Leigh Tate

Tammy Farraway wrote:

Barbara Simoes wrote: ...  Also, I was wondering if you can freeze the cheese? ...

Yes, you absolutely can.

I concur. I freeze surplus ricotta regularly. I typically have to drain off excess whey after it thaws, but it works well for all its normal uses.

I'm really happy with all the ideas.

Here's one i want to include here. It's a ricotta ranch dressing I made for the Make 2 Different Kinds of Condiments or Salad Dressings PEP Badge Bit.

The recipe calls for equal parts of ricotta cheese and kefir, seasoning to taste with salt, pepper, onion and garlic powder, and a tablespoon of pickle juice. I think yogurt or buttermilk could be substituted for the kefir. This is a favorite on garden salads.

The other day my toaster oven died so i went out to look for a replacement. I was surprised at the selection. Three years ago when I bought the toaster oven I'm replacing, almost all the options were digital. I'm not a fan of digital components and sure enough the clock went out on that toaster oven in less than a month. Anyway, when I looked the choices for toaster ovens at the big box store, almost all of them were mechanical, i.e. knobs and no digital keypads or read-outs. Only a few digital models were available.

I experienced something similar in shopping for a washer and dryer. My 40-year-old washing machine needs replacing and I ordered a mechanical Speed Queen. It's been on back order for 3 months. I had a similar experience looking into a new dryer. Mostly I line dry but having a dryer is handy for threshing wheat or when we have weeks of rain or freezing weather. The mechanical models I looked at (no digital and no smart features) are all on back order.

I admit my observations are limited, but it seems that old-fashioned mechanical appliances are actually quite popular. I can't help but wonder if people aren't preferring these once again because of durability and longevity. I'm wondering if digital features are starting to lose popular appeal?

I'm really encouraged to read this because I have a similar problem in the front room of our house. The southwest corner wall is either terribly hot or cold to touch depending on the season. Like R, I question whether there is insulation in that corner. I've been wondering if a fabric covering would help. it seems like I need to try this! Covering the large window with a quilt + thermal curtain liner + mylar reflective blanket has helped a lot, but I still need to tackle that corner.

Mine arrived yesterday afternoon and I just love them! The topic choices are fantastic and the art work is amazing. The overall design is professional and very appealing. Plus, I really like the color purple.

D. Copeland, I forgot to mention about the Kinder Association newsletter. Membership is $15 from January through December and several times a year they put out an excellent newsletter. Lots of good information about Kinders and goats in general. Highly recommended.  

Anyone heard of kikogoats?  They are supposed to be great for both meet and milk.  Supposed to have a really awesome temperament.  The thing I really liked is, they are supposed to be less inclined of diseases. I live in kansas city.And there's a breeder close to me that I was going to go visit.

I had a Kiko buck once. He was gorgeous but he was wild and kept jumping fences to get to the does in heat. I'm not sure if they're all that way though. Around here they are bred as meat goats, but all goats give milk so that might be an option. Definitely visit that breeder!

D. Copeland wrote:Is there a book or other resource that you would recommend on breeding Kinder Goats specifically?

There's not a specific book about Kinders that I know of, but if you poke around the website, there is lots of interesting information. There is also a Kinder facebook group you can join.

Most people have to travel to get their Kinders. I know I certainly did. If you're adventurous, you can breed your own first generation kids with a registered Nubian doe and a registered Pygmy buck. The cross, which became the Kinder breed, gets its milk genetics from the Nubian and its meat genetics from the Pygmy. This is a bit challenging however, and not everyone is successful. But it's an option. Look for "Kinder Starter Kit" on the Kinder website.

D., i forgot to mention that if you go to the KGBA website and click on the "breeders" tab, you'll find a map to help you locate possible sources for Kinders.

D. Copeland wrote:Wow. Thanks! That sounds like exactly what we are looking for. I had to look up "muscle out very well for chevon" though. I did more research and it sounds like an excellent lean protein that compares favorably to beef and chicken. I have only eaten goat but a few times in my life (and many years ago), but I don't remember it being tough. Is the toughness a big issue since it is so lean? Does it usually require tenderizing?

I probably should have said something like, they gain good muscle weight for meat production. I can tell you that they are very efficient at converting their feed to meat and milk. I feed my Kinders way less than I used to feed my Nubians.

The key to meat tenderness or toughness is in the age. We process goats before they are a year old and they have never been tough. I usually use moist heat methods for cooking, often in a slow cooker. Ground chevon could almost pass for beef. I've served burgers to guests who were none the wiser until I asked them how they liked it!