[kaz]

We are going to get some milking goats in the very near future and wondered what else we could do with excess milk.
Soap was one answer. How easy is it to make? Can you guide me in the direction of a tried and tested receipe that I can adapt to my preferences?

[HappyHippy]

If you go looking in the crafts section, there's a thread running now about soap making (I posted a big explaination in it about cold process soap making and don't want to repeat myself  )

As for goats milk soap, Plums is the expert  she'll hopefully be along soon.

I've only made 2 batches using the milk from our goats so far. I replaced half the water used in the lye solution with goats milk.
I think there are a few different ways of doing it (some that involve mixing the lye crystals with slushy frozen milk to avoid it curdling with the heat etc) - here's what I did;
Mixed the full amount of lye with 200g of distilled water (the receipe called for 330g of water altogether) and let it come to temperature of around 100F (same as the oils), meanwhile I heated the milk gently to the same temperature when all 3 jugs were reading 100F I poured the goats milk into the lye solution, gave it a quick stir, then poured this slowly into the liquid oils. Stir as normal til you get 'trace' and pour into moulds 

I suspect the temp of 100F was a bit on the hot side, next time I'm going to try it slightly cooler I think - maybe around 90F  and apparently the earlier you add the milk to the lye, the darker the resultant bar is.......but I've not had time to trial these theories yet 

Good luck, let us know how you get on and REMEMBER YOUR SAFETY GOGGLES & GLOVES 

[kaz]

Thanks for that. Got to get the goats first, but got to be prepared as well.
I know safety is paramount as Lye burns......., so safety goggles, gloves and apron, maybe even a hair net to stop hair getting into soap.

[plumseverywhere]

You can adapt most recipes by exchanging the water for milk. I add my lye directing to slushy milk but have used fridge temp liquid milk, it does burn the sugars in the milk more but I find the orange colour fades as the other oils are added and by the time its cured, it is a nice creamy white again.

Just remember that just because a recipe in on t'internet doesn't neccessarily mean it is safe so have some pH strips to check before using.   Have a go using some supermarket milk or milk from a goat keeping friend if you can.

As for how easy...depends. Its not difficult for sure but its something that I found I got better at with practise (like most things, I guess) and looking back a lot of failed batches found the bin but that was because I was formulating my own recipes. My business Its Baaath Time turned 3 years old yesterday, can't quite believe I've come this far especially as it doesn't seem that long ago Anke and others were telling me to be brave and have a go at making a batch! 

[kaz]

Thanks Plums. Will have to get some goats milk and have a go, that way I should have a little bit of experience under my belt before I get my own girls.

[HappyHippy]

My business Its Baaath Time turned 3 years old yesterday, can't quite believe I've come this far especially as it doesn't seem that long ago Anke and others were telling me to be brave and have a go at making a batch!

I know - time flies when you're having fun  Only took me about 2 years to find some 'free' time 
Here's the original thread http://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/forum/index.php?topic=7133.0 really doesn't seem that long ago !
But do you know what's scarier ? Looking back at posts made in 2008 and thinking "I remember that", can't have been 5 years already - makes me think how much I've learned and done in that time (and I dare say all of us are the same)
Here's to us, happy smallholders, and the next 5 years