I had to buy milk.  It's insane, I know.  But we use milk for so many things, that it has become an absolute necessity in our home.  I just hate when I am required to buy milk.

Fresh, raw, goat milk is the norm for us.  We prefer the taste, raw milk is healthier, and having a milk goat means I always have the good stuff in our fridge.  Except right now, I don't.  And it hurts.  It makes me sad.  Store-bought milk is pasteurized, homogenized, and it tastes funny.  And oh. my. goodness. look at the expiration date on that jug that I bought yesterday - August 22nd.  This stuff doesn't expire for two solid weeks - and I have no idea how long it has already been in the store.  Something just seems terribly wrong about that.  Granted, my raw milk will often last up to two weeks as long as it is handled properly, but we generally use it much faster than that so I really don't know for certain just how long it would keep.  Maybe two weeks really isn't all that strange.  Maybe seeing it in print is what is strange to me.  *shrugs*

Right now, we only have one goat in milk, and that is Molly.  Molly may have mastitis - we're waiting on the lab results to know for certain.  The at-home test results have been negative every time we have tested, and there are no visible symptoms.  Something is wrong with the milk however.  After about three days, it tastes awful.  It should taste creamy and maybe a little sweet.  It should taste like the best, most awesomely rich, fresh milk you have ever experienced.  It should taste that way for a minimum of a week, but as I said above, it usually stays fresh for two weeks if we actually keep it around that long (which doesn't often happen).  Nothing has changed about my milk handling practices.  I make sure my hands are clean and I thoroughly wash the udder and teats, using the same udder wash I have always used.  I use clean glass jars that have been through my dishwasher for sterilization, and I chill the milk as quickly as possible.  After milking, I dip each teat in the same teat dip I have always used.  Not one single part of my usual routine and handling practices has changed.  But the milk has changed, so the first logical thing to do is have the milk tested.  The samples have been delivered to the vet and all we can do now is wait for the test results.  And buy milk if we absolutely cannot get by without it.  Yuck.

No really, I LOVE them.  "I love goats" is not something I ever imagined I would say, but it's true.  I have always been a horse fanatic.  Seriously, there was a time when I lived, breathed, dreamed, and smelled horses 24/7.  I still do to a point, but my real, adult life forces me to do responsible things that take up more time - like work - to make money - to buy farm stuff with.  So I don't get to ride or play with my horses nearly as much as I used to, but I still love them.

Goats on the other hand were always an animal that I liked - I thought they were cute, like pretty much all animals - but I couldn't say I LOVED them.  Now, however, I'm afraid I am becoming (or maybe I already am) a crazy goat lady.  The current herd is small: two does, the buck I share with my friend Charaty, and whatever kids happen to be temporarily spending the summer with us (before leaving for freezer camp in the fall).  I am currently on the hunt for a third doe and that will probably complete my herd until I have a bigger pasture.  Despite what my mother says about them (she swears they terrorize her), my goats are friendly, relatively well behaved (as well behaved as a goat can be anyway), and they fulfill their purpose.  When you are limited by funds, space, time, etc. you must learn to farm with a purpose, and doing so means that everything on the farm must serve a purpose in order to stay (we don't have to talk about the dogs or cats right now...).  Molly makes milk and babies, Lilly makes babies and a little milk and serves as an excellent babysitter, and Blue makes Molly and Lilly have babies.  We use the milk for all sorts of things (drinking, cooking, soap, kefir, and even butter!), and the babies grow up to be nutritious, milk and grass fed, meat.

Why am blubbering about my goats you ask?  Well see, I was sitting here enjoying a nice cold glass of raw goat milk.  The milk is awesome.  If you have never tasted fresh goat milk, you have been deprived my friend.  It has a rich, creamy, sweet flavor that is satisfying and filling.  I have been known to drink a glass or two of milk, instead of food, as a snack, because it satisfies hunger and is a quick energy boost when I'm feeling sluggish.  It's fabulous stuff I tell ya!  State law currently dictates that raw milk can only be consumed if you own all or part of the animal from which the milk came.  This means that your options are limited to purchasing part ownership of a goat and paying a boarding fee (called a goat-share), or owning (and milking) your own goats.  I have the space, and I find it to be more cost effective to do the latter, and wouldn't dream of turning back.  I don't like pasteurized milk anymore.  Before I knew what raw milk tasted like, I loved store-bought milk.  Now, I can't drink the stuff - it tastes awful to me.  With only one dairy doe currently, there is a period of time each year (usually just two months) during which I have no fresh milk and am forced to buy just enough at the store to use in our coffee.  I hate it.  It's gross.  (But I like black coffee even less)  Which is why I plan to add a second doe to our herd, so that I can rotate pregnancies and have awesome milk year round.

So yes, I admit to being a crazy goat lady.  But it's worth it!