Many folks email me asking what to do once their raw milk begins to sour.
I like to tell them that this milk never actually goes bad, since it is raw and has all its' enzymes.
When it begins to sour on the countertop, it becomes curds and whey -- which are both foods which can last a very long time.
In fact, at my own small farm (which is separate from Rocky Ridge’s farm), we have barrels full of soured milk, naturally separated into curds and whey, and we keep it on hand for mixing with chicken feed year-round!
If your milk sours, you can easily make two products - an easy cheese, and a refreshing drink or plant fertilizer.
To make "clabber cheese" (or spreadable yogurt cheese, similar to labneh), take a half gallon of milk and let it sit on a counter top (preferably in a wide mouth container with top on) until it begins to separate into curds and whey. Once it begins to separate, pour it into a cloth-like cheesecloth (the kind with extremely thin mesh that looks more like a cloth, i.e. cannot see through the holes and cloth is not a weave which can separate) and mix in 1 tsp of good salt, then string it up (like a bag) on a hook, let it hang above a container / pot for a day.
[The liquid that drips out is whey, a healthy drink or excellent fertilizer (use it 10-1 with water, the 10 being water). Whey is also great for making fermented goods. Here's some more ideas for whey.]
After a day, take the clabber mix down and mix another 1 teaspoon of salt in. Then string it up again for a day. The salt helps extract the liquid / whey to make a dryer "cheese".
After the second day, you'll have spreadable cheese!
You may add herbs as you like.
Refrigerate and enjoy!
Written by Rocky Ridge’s Coordinator / Admin