[Mays]

Can I ask, how do people store their spare milk, and how long does it last... my milker is now producing enough milk for a few extra mouths however lambing hasnt started yet so I'l like to store it for any sicky lambs (I always end up with 1 or 2)

[little blue]

freeze it

[plumseverywhere]

We freeze it in 2pint bottles. I think you can freeze for about 9 months or so? ours is never solid long enough to find out.

[Anke]

I would freeze it in handy bottle-sized portions, like 500ml a time. But they will need about 24 hours defrosting before using.

My first (lamb) triplets were born today too, so my spare milk will have a home too in the next few days....

[jaykay]

I freeze it too.

And then when I get organised, I make soft cheese :drool. And occasionally hard cheese too.

[Mays]

ace 

now do you just use old milk cartons and empty bottles or should I be buying other sorts of containers?

[jaykay]

I buy fizzy water, as that's my treat to myself, fizzy elderflower to drink  So I save those bottles and use those.

[plumseverywhere]

I'm still on skimmed cows milk so I put those bottles through the dishwasher and the store them empty in the freezer until I'm ready to fill them 

[Penninehillbilly]

I freeze it in freezer bags, about a litre, in an oblong ice cream tub, shake it down, when frozen, knock it out. the 'bricks' don't waste as much space in the freezer, (I stored quite a bit for when the goats were dry). the bags seem to leak so I thaw them out in a 2 litre jug. Which reminds me, must get one out ofthe freezer tonight, only a couple left now.

[Lesley Silvester]

I freeze mine in anything I can - two litre milk bottles, bags specially for freexing liquids, ice cream tubs, etc.

[little blue]

when I freeze it, it doesn't always defrost very well ... any tips? Or is it just how milk is?!

[jaykay]

Do you defrost it naturally? I find mine goes funny if I microwave it but overnight seems ok.

[little blue]

yes, naturally
it was full cream - might that be it?

[Skirza]

We tried freezing our skimmed milk and it was terrible. Whole milk seems to freeze fine, did ours in proper goat's milk bags and didn't pasteurise it.

[Anke]

Re.: containers for storing milk in - we bought about 4 large juice jugs from Ikea, they take just over 2 ltrs each. Works well, and once I get to the fourth one it is time to either switch on the separator or make some cheese....

Re.: Freezing we use freezerbags inside ice-cream tubs, then take bags out once frozen. Our defrosts fine, but most of mine goes straight into pigs...