Having your own dairy cow means lots of milk for making homemade dairy products! Learn how to make cream cheese from raw milk with these simple steps. It’s delicious! We have two sweet Jersey dairy cows on our small farm here in Alaska. We milk them twice a day when they’re not dried off for calving. This means a fridge full of tasty and healthy raw milk at our disposal.  Besides drinking it, I use cow’s milk to make as many of our family’s dairy products as possible. This includes sour cream, homemade ice cream, cottage cheese, homemade yogurt, ricotta, mozzarella, asiago, gouda, a ..read more

If you make your own dairy products at home or other natural foods, you’ve likely had experience using cheesecloth. It’s a versatile fabric in the kitchen but since it’s used with food, it must be kept clean! Here’s a guide on how to clean cheesecloth properly. Having our own dairy cows means lots of milk! And one of my favorite ways to use their milk is making homemade cheese.  I try to make almost all of our family’s dairy products including yogurt, cream cheese, sour cream, ricotta, cottage cheese, mozzarella, and more. I also really enjoy growing my skills in making hard cheeses, whi ..read more

This sourdough pretzel recipe makes a fun and delicious snack for your family! It’s not a difficult process and can be made in just one day. You’ll love the traditional soft pretzel texture with a hint of sourdough flavor. Your sourdough starter isn’t just for making loaves of sourdough bread. There are so many other delicious recipes that you can use your starter for! I’m sure you’ve made pancakes, waffles, biscuits, cake, and other treats. But you might not have tried making sourdough soft pretzels yet! When we lived in Germany several years ago, we always loved getting their big, soft ..read more

Keeping all of your equipment clean when milking a cow or a goat is of utmost importance. These milk machine inflation covers do the job and they’re so simple to sew up! When we were training our first milk cow, Honey, to be milked, we wanted her to be used to a machine as well as hand-milking. Although I enjoy hand-milking both of our cows from time to time, I use our small milking machine most often. Having a milking machine is nice for several reasons. Of course, it’s much faster than hand-milking, even including the time it takes to clean the machine afterward. This is nice during the lon ..read more

This tutorial for a simple knitted dishcloth is perfect for the beginning knitter. You will love making your own handmade dishcloths and they make wonderful gifts as well! I learned how to knit several years ago and it has become my favorite craft. I love to sew and embroider as well but knitting has become my favorite handcraft for several reasons. First, I enjoy making really useful things. Of course, with sewing you can do this as well. But with knitting, I can make scarves, hats, mittens, sweaters, and other items that my family needs here in Alaska. I also like how portable it is! I can ..read more

Building freestalls for cows is an excellent and simple way to keep them and their bedding nice and clean. Read on for instructions and why we love using these for our cows! We currently have two Jersey dairy cows. They’re both pregnant at the moment so we’re hoping one of the calves is a heifer that we can add to our herd. Honey is 5 years old and Buttercup is about to be three. I milk them twice a day, morning and evening, and we love them dearly! But they can be messy. Very messy! They like to lay in places that I rather they didn’t but when they’re outside on the pasture, there’s not much ..read more

You got a cow, you milked it, now what?! Here’s some advice on how to chill raw milk safely and properly. This is how we do it along with a few other options for you! Owning a family milk cow comes with much responsibility. The list is a mile long of all of the details that you need to consider. These details include feed, water, housing, healthcare, cost, equipment, and so on. You might not even know how to milk a cow, and that’s ok! It’s an incredibly rewarding experience and the delicious, healthy milk that your family gets to enjoy is well worth all of the effort and cost. But what do you ..read more

Everyone needs a trusty recipe for a beautiful loaf of artisan bread. This sourdough boule recipe is just that and our family has been enjoying it for years! Crusty on the outside, soft and fluffy on the inside with a sourdough scent and taste that your family will love. Read on for instructions, it’s easier than you think! Years ago, when we first made the move to Alaska, I knew that I had to learn how to bake sourdough bread. Especially after my husband made a request for it! I started buying it at a local bakery while I figured out how to maintain and use a starter of my own. After many mo ..read more

You don’t always have to use the same loaf of bread for sandwiches. Switch things up and try this sourdough pita recipe! Homemade sourdough bread is one of my favorite foods to make for our family. And the options are truly endless! Whether it’s a soft sandwich loaf or a crusty artisan boule, there are so many types of loaves you can make. Sandwiches don’t necessarily have to be made on typical loaves of bread, though. There are other types of bread that make delicious, different sandwiches, whether for lunch or dinner. This sourdough pita recipe is a favorite in our kitchen. Skip the pita po ..read more

Nothing warms you up on a cold, dark winter evening like a hot bowl of homemade chowder! This halibut chowder recipe is quick, healthy and so delcious, it will become a staple Alaskan meal in your home. When you think of Alaskan seafood, halibut always comes to mind. Fresh, wild caught halibut is delicious and a favorite food here in our home. Some of our favorite recipes include: Halibut Mac & Cheese Pan Fried Halibut Baked Fish Sticks This halibut chowder recipe also makes the list! I can whip it up fairly quickly any day of the week for lunch or supper and our family loves it. Paired ..read more