Still having fun. We will try to put some more meaningful thoughts on here soon, but since using the internet (very slow internet) means riding a one speed bike 8 kilometers (mine has no brakes, but I havent really needed them yet), we just seem to run out of time. Photos are an impossibility today because this internet just will not cooperate. Oh well. We will try again soon.
Thursday we get to help in the cheese making process. This is what all of the sheeps milk is used for. We get about 30 Liters per day from the 60 sheep. This is supposedly one of the money making parts of the farm. The sheep and goat graze on grass all day and are not given corn or other things that industrial agriculture insists upon. They do eat a small amount of corn during milking. I dont think they love the milking process, but since they rush the milking room for the corn, it seems they feel it is a fair trade.
The goat is also milked daily and give us about a quart or so a day. It´s baby still also eats so that takes away from some of our milk, but we dont mind sharing. We made our first successful batch of yogurt from the goat milk. It is very tasty. We add either peach marmelade or fresh lemons for extra flavor. We hope to make butter soon once we skim enough fat from our milk to do so.
The lemon tree seems to be one of the only things in season right now in early spring. We are planting a lot and getting some greens from the garden. Lemonade is tasty. We are drinking the water now, but adding lemons helped us to get used to the idea after being told that the water was potable. I did not realize Lemons were a spring fruit, but I am happy with it. Oranges are also in season, but we have to buy those from a neighbor.
Yesterday we rode our one speeders to the beach, which is more like the bank of a large river. It was pretty and a nice ride (14km round trip). It is chilly here, so swimming was not an option. We also got to ty our first Mate. Not too bad and perhaps something we will try to aquire the taste for. This is a big part of the culture of Argentina and Uruguay. Google Mate if you are not familiar with it. It is kind of like tea, but you can only drink it with a special set with a gourd cup and a metal like straw. Apparently there is also lots of customs about sharing the mate and passing in certain ways and turning the gourd, but we havent figured all of that out yet.
Thanks for the comments, we enjoy reading them.
Cross your fingers for pictures next time.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
8 comments:
Saludos amigos! Glad to hear you're enjoying your journey thus far.
Does goat's milk taste much different than cow's milk? Or do you even drink it?
And mate.. definitely takes some getting used to, but once you do, you'll crave it. We drank it all the time in Peru and I still miss it.
Keep the stories coming!
-Cat P.
I'm sure Tracy's enjoying spending time with the pup. Matthew's jealous.
mmmmm... mate... not a fan. o well. im not the one drinkin it for the next four months. :) miss you!!!! --sis
Hey Adam and Tracy. Sounds like some interesting stuff but you could have done that here since the fair is in town next week... i think they let you milk stuff! Just kidding. The yogurt sounds interesting. We miss you lots and lots!
The goats milk definitely tastes different. very strong, a bit bitter. We used it last night in making a white sauce for some pasta and it was tasty, but plain I am not a fan.
ohhh... the fair, we do miss it, and the smell of the sheep reminds me of it. Also the crazy looking guy yelling at me to throw a ball into a basket to win a cheap stuffed animal reminds me of it.
Yes, we will miss sharing the state fair experience with you this year. Maybe next year we can all go. (If I get lost, you'll find me in needlecrafts).
Now...where am I going to find some fudge?
Your experiences are already full and new and different. Keep writing, it helps us all be with you in spirit.
Sounds like a great trip, and it brings back memories to hear what you guys are doing. Several members of our group last year enjoyed the Mate. The coffee was so weak it was the best way to get some serious caffeine! Take care, and tell more about the farm.
Natalie
Post a Comment