My helper has come and he set to work straight away weeding in the vegetable gardens. I think this is where his passion is. The gardens. He has even pitched his tent in by the vege gardens. It was a busy day though. Showing someone where everything is takes time and the poor fellow was feeling a bit over informed by the end of the day.
As he brought cucumbers and tomatoes and peppers in from the garden I got the jars out and began the preserving. It all worked very well. Though, as things were still the the developing stages and he is still getting a handle on how things work, I forgot to get the camera out for a walk around. 
I did make cultured butter though. I had been talking to my daughter on the phone, she works in the food industry in Melbourne and she gave me the idea. Basically I added yoghurt to the cream. About a tablespoon per cup (1/4 cup per gallon) into the raw unheated heavy cream. Then I let it sit overnight and churned it in the morning. The result was astounding. Tangy butter. Plus we had the added bonus of cultured buttermilk. No-one can have too much culture.
I read that I can also make this butter with the kefir starter, so I look forward to trying that. Today I am going to use the cultured butter to make my favourite lemon butter cake. I will write the recipe out for you tonight.
Yesterday I caught four more of the white laying hens who have been loitering in the barn. I put food in the big dog crate and they just walked right in so I shut the door. They are now in with the baby layers. I have already taken 6 roosters out of that flock and put them in the fattening tractor. I think the people must have sold me a straight run (an unsexed group) instead of pullets. I have plenty of hens though, even the four I kept back from the last meat chicken batch might make good layers. Though they will not like the layers diet. Much leaner.
My helper will begin work on the new run for the chooks asap.
But today we will be gardening again. Soon we will be back in order.
I have a good lead on a swiss heifer. The man told me that this year the good ones are selling anywhere between 5 and 10 Thousand dollars. These are show cows but goodness! Not in my price range though! I hope to get mine for a lot less than that. A lot less. I will take you and Camera House when I go over to peruse the animals in question. Maybe as soon as this Sunday. 
Daisy is still holding her own. At least the milk has stopped leaking out the side of the teat, and her production is dropping but she is getting increasingly frustrated with being locked up on the concrete pad. Just a little longer though, more grass means more milk and more milk means more pressure. She also has a massive mastitis infection in the injured quarter again that I am treating too. Even though it is two steps forward and one step back, I do feel that we are gaining ground ever so slowly. Poor old Daisy.
I hope you all have a lovely day
Your friend on the farmy
celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
48 responses to “Cultured Butter”
Poor old Daisy indeed! I met a cow in California who had Daisy’s malady. It is horrifying to see. She lived on a small farm near a major walking trail. Right after I met her I met her owner and began animatedly talking to him. He explained. It would seem that every do gooder in SoCAL was on him for “mistreating his poor cow” and gave him lectures and/or called the humane society weekly… The cow was healing, but her poor owner was being skinned alive by the public at large!
I am in awe of your fortitude, Celi. Dealing with a wound like this is hard work. Daisy is a fortunate cow.