

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