My First Batch of Goat Milk Soap

 My little yearling dairy goat Lily has me a little overwhelmed with milk.  She may be a dwarf dairy goat, but she milks like a much larger doe so I have been challenged to find new uses for her milk.

This week I made my first few batches of goat milk soap.

I started with (Beekman Boys) Dr. Brent Ridge's basic unscented goat milk soap recipe which I found on Martha Stewart's website HERE.  I added a few herbs, raw honey from my bees, vitamin E, and ground oats into the dark bars for me.  Then I ran it through a soap calculator online just to be sure my ratios were good, and Voila!  We have soap. The light colored bars contain a few drops of peppermint oil in them for my hubby.  

The soap still has to cure for a few weeks to be sure the lye has cooked out, but I used to make cold process soap often- and this soap was so mild after initial processing that I was amazed.  

We have soap for a year in under two hours.  

Do you make soap?

What is your favorite soap recipe?

Grand Opening!

Welcome to Three Rivers Farm

This is my new blog.  The place that I will be discussing all things related to animal husbandry and herd management.  I am a newbie to farm living.  I was born a city kid, grew up in the suburbs, and got bit by the "rural living" bug in my thirties after a job took us out to the country to live on a 30 acre dairy farm.  Those were the most exciting years we've spent and I loved every minute of it.

Later, I spent years in college learning about crop science, forage crops, and rangeland management.  With our move to the new farm last December, I have determined to start implementing the skills I developed through all those wonderful farm classes.  It may not be a pretty sight just yet, but things will fall into place.  One piece at a time.

I hope to realize my dream to be attached to the land and animals that feed me, and to treat both with dignity and respect.

Thanks for stopping by the farm. Come again soon!

Heidi