Butter made from clover

Amazing that an animal grazing on spring pasture can turn that grass and clover into glorious milk that I can share. Thank you Lady Astor for letting us milk you so I can let the milk chill and stand then skim the cream, then put the cream in the butter churn  and whip it into deep yellow clover butter and wash it with filtered water, then add a little salt then SPREAD it on home made sourdough bread made into toast. Thank you Lady Astor.

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And thank you Naomi for letting me shuffle you into the sun room of the barn so you can sleep in the warm for the day with me feeding you sips of your own mothers milk from a bottle so I can milk your mother in the evening and get two gallons of lovely, lovely creamy buttery milk for me to cook with. Naomi still loves her bottle – another thing to be grateful for.

Dutch Belted Cow

And thank you Lady for not kicking me anymore.

She has calmed down a lot but getting her to come into the milking shed is the latest challenge. Luckily this is where I am holding her baby hostage. And every day she does a little better, and is a little more confident. steers on farm

I planted tiny Walnut trees until my hands bled from the spade yesterday. It blew like crazy but I had company.

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When I plant a tiny tree like this I get a flake of straw and pull a hole in the center then I thread the whole flake of hay over the top of the small tree and it’s stake. (This tree is missing it’s stake as I ran out – and it is better to place the stake in the hole when you plant the tree as opposed to jamming it in after the tree is planted breaking roots- ah well). Once watered, the straw (being still in its compressed shape) stays around the twig, keeping the weeds down and the moisture in – helping the tree establish.

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Today I start planting the Wild Plums.

The Cadet cleaned out the Easter chicks box again yesterday. They were due to go out to Kim’s Half Way house this week but it is suddenly quite cold so they are in a rather over crowded holding pattern.

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But someone will have to move along soon as the first batch of broiler chicks come next week.

Note the cat on the rafter above the old chooks. That is Egoli I think trying desperately to work out how to catch himself a pigeon for dinner.

I hope you have a lovely day – so much loveliness to be had in our days.

Love your friend on the farm

celi

 

 

43 responses to “Butter made from clover”

  1. Grid morning
    You made me drool. I remember when my cousin had 4 H cows. The fresh milk and the home made butter. I never had problems with milk straight from his cows.
    I come visit the farmyard the first thing ever morning. I just had knee replacement surgery and had my iPad with me so I could come visit

  2. I saw Butter from clover and having just woke up and still a bit sleepy, I thought, hmmm, C has come up with clover flavored butter? Then I had another thought…oh, that’s what the cow eats…ha It’s been a long week, standardized testing. Good morning C.

  3. Egolis’ ginger SA cousins did have pigeon on my lounge carpet last night … sigh. Still I suppose it was better that than the African Grey I’m currently babysitting. Laura

  4. Just look at the colour of that butter. Lady A is giving you some very high quality butterfat in her milk, and Miss Naomi will be growing like a weed on a diet of that. Now I’m dreaming of buttered toast soldiers dipped into soft boiled egg yolks. Shame my back yard isn’t big enough for a nice cow…

  5. Oh I love the chicken and rooster photo!!! Actually all the photos are beautiful as usual. Have a lovely day, we are off to the Hill Country of Texas tomorrow…. for a nice 3 day excursion. See y’all on Monday!

  6. Only nature can produce a butter that yellow, no matter how much artificial colors are shoved in all that hydrogenated oil that tries to pass as the ‘real’ thing. I would have eaten an entire loaf of bread slathered in that glorious butter.
    Surely those two fine handsome brown steers cannot be our own baby bobbies can they? Just yesterday they were such little things…
    I pass some farms as I am out and about with the granddaughter on my nanny days and see goats munching along the fields waiting to be planted, but yesterday saw also three glorious roosters happily wandering down the ditch, their blue-green heads shining in the sun. I thought of you Miss C, of course.

  7. I love that your little cadet has dirty nails. It means she actually gets to be outside and play and do important things like clean chick brooders. My daughter was one of those types, my boys–not so much.

  8. Alas I’ve never tasted home made butter but I bet there are many like me! I loved the last picture of the chooks as you call them and the cat. I am enjoying having you as part if my mornings!
    With thanks Del

  9. beautifulpictures as always….I did not know that you should do that with straw…the things you learn , even at my age.and what a great teacher.
    Have a nice day Miss C

  10. A yummy post today – I’m green with envy,. Even though a friend who came for lunch today brought one of her own loaves we had to make do with shop butter. I’m thinking of getting a bread maker, as I do miss my home-made bread, but I don’t have the strength any more. Any thoughts on machine bread?

    • Yes I highly recommend a bread machine. I no longer can do the kneading so put my ingredients in the machine and let it prepare the dough. And you can use your favorite recipes just watch the dough pan as I often have to add a bit more liquid as it is kneading.Remove the dough, prepare for a loaf or rolls, do a 2nd rise, bake in oven. Yum! We can tell no difference and spare ourselves of those unwanted ingredients.

      • I don’t hang about! I did some online research and found one second hand for peanuts in a village about 5 miles away, and we’ve just got home with it! We thought it a good idea to put a toe in the water at this stage and see how we like it.

        • I have one my son bought me after I broke my arm and couldn’t knead any more, think he got sick of hearing me whinge 🙂 It’s wonderful and I love it, can even make sweet rolls and jam in mine, and can make 3 sizes of bread. If you miss home made bread, Viv, you”ll be so happy to have a bread maker.

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