Cheaters never prosper...but they do get butter faster.

One of the lovely things about having more milk than we can drink is that I have the guilt-free opportunity to skim off the cream, feed the skimmed milk to the pigs, and make something wonderful. Often, that something is ice cream. I've already written about my problem with ice cream, so I doubt I have to extol the virtues of that option. But lately, I've been making butter.

If you've never tried fresh butter, especially the raw, fresh, deliciously yellow butter from a Jersey cow on grass, you really should. Oh, the sweet, sweet smell. I know the stuff sells for upwards of $10/lb, but if you can find a way to splurge, do it! Or, find a nice source of milk and make your own!

I've made butter before by the good, old jar method. The shake-the-jar-until-your-arms-are-falling-off-and-you-want-to-curse-the-butter method. And that is certainly a fine way to make it. But someone once showed me how to do it using a food processor, and I don't plan on going back. Unless the system collapses and I have to, that is...but then, there will be bigger problems than tired arms. Until then, though, it is so easy...

Add the cream...
Turn that puppy on...
Drain off the buttermilk...
Look at your lovely butter...
Rinse thoroughly with cold water...
Plop it in a butter bell - mine was handmade at Homestead Heritage (or shape and refrigerate or freeze)...

Yum!

We had been planning on not milking through the winter (Thanksgiving would be our quittin' time), and just drying off the cows. But since Caroline calved so late in the year, we won't be doing that. And it's a good thing too, because I really love having milk, butter, and homemade ice cream available. I am truly spoiled!