Dear Michelle, a good idea. As an M.D. in nutritional medicine for more than 40 years, I can attest to this from my practice. Ghee is really perfect for people with lactose intolerance and milk protein intolerant. Many can tolerate some dairy products again after 9-12 months. Preferably full-fat and fermented such as yogurt, kefir and quark. Quark is typically German, you can make it yourself. Curd is a dairy product made by heating sour milk until it curdles and then straining it. The finished product is firm and has a particularly high protein content. very healthy. Thank you so much for this video.
Similarly, I've known people that research these things and they've recommended ghee, as well. It's also interesting to note from these people, as well as a history podcast that I subscribe to, indicated that milk, wheat, barley, etc. were never traditionally eaten 'unprocessed' as we do today. What I mean by that is that historically, people across even ancient Mesopotamia and the world-at-large used to have to ferment or at least water bath all their grains and milk (i.e., yogurt) prior to consuming, since humans were never greatly adapted to these food items in their immediate, unfermented, or unprocessed (not to be confused with industrialized processing though) state. Barley was used in Mesopotamia but they would even "process" it (leave in water) at the least one night before consuming due to how it breaks down a certain component to aid in human digestion and get more nutrient content from the grain. Today, it's just grown, some good tidbits are removed ("whole" wheat isn't always completely "whole" for instance), and ground into flour as is. But, that's just what I've heard through the grapevine...still a really interesting topic and field of study for you though! :)
So glad to see you making ghee! A few tips from a seasoned ghee maker: - No need to skim the foam! It will simmer off because it’s the water content. Just put your butter in the pot and let it do its thing. I actually find leaving the foam to be helpful for identifying when it’s done as there will be little to none of it at the end, naturally. No skimming also means less chance of introducing a contaminant that can mold. - What foam doesn’t simmer off can simply be strained off. I set a fine mesh sieve lined with a cheesecloth in a giant measuring cup/bowl and pour the ghee into it before transferring it into jars. - Please don’t put lids on while it’s still hot. 😰 The condensation leads to mold. I’ve experienced this personally. - No refrigeration required at all. Let the jars cool completely with lids off. This can take 1-2 days. Then store at room temp. I learned how to make ghee from an Ayurvedic practitioner years ago and am very passionate about making it. It really is great for people with dairy sensitivities as it is essentially pure fat and is incredibly nourishing for everyone. Best of luck with your ghee journey!
Hello my good friends from America! I've been watching you for two years now, but I'm only writing now. I am from Russia, and I love your family very much, you are so pure and real, I am pleased to know that there are such healthy families in America who have real family and human values, and who live by subsistence farming. I would appreciate it if you would connect subtitles in Russian. I know English, but not completely, I understand 60%, But I love you very much, and I wish your friendly family happiness and prosperity❤❤❤
Hi im from Tamizhnaadu...we make our ghee, you no need to skim all those foam...just leave it in simmer after an 1/2hr or 1hr all the milk solids goes to the bottom, when i turn off the heat i add moringa leaves for a beautiful aroma n iron contents. Then filter it...store it in glass bottles...
My mum in law sent us ghee from Pakistan from cows she owned and took care of. I kept it refrigerated and I was the only one handling it. My husband didn’t eat it often and the kids didn’t like the smell and it lasted us 5 years without a single speck of mould. You may think ugh but I can attest it’s was perfectly edible till the day it finished. So yes he’s a good shelf like as long as there’s no contamination. Love your show ❤️ God bless
If it helps: my dad makes wine as a hobby and this year he used the leftover fruit scraps from my canning projects to make wine. I strained out the raspberry seeds from my raspberry jelly (as i dont like the seed texture) and he used the pulp/seeds to to make wine. Most recently i made cranberry juice and he is using the leftover cranberry pulp from the process to make wine. You could probably do the same with apple scraps or other fruit scraps from canning projects. I ususally freeze the fruit scraps in an icecream bucket so he can get to wine making with it when hes ready. That way you are getting another product from the same amount of ingredients.
Hi. I am not sure if anyone has already addressed this in the comments, but you should wait longer to remove the solids from the top, then you have much less leftovers, and they are firmer so you can strain them and get the most ghee out of it.
Great to see you making Ghee. Lactose intolerance is my issue, so 9 "cases" of homemade Ghee are on my shelves. Keep them cool in the basement and they will last many years. My pot fit 6 lbs of butter and that Ghee fit into 5 pint sized jars. It is now my main cooking oil when using frying pans. The other I use is bacon grease. Both wonderful.
Started making and using ghee last year. Cholesterol spiked 30 points. My GI doctor (from India) warned me to use it sparingly. He said there is a lot of heart disease in India which he attributes to the heavy use of ghee. I cut it out all together and 6 months later my cholesterol numbers went back down to what they were.
Michelle, I know you get a lot colder temps than we do in Destin, Florida, but I left my strawberries uncovered for our coldest winter since moving here seven years ago. It was so cool (18 F) but the strawberries not only survived, they THRIVED and all the weeds (native for Florida) died! It was the most beautiful thing in the spring! Those soaps are looking absolutely amazing! You've done great!
I have been subscribing to Backwoods Home magazine for years. The "Ask Jackie" column makes it worth the subscription price. Her canning and recipe books are awesome too. I use them daily. They walk the talk and are true experts on homesteading!
I am so amazed to see how those greens are growing so well in the cold. Somehow I cannot get my lettuce to grow And it's indoors not outside. I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong, but it always starts to germinate and then flops.
michelle ur skin is looking amazing- i also struggle w adult acne, ive been DF for abt a decade but was still having bad hormonal acne. i just recently cut gluten in summer and after a couple months not only is my skin completely different but my periods are a fraction of the discomfort/life disturbance they used to be. excited for u to be experimenting with cutting dairy. i know sourdough works for some ppl who are sensitive to gluten though!! some ppl are fine w both gluten and dairy, for other ppl like us it causes inflammation in our bodies!!!! thanks for always posting such informative content.
We are a dairy allergy household too, lactose and Casein I do know ghee contains butyric acid. It helps maintain gut health by supporting growth of healthy bacteria. It also reduces inflammation of the digestive tract to help the absorption of nutrients. So not only is it anti-inflammatory, it is an immune booster as well. The CLA in ghee is also beneficial in lowering bad cholesterol. A bonus is it's high smoke point, suitable for high temp cooking without breaking down into harmful compounds. An overall win win 🙌
Be careful with the turmeric soap. It will stain your bathtub and stain your sink. I learned that the hard way when I bought some, it was great, but it stained everything.
Michelle, best video of yours yet. Calm and mild, yet so much to learn. I too have a lactose sensitivity that I have had since birth. I can do 2 months of dairy, then a month of none, then back on again. While pregnant and nursing, I lost my lactose sensitivity all together. It was awesome. Thank you for all you have taught me over the year. Blessed 2025 to you and your family.
Dear family, this is the first videos of yours I've seen and it certainly wont' be the last one! Very fresh and useful! Perfectly balanced sharing, cinematography and value! Watchin you is a real pleasure! Good luck!🥰
I love how the seasons change so you get to focus more on in home projects and experiments. I live in South Florida and we don't have that. It's green and garden season and hot all year long. It's lovely to see what it could be with four seasons. Enjoy your holiday. 💚
I just purchased the same battery powered chain saw. I used it the very day I bought it. Really handy! Home Depot had a special where you got the saw and a free 8AH battery. Quite a deal! That ghee looks interesting. I cure my soap in an inexpensive styrofoam chicken egg incubator. Speeds up the process a lot. That lettuce looks really good! I hope to build a cold frame out of the roof window we replaced this year. Every time you open up a fermenting beverage you introduce oxygen. That is the enemy of wines. It also needs to be racked off the lees and bits. If you bulk age your mead, you will need to have the mead right up into the neck of the container to keep it from oxidizing. It also helps to add potassium metabisulfite at the same time to thwart the oxygen. If you added to much honey relative to water, you might get paint thinner for mead. There is a mead yeast that will stop fermenting at a higher SG and lower alcohol content. It is too late for that at this point, but may be something to think about later. Fermenting your raspberries to make wine is really easy. I currently have a red raspberry wine and a black raspberry wine bulk aging. There are many ways shown on the internet. My technique is different from all of them. One tip to think about... Alcohol is a depressant. I know that you guys have talked about addressing depression. I personally need to keep that in mind. I make a LOT of wines. However, I cannot drink a lot of it. If I have one small glass of wine two days in a row, I feel down the third day. Thus, I try to spread out drinking my wine and only will have one glass every three to four days. If I have more than one glass of wine in a day, then the next day I feel down. For me, it isn't about the buzz from wine; it is all about the taste. However, If I make a wine at less than 11% alcohol, it will eventually go bad. Most of my wines age incredibly well. Another thing to keep in mind is brain activity while drinking wine. I cannot drink at all when writing a book. It completely cuts off the process. I don't tell people not to drink. We all live our lives the why we want. I am just stating some issues to pay attention too. Fact is, I should probably not drink wine, but I do. I just understand what it does to me and try to mitigate any problems. And I NEVER get drunk. Ever. All the best to your wine adventures if you decide to pursue that. That fan in your storage room... is it connected to a pipe to bring cold air in from outside? I have something similar in my cold room. I had hoped to connect it to a thermostat, but got too busy with other things. There are a lot we homesteaders would like to do, but the round toit to enable it to happen can be allusive.
What beautiful butter !! Some people have an intolerance to dairy and for some it's worse and is an allergy. In the Drs. words, I have an allergy. It's been 8 years since finding out and being off of dairy. But an interesting thing is I have always done fine with grass fed butter. Talked to several others that have the same. Every year I have tried to see if I can tolerate dairy again and No, until this summer. I am able to have a very small amount every 3 or 4 days. I'm thankful to be seeing that I am healing. I hope you can too.
The reason we cover the strawberries up north is because the crowns can easily be damaged from freezing. It's a bit tricky to know when to put down the straw .. after the mice find other winter homes but b4 the crowns are damaged. Learned this in a hort class at university. 😊
I have been watching your videos for a wile, really enjoying your content. I am making my own ghee for several years by now, and if I may give you any suggestions, I would reduce the heat so it's barely simmering, I don't skim any foam (eventually it's disappears and become solids at the bottom).You don't have to defrost your butter. The whole process usually takes about 35-45 min. I usually strain in it through the fine mesh or cheese cloth into the jars. Ghee can be used by lactose intolerant people, used in any type of cooking (try frying eggs with it :), skin products etc. According to Ayurveda (ancient science of India) ghee helps nourish and bring nutrients into the body systems. Good luck with your journey!
Love your videos. Elderberry (pick flowers on a warm sunny day) wine is fantastic and so is rhubarb wine easy to make just be mindful of temperature, elderberry (berries) not so good!,enjoy your Christmas and all the best for the new year. Greetings from Ireland 🎄🎄🪴💐☘️☘️
Practical Self Reliance has an excellent raspberry wine recipe. Lots of other wine and mead recipes too. She gives substitutions for tannins, yeast nutrients, and wine acids too. Highly recommend.
I got a subscription to both of those magazines for my in-laws for Christmas. I ordered a couple weeks ago with Ruth Zimmerman’s link, sorry. I was happy to gift something practical. It’s a great gift, y’all, and with that 50% off, it’s a nice price.
After you strain the ghee you should put it back in a clean pot, allow to come back to gently bubbling, continue to heat until it stops making bubbles that break the surface. Should look like it's moving under the surface but no bubbles. Your ghee has liquid in it thus its too loose. Ghee should be solid like crisco.
I, too, love ghee. I use it daily. I've found that it very much elevates the flavor of foods as an ingredient, as a cooking fat, and as a baste. It is also excellent with herbs added! Liquid gold ✨️❤✨️
Bring on the seed catalogs!!! Online the ghee looks just like honey. Winter is a time for a break, visiting friends and relatives, reading gardening books and putting my feet up. Merry Christmas and a happy New Year from TN. God bless y'all and keep growing.
I've never skimmed it before. I always just let all the foam brown up. I pour it all out into glass trays to form butter sticks and the bits just solidify at the bottom. I sometimes will cut them off once the ghee/brown butter is chilled. if there's enough I will melt those together and make a brown butter bit bar or two for baking 😂
One more Indian commet. My grandmother used to add a curry leaf (one) to know when to stop boiling. Once the curry leaf becomes crispy she stop heating. Don't know how or why.
The milk solids at the bottom are so fantastic to eat! That's your treat for making ghee! I have to stop myself from drinking my ghee because it's so delicious.
I appreciate your details on the Ghee making progress love the outside chores and your greenhouse window garden is amazing❗harvest while you can, Up against the house must help hold in the heat👌🌲❗🌲HAPPY HOLIDAYS‼🌲
Your soaps are looking great! I've been making soap a long time and just recently thought I'd like to try turmeric for color. I love that you did, and it looks beautiful! Good job! Let Cody try those bits at the bottom of your ghee. They are delicious!!
Years ago I used to make ghee add onions let it turn brown plus curry powder then would take it to boarding school add it to the food prepared and it used to taste so good. This has made me remember back then.
Great info! I can’t do dairy either and have been thinking about making ghee but honestly I’ve just been using olive oil for everything along with plant based butter.
So glad you found a use for all your hard earned butter. Crossing my fingers it soft enough for your stomachs! I have been having a hard time with dairy recently too, so I'm extra invested on if it works.
Cool video, I love trying new things and didn't know that's how ghee is made! Also wanted to mention that I went on the magazine site because I was interested in trying it out and curious about the cost. Wanted to share with everyone that if you add the "Both" magazine subscriptions to your cart ($43), your discount code only gives you $13 off with the cart total then being $30. But if you add each magazine subscription separately ($26 +$26) your discount code will actually take of $26 with your cart total being $26... saving people a few extra dollars! 😉 Happy Holidays to your family!! 🎄
I absolutely love watching your videos and the journey you're on. I live in Australia - New South Wales and in particular in the Southern Highlands which is about 2 hours from Sydney. We moved here 8 years ago onto a 3 acre property and I love it. Your videos are such high quality and they're packed with information and more than that, packed with inspiration and that's a great combination for me as I work toward becoming more and more self sufficient. I'm a long way off from that but getting there and really enjoy watching your journey. Thank you so much for sharing it with me.
Oh wow, amazong. Love your vide9s, so WELL made! Also so interesting to see ghee being made. I also did not know there is difference between ghee making and clarifying butter 😅🤷🏻♀️
Giving up Mozzarella cheese was the hardest thing for me because it was my only dairy and I liked it sooo much. But, I could feel the difference after a while. So I get you coming up with the Ghee. Great video!
Somehow I never come across your videos until today. I see I subscribed previously, and have alerts set to “ all”. Strange they don’t pop up or show up in my subscriptions. I really enjoyed this one, a little of everything 😊. Will continue to look through your videos now
Codi thanks, you have me hooked on Giant Ember, so relaxing. Downloaded the songs I could find. That being said hope you all have a Happy Christmas and prosperous New Year. All the best to the kids, Michelle and yourself. ☃️🎄oh and Cowboy too 🐾🐾. Keep posting the videos.
Hello guys! I have been tagging along with you guys for a whole and love all your content. I signed up and order the magazines. Perfect for a to myself Christmas Gift!
The alcohol level on the mead will not change much at this point. As long as it is still eating the sugars (bubbling), you will end up with a dryer flavor. A lot of that flavor will mellow once it is bottled. We've always waited a year after making it to actually drink it, because it just gets really smooth at that point.
I might have to get that chainsaw for myself…….I mean for my husband! 😉 I covered my strawberries a couple months ago, zone 6b. I hope it wasn’t too early! Your ghee turned out beautifully. I hope it helps with your dairy troubles.
Just wanted to wish you and your family a merry Christmas and a happy new year. Thanks for producing all of those fantastic videos this year, they have been great to watch and really enjoyable. Cheers from Downunder. 🎅🎅
Will you guys be doing a New Year’s video on all of the goals? You succeeded in this year and new goals that you have for next year? I loved your video last year talking about your goals! And it was so fun to see you succeeded in getting your truck.
Ooooo I need to save for that chainsaw, I'm far too intimidated to use the regular ones and the tiny 6 inch one I've seen lately doesn't look like it could handle any more than my loppers can.
In my opinion ghee tastes better than butter sometimes. I do love butter and can tolerate it. But ghee is just perfect when you want "oily" foods without the harmful oil. Yum yum! You should make a curry with it, maybe. Ghee is perfect for that!
I recommend finding the YT video of "Lovely Green's Rhubarb Wine" recipe...you can swap out the rhubarb for another fruit. It's a great recipe that I make every year.
I have lactose intolerance also. I can not use Ghee. It still gives me terrible stomach cramps along with all the other tummy issues (which are not fun).
Another good video. Wow, the real butter looks beautiful. I bet it tastes delicious but I understand you and your daughter can’t have it. Thanks for sharing.❤
Dear Michelle, a good idea. As an M.D. in nutritional medicine for more than 40 years, I can attest to this from my practice. Ghee is really perfect for people with lactose intolerance and milk protein intolerant. Many can tolerate some dairy products again after 9-12 months. Preferably full-fat and fermented such as yogurt, kefir and quark. Quark is typically German, you can make it yourself. Curd is a dairy product made by heating sour milk until it curdles and then straining it. The finished product is firm and has a particularly high protein content. very healthy. Thank you so much for this video.
Similarly, I've known people that research these things and they've recommended ghee, as well. It's also interesting to note from these people, as well as a history podcast that I subscribe to, indicated that milk, wheat, barley, etc. were never traditionally eaten 'unprocessed' as we do today. What I mean by that is that historically, people across even ancient Mesopotamia and the world-at-large used to have to ferment or at least water bath all their grains and milk (i.e., yogurt) prior to consuming, since humans were never greatly adapted to these food items in their immediate, unfermented, or unprocessed (not to be confused with industrialized processing though) state. Barley was used in Mesopotamia but they would even "process" it (leave in water) at the least one night before consuming due to how it breaks down a certain component to aid in human digestion and get more nutrient content from the grain. Today, it's just grown, some good tidbits are removed ("whole" wheat isn't always completely "whole" for instance), and ground into flour as is. But, that's just what I've heard through the grapevine...still a really interesting topic and field of study for you though! :)
I wish I could order the magazines. But I guess they don't mail to Canada.. 🇨🇦 😢😢😢
Where can you buy quark around here? When we go to Germany I enjoy lots of it.
So you melted all the fat out of the butter so what do you do with the glee.do you you it as a butter ??
@@tammybrosowsky2209 The process of making ghee actually removes mostly milk proteins (casein and whey), not milk fat.
So glad to see you making ghee! A few tips from a seasoned ghee maker:
- No need to skim the foam! It will simmer off because it’s the water content. Just put your butter in the pot and let it do its thing. I actually find leaving the foam to be helpful for identifying when it’s done as there will be little to none of it at the end, naturally. No skimming also means less chance of introducing a contaminant that can mold.
- What foam doesn’t simmer off can simply be strained off. I set a fine mesh sieve lined with a cheesecloth in a giant measuring cup/bowl and pour the ghee into it before transferring it into jars.
- Please don’t put lids on while it’s still hot. 😰 The condensation leads to mold. I’ve experienced this personally.
- No refrigeration required at all. Let the jars cool completely with lids off. This can take 1-2 days. Then store at room temp.
I learned how to make ghee from an Ayurvedic practitioner years ago and am very passionate about making it. It really is great for people with dairy sensitivities as it is essentially pure fat and is incredibly nourishing for everyone. Best of luck with your ghee journey!
Great tips!! Thanks!!🤗
Thanks for the tips!
Hello my good friends from America! I've been watching you for two years now, but I'm only writing now. I am from Russia, and I love your family very much, you are so pure and real, I am pleased to know that there are such healthy families in America who have real family and human values, and who live by subsistence farming. I would appreciate it if you would connect subtitles in Russian. I know English, but not completely, I understand 60%, But I love you very much, and I wish your friendly family happiness and prosperity❤❤❤
Hi im from Tamizhnaadu...we make our ghee, you no need to skim all those foam...just leave it in simmer after an 1/2hr or 1hr all the milk solids goes to the bottom, when i turn off the heat i add moringa leaves for a beautiful aroma n iron contents. Then filter it...store it in glass bottles...
Thank You 🙏 for your contribution!
Yeah i learned to make it from an indian woman. she didn't skim anything. Just simmered it.
@@CH-hm8ud❤
@@annekendziora9114❤
@@CH-hm8ud❤
My mum in law sent us ghee from Pakistan from cows she owned and took care of.
I kept it refrigerated and I was the only one handling it. My husband didn’t eat it often and the kids didn’t like the smell and it lasted us 5 years without a single speck of mould. You may think ugh but I can attest it’s was perfectly edible till the day it finished. So yes he’s a good shelf like as long as there’s no contamination.
Love your show ❤️ God bless
Hi I am from India. I wanted to share with you that we are daily use ghee in our foods. Our ancestors uses to say that it will make your bones strong.
Love that you all never stray from true homesteading 🎉 favorite channel to watch
Hello merry Christmas to you Becky
If it helps: my dad makes wine as a hobby and this year he used the leftover fruit scraps from my canning projects to make wine. I strained out the raspberry seeds from my raspberry jelly (as i dont like the seed texture) and he used the pulp/seeds to to make wine. Most recently i made cranberry juice and he is using the leftover cranberry pulp from the process to make wine. You could probably do the same with apple scraps or other fruit scraps from canning projects. I ususally freeze the fruit scraps in an icecream bucket so he can get to wine making with it when hes ready. That way you are getting another product from the same amount of ingredients.
Great idea!
Those browned bits is why browned butter is so delicious. I put it over popcorn. It is the best part!
So good!😋
Loved the video. Your soaps, the mead, learning to make ghee. How fun. Merry Christmas! 🎄
Glad you enjoyed it! Merry Christmas!😊
Hi. I am not sure if anyone has already addressed this in the comments, but you should wait longer to remove the solids from the top, then you have much less leftovers, and they are firmer so you can strain them and get the most ghee out of it.
Love mead! 👍🏽🍯Excited about the elderberry wine, Cody! 🍷Great job on the ghee and soap, Michelle! 🧈🧼👏🏽
Thank you!☺️
Great to see you making Ghee. Lactose intolerance is my issue, so 9 "cases" of homemade Ghee are on my shelves. Keep them cool in the basement and they will last many years. My pot fit 6 lbs of butter and that Ghee fit into 5 pint sized jars. It is now my main cooking oil when using frying pans. The other I use is bacon grease. Both wonderful.
How is your cholesterol, that’s my major issue, only one too.
Started making and using ghee last year. Cholesterol spiked 30 points. My GI doctor (from India) warned me to use it sparingly. He said there is a lot of heart disease in India which he attributes to the heavy use of ghee. I cut it out all together and 6 months later my cholesterol numbers went back down to what they were.
@@CH-hm8ud Mine is low.
@@bonniep.7856 Thankfully mine is low. Love Ghee and will keep making it.
@@trish237 Shelf stable and a high smoke point so it’s great for cooking. I wouldn’t give it up if I didn’t have to. Just a cautionary tale.
Michelle, I know you get a lot colder temps than we do in Destin, Florida, but I left my strawberries uncovered for our coldest winter since moving here seven years ago. It was so cool (18 F) but the strawberries not only survived, they THRIVED and all the weeds (native for Florida) died! It was the most beautiful thing in the spring!
Those soaps are looking absolutely amazing! You've done great!
I have been subscribing to Backwoods Home magazine for years. The "Ask Jackie" column makes it worth the subscription price. Her canning and recipe books are awesome too. I use them daily. They walk the talk and are true experts on homesteading!
You don’t need to skim it, you just need to keep stirring it until the milk solids sink to the bottom.
I am so amazed to see how those greens are growing so well in the cold. Somehow I cannot get my lettuce to grow And it's indoors not outside. I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong, but it always starts to germinate and then flops.
michelle ur skin is looking amazing- i also struggle w adult acne, ive been DF for abt a decade but was still having bad hormonal acne. i just recently cut gluten in summer and after a couple months not only is my skin completely different but my periods are a fraction of the discomfort/life disturbance they used to be. excited for u to be experimenting with cutting dairy. i know sourdough works for some ppl who are sensitive to gluten though!! some ppl are fine w both gluten and dairy, for other ppl like us it causes inflammation in our bodies!!!! thanks for always posting such informative content.
We are a dairy allergy household too, lactose and Casein I do know ghee contains butyric acid. It helps maintain gut health by supporting growth of healthy bacteria. It also reduces inflammation of the digestive tract to help the absorption of nutrients. So not only is it anti-inflammatory, it is an immune booster as well. The CLA in ghee is also beneficial in lowering bad cholesterol. A bonus is it's high smoke point, suitable for high temp cooking without breaking down into harmful compounds. An overall win win 🙌
Be careful with the turmeric soap. It will stain your bathtub and stain your sink. I learned that the hard way when I bought some, it was great, but it stained everything.
Michelle, best video of yours yet. Calm and mild, yet so much to learn. I too have a lactose sensitivity that I have had since birth. I can do 2 months of dairy, then a month of none, then back on again. While pregnant and nursing, I lost my lactose sensitivity all together. It was awesome.
Thank you for all you have taught me over the year. Blessed 2025 to you and your family.
If you start selling your soaps I will totally buy them! 😍😍😍
Dear family, this is the first videos of yours I've seen and it certainly wont' be the last one! Very fresh and useful! Perfectly balanced sharing, cinematography and value! Watchin you is a real pleasure! Good luck!🥰
Welcome to the channel! Thank you for the kind words.☺️
Your soap journey is going so well! I love them!
I love how the seasons change so you get to focus more on in home projects and experiments. I live in South Florida and we don't have that. It's green and garden season and hot all year long. It's lovely to see what it could be with four seasons. Enjoy your holiday. 💚
Excelent experiment. Thanks for doing it with us.
I just purchased the same battery powered chain saw. I used it the very day I bought it. Really handy! Home Depot had a special where you got the saw and a free 8AH battery. Quite a deal!
That ghee looks interesting.
I cure my soap in an inexpensive styrofoam chicken egg incubator. Speeds up the process a lot.
That lettuce looks really good! I hope to build a cold frame out of the roof window we replaced this year.
Every time you open up a fermenting beverage you introduce oxygen. That is the enemy of wines. It also needs to be racked off the lees and bits. If you bulk age your mead, you will need to have the mead right up into the neck of the container to keep it from oxidizing. It also helps to add potassium metabisulfite at the same time to thwart the oxygen. If you added to much honey relative to water, you might get paint thinner for mead. There is a mead yeast that will stop fermenting at a higher SG and lower alcohol content. It is too late for that at this point, but may be something to think about later.
Fermenting your raspberries to make wine is really easy. I currently have a red raspberry wine and a black raspberry wine bulk aging. There are many ways shown on the internet. My technique is different from all of them. One tip to think about... Alcohol is a depressant. I know that you guys have talked about addressing depression. I personally need to keep that in mind. I make a LOT of wines. However, I cannot drink a lot of it. If I have one small glass of wine two days in a row, I feel down the third day. Thus, I try to spread out drinking my wine and only will have one glass every three to four days. If I have more than one glass of wine in a day, then the next day I feel down. For me, it isn't about the buzz from wine; it is all about the taste. However, If I make a wine at less than 11% alcohol, it will eventually go bad. Most of my wines age incredibly well. Another thing to keep in mind is brain activity while drinking wine. I cannot drink at all when writing a book. It completely cuts off the process. I don't tell people not to drink. We all live our lives the why we want. I am just stating some issues to pay attention too. Fact is, I should probably not drink wine, but I do. I just understand what it does to me and try to mitigate any problems. And I NEVER get drunk. Ever. All the best to your wine adventures if you decide to pursue that.
That fan in your storage room... is it connected to a pipe to bring cold air in from outside? I have something similar in my cold room. I had hoped to connect it to a thermostat, but got too busy with other things. There are a lot we homesteaders would like to do, but the round toit to enable it to happen can be allusive.
What beautiful butter !! Some people have an intolerance to dairy and for some it's worse and is an allergy. In the Drs. words, I have an allergy. It's been 8 years since finding out and being off of dairy. But an interesting thing is I have always done fine with grass fed butter. Talked to several others that have the same. Every year I have tried to see if I can tolerate dairy again and No, until this summer. I am able to have a very small amount every 3 or 4 days. I'm thankful to be seeing that I am healing. I hope you can too.
That’s great! I hope you continue to heal!😊
The reason we cover the strawberries up north is because the crowns can easily be damaged from freezing. It's a bit tricky to know when to put down the straw .. after the mice find other winter homes but b4 the crowns are damaged. Learned this in a hort class at university. 😊
I stopped breathing when you raised that window and saw that lettece. You guys are my favorite planting family. 😊
I have been watching your videos for a wile, really enjoying your content. I am making my own ghee for several years by now, and if I may give you any suggestions, I would reduce the heat so it's barely simmering, I don't skim any foam (eventually it's disappears and become solids at the bottom).You don't have to defrost your butter. The whole process usually takes about 35-45 min. I usually strain in it through the fine mesh or cheese cloth into the jars. Ghee can be used by lactose intolerant people, used in any type of cooking (try frying eggs with it :), skin products etc. According to Ayurveda (ancient science of India) ghee helps nourish and bring nutrients into the body systems. Good luck with your journey!
Thanks for the tips!
Turmeric has 2 R's in it. ❤❤❤
Love your videos. Elderberry (pick flowers on a warm sunny day) wine is fantastic and so is rhubarb wine easy to make just be mindful of temperature, elderberry (berries) not so good!,enjoy your Christmas and all the best for the new year. Greetings from Ireland 🎄🎄🪴💐☘️☘️
Your soap looks sooooo good!!! ❤
Thank you!
I’ve been getting both of the magazines for a few years and I love them. Reasonably priced even without a coupon.
Practical Self Reliance has an excellent raspberry wine recipe. Lots of other wine and mead recipes too. She gives substitutions for tannins, yeast nutrients, and wine acids too. Highly recommend.
Thank you for the recommendation!
Also the browned milk solids make the best pasta sauce 😍
I got a subscription to both of those magazines for my in-laws for Christmas. I ordered a couple weeks ago with Ruth Zimmerman’s link, sorry. I was happy to gift something practical. It’s a great gift, y’all, and with that 50% off, it’s a nice price.
The video quality just keeps getting better and better. 😊
Thank you so much!😊
Yes, I use "the wire" too for my asparagus.
After you strain the ghee you should put it back in a clean pot, allow to come back to gently bubbling, continue to heat until it stops making bubbles that break the surface.
Should look like it's moving under the surface but no bubbles.
Your ghee has liquid in it thus its too loose. Ghee should be solid like crisco.
It looks good to me. The ghee will solidify when it cools down.
I, too, love ghee. I use it daily. I've found that it very much elevates the flavor of foods as an ingredient, as a cooking fat, and as a baste. It is also excellent with herbs added! Liquid gold
✨️❤✨️
It was so enjoyable watching you make the ghee. Thank you for sharing your journey. That Meade looks interesting. One of our sons likes Meade.
Bring on the seed catalogs!!! Online the ghee looks just like honey. Winter is a time for a break, visiting friends and relatives, reading gardening books and putting my feet up. Merry Christmas and a happy New Year from TN. God bless y'all and keep growing.
Thank you! Merry Christmas!😊
A great video Mama. Very educational. Happy Holidays
Thank you! Happy Holidays to you too!
Awesome job guys, the mead alcohol taste should mellow with a little aging time once you bottle it. You will be surprised what a few months will do.
I've never skimmed it before. I always just let all the foam brown up. I pour it all out into glass trays to form butter sticks and the bits just solidify at the bottom. I sometimes will cut them off once the ghee/brown butter is chilled. if there's enough I will melt those together and make a brown butter bit bar or two for baking 😂
Ghee is the BEST fat for cooking, browning, sauteeing, etc! And to not have all that butter taking up freezer space is an amazing benefit.
I can't wait to start sharing on my youtube channel, what I have learned from you guys in Mexico. Since we just moved here. Come on Spring. Blessings
Stacey over at Doug and Stacey does an easy way in the oven. Great job by the way and i just adore your family's channel.
Thank you!☺️
One more Indian commet. My grandmother used to add a curry leaf (one) to know when to stop boiling. Once the curry leaf becomes crispy she stop heating. Don't know how or why.
The milk solids at the bottom are so fantastic to eat! That's your treat for making ghee! I have to stop myself from drinking my ghee because it's so delicious.
Michelle, I use to make clarfied butter alotand cook with it. It has a HIGH smoke point. Excellent to cook meat with.
Ghee is lactose free and higher in CLA which is good for immunity and metabolism
I appreciate your details on the Ghee making progress love the outside chores and your greenhouse window garden is amazing❗harvest while you can, Up against the house must help hold in the heat👌🌲❗🌲HAPPY HOLIDAYS‼🌲
I love watching the new things that you are trying and I am truly impressed with the greens under glass. I am going to have to try that:))
I just tried clarifying some butter as well. I enjoy BWH Magazine as well. Jackie Clay is one of my favorite resources.
Your soaps are looking great! I've been making soap a long time and just recently thought I'd like to try turmeric for color. I love that you did, and it looks beautiful! Good job!
Let Cody try those bits at the bottom of your ghee. They are delicious!!
Your soap looks so beautiful! I would buy that
Thank you!☺️
Years ago I used to make ghee add onions let it turn brown plus curry powder then would take it to boarding school add it to the food prepared and it used to taste so good. This has made me remember back then.
Great info! I can’t do dairy either and have been thinking about making ghee but honestly I’ve just been using olive oil for everything along with plant based butter.
We subscribe to both magazines and find them very informative!
So glad you found a use for all your hard earned butter. Crossing my fingers it soft enough for your stomachs! I have been having a hard time with dairy recently too, so I'm extra invested on if it works.
Your soap is beautiful!!! Certainly gift worthy!!!
Thank you!☺️
I made ghee a couple years ago. It seems to be storing well in the cupboard. I like the oven method. Less likely to scorch the butter.
Cool video, I love trying new things and didn't know that's how ghee is made! Also wanted to mention that I went on the magazine site because I was interested in trying it out and curious about the cost. Wanted to share with everyone that if you add the "Both" magazine subscriptions to your cart ($43), your discount code only gives you $13 off with the cart total then being $30. But if you add each magazine subscription separately ($26 +$26) your discount code will actually take of $26 with your cart total being $26... saving people a few extra dollars! 😉
Happy Holidays to your family!! 🎄
Thanks for sharing! Happy Holidays to you too!😊
Great job on the mead and the soap you guys
Thank you!
I absolutely love watching your videos and the journey you're on. I live in Australia - New South Wales and in particular in the Southern Highlands which is about 2 hours from Sydney. We moved here 8 years ago onto a 3 acre property and I love it.
Your videos are such high quality and they're packed with information and more than that, packed with inspiration and that's a great combination for me as I work toward becoming more and more self sufficient. I'm a long way off from that but getting there and really enjoy watching your journey. Thank you so much for sharing it with me.
Ghee has a much higher smoke point which I love
Oh wow, amazong. Love your vide9s, so WELL made! Also so interesting to see ghee being made. I also did not know there is difference between ghee making and clarifying butter 😅🤷🏻♀️
Thank you so much!😊
Giving up Mozzarella cheese was the hardest thing for me because it was my only dairy and I liked it sooo much. But, I could feel the difference after a while. So I get you coming up with the Ghee. Great video!
Somehow I never come across your videos until today. I see I subscribed previously, and have alerts set to “ all”. Strange they don’t pop up or show up in my subscriptions. I really enjoyed this one, a little of everything 😊. Will continue to look through your videos now
Very nice. Really interesting.
Codi thanks, you have me hooked on Giant Ember, so relaxing. Downloaded the songs I could find. That being said hope you all have a Happy Christmas and prosperous New Year. All the best to the kids, Michelle and yourself. ☃️🎄oh and Cowboy too 🐾🐾. Keep posting the videos.
BHM Is an awesome publication.
Hello guys! I have been tagging along with you guys for a whole and love all your content. I signed up and order the magazines. Perfect for a to myself Christmas Gift!
Thank you so much! Hope you enjoy them!😊
The alcohol level on the mead will not change much at this point. As long as it is still eating the sugars (bubbling), you will end up with a dryer flavor. A lot of that flavor will mellow once it is bottled. We've always waited a year after making it to actually drink it, because it just gets really smooth at that point.
I might have to get that chainsaw for myself…….I mean for my husband! 😉 I covered my strawberries a couple months ago, zone 6b. I hope it wasn’t too early! Your ghee turned out beautifully. I hope it helps with your dairy troubles.
Love you guys❤❤❤❤
Just wanted to wish you and your family a merry Christmas and a happy new year. Thanks for producing all of those fantastic videos this year, they have been great to watch and really enjoyable. Cheers from Downunder. 🎅🎅
So glad you enjoyed them and thanks for following along with us! Merry Christmas!😊
We subscribe to both of those magazines and really like both of them.
Will you guys be doing a New Year’s video on all of the goals? You succeeded in this year and new goals that you have for next year? I loved your video last year talking about your goals! And it was so fun to see you succeeded in getting your truck.
I followed RoseRed Homestead's Ghee making video... you don't need to skim the foam, it'll cook off as the water and milk evaporate in the process.
What a beautiful butter! ❤
Wow this video is loaded with All the things!!😃 Thanks for sharing and teaching💜
You’re so welcome!😊
This was a great video. Lots of things you all liked. Thank you for sharing till next time God Bless.
Do the plantation of Chinese cabbage, it's a wild plant, one farmers have planted in Canada and it grow well .
Try it.
Korean make kimchi with this plant. Very flavorful in stir fry.
I made ghee after wstching a Rose Red Homestead video. Not as hard as it sounds. I have it on my list to make more in January.
Ooooo I need to save for that chainsaw, I'm far too intimidated to use the regular ones and the tiny 6 inch one I've seen lately doesn't look like it could handle any more than my loppers can.
Love the soaps!
@Michelle you can cann your ghee and make it shelf stable
I don't skim the foam and after a while all the foamy stuff join the milk solids at the bottom. Less work. Maybe try it next time.
Thanks for the video !
I love Ghee. Makes an awesome drawn butter for seafood. I have not made it. I have only bought it. Really expensive.
In my opinion ghee tastes better than butter sometimes. I do love butter and can tolerate it. But ghee is just perfect when you want "oily" foods without the harmful oil. Yum yum! You should make a curry with it, maybe. Ghee is perfect for that!
I recommend finding the YT video of "Lovely Green's Rhubarb Wine" recipe...you can swap out the rhubarb for another fruit. It's a great recipe that I make every year.
I have lactose intolerance also. I can not use Ghee. It still gives me terrible stomach cramps along with all the other tummy issues (which are not fun).
Sorry to hear that!😕
I have had on for 2 years. It's easy for me to use. Don't have we to ask my husband to help.
so Nice❤❤❤❤
Another good video. Wow, the real butter looks beautiful. I bet it tastes delicious but I understand you and your daughter can’t have it. Thanks for sharing.❤