Real Butter! With Pictures



 

 

This is the starting product. A gallon of real milk. The top part is cream, the lower half is milk. When the two are separated you have cream and skim milk. The cream is what gives the milk flavor so when we make butter I drink the milk but I don't enjoy it.

 

This is us skimming the cream off the top. It's very thick compared to what you are probably used to from the store. From here we separate it in to two mason jars that are both half full.

 

 

 

 

We then put lids on the jars and shook them for about 15-25 minutes. It was stunning for me. It was my first time. After about 10 minutes I began to wonder if I was doing something wrong, I couldn't see that anything was happening. Then all of a sudden I noticed a lump in my jar. I tilted the jar over on it's side and I could see that there was a very large lump of butter beginning. We both became very excited, each of us was doing one. By the time that twenty minutes had passed we were just making sure that we had shook it enough, being as it was our first time, we weren't sure when to stop.

We were both very surprised by how much of the cream became butter. Both jars together only created a half cup of "butter milk". "Butter milk" is what they call the milk that is left over after making butter.

 

 

 

 

 

A view into one of the jars.

 

 

 

A view into the other jar. 

 

 

 

 

Both jars side by side

 

  

 

 

This was us straining a jars worth of butter, getting the buttermilk.

 

 

 

 

This was us washing one of the jars worth of butter, cleaning it so that there was no buttermilk left on it at all.

 

 

 

And this is the final product, a jar full of butter!

 

 

Elizabeth and I are eager to make butter again. We found our Dazey butter churn hiding in a box in the garage. We really want to use it. It should be much easier on our wrists. I'm not sure when we'll get a chance to do that. I had hoped that it would be easier for us to get an extra gallon from our source but it's proven to be difficult. And neither of us really want to waste a gallon of drinkable milk. The skimmed milk is very unappetizing.

 

A note about real butter:

 

Do not keep it out like you do store bought butter, this butter will not keep at room temperature.

That being said, you will want to leave this butter out for a while before you intend to use it for a meal, or for bread, etc. It becomes very hard and difficult to spread when cold. Of course a simple remedy for a slice of bread is to put some on a slice as best you can and to microwave it. It doesn't take long at all. Simply taking it out from the fridge and letting it sit for a half-hour is plenty of time for it to become spreadable. It's very smooth. If you practice this, I encourage you to consume the butter inside of a week and certainly by the end of two.

 

Or you can try a French Butter Bell. We've not tried that yet for real butter. If you have please send us a message, we want to hear about it!

 

 

Because your butter will not have any preservatives in it, it will not keep in your fridge as long either. I think that if we had made one mason jars worth that we would have enough to last us two weeks. We eat like birds, so if you like butter, feel free to make as much as you want. Obviously with the cream from one gallon, you'll have a mason jar full! A quart of butter.

 

The truth:

This butter tastes exactly very similar to store bought, however if you know the cow that you got your milk from, then you know for a fact that this is the real deal and that it is much more nutritious and healthy for you. It's worth the fun of making it with the family, that's for certain!

 

 

 

 

 

My Struggle With Anabaptist Views Of Non-Violence

Quite a long title huh?

For those that are unfamiliar with groups of Christians that identify themselves as "anabaptist", that group includes the Amish, Mennonites, the Old German Baptist Brethren(O.G.B.B.), the Hutterites, and the various other groups that fall under the name of "Brethren".............and then you have us......Anabaptist Pentecostals.

I've not spoken to any of the other groups about how they look at non-violence except for the O.G.B.B., I expect that the Amish and the Mennonites agree for the most part with their interpretation of scripture.

What they told me is this. That they do not believe in violence and that they abstain from war.

This I can agree with.

Then they elaborated.

They told me that even if someone broke into their home, that they would not offer resistance, even if the invader initiated the rape of their wife.

I try to be agreeable as much as possible, but this was too much for me to handle.

I chalked my disagreement with them up to the fact that I was only then becoming familiar with anabaptists. I figured that there was something in the Word that I had skimmed over and that I needed to find.

So I read the New Testament again, I still did not agree with them.

I can only speculate that the other groups agree with their ideology.

It's been approximately five and a half years since I had that conversation.

Ever since then I have struggled with my partial agreement with them.
I agree that a man should not engage in violence. That violence is evidence of hate, and that those that hate will not enter into heaven.

The Bible tells us to forgive.

I agree that war is not the manner in which the Lord intended for us to resolve our disputes.
But I've always felt strongly that when diplomacy fails, and an individual or group resorts to aggression, that any man or woman has the right and privilege of self-preservation, including self-defense.

A saint of God will not instigate hate, violence, or aggression at any time.

But the other half of the disagreement revolves around the fact that to attain peace, after trying diplomacy, our only resort to neutralize violent aggression may be to utilize aggression ourselves.

When the dust has settled, we have peace.

The next aspect of this line of thought becomes; if we don't resist-is it suicide or martyrdom.
The fact of the matter is it can not be martyrdom if they are not persecuting us for our faith.
A random stranger invading our home has no idea what our faith is unless they ask. Even if we declare our faith at the moment of their attack, our faith will most likely play no role in why they chose us at their target.

If we permit the rape of our spouse, we are as guilty as the rapist.






The word of God calls us to be peace-makers.


Matthew 5:9 - Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

I desire to be a peacemaker in all that I say and do. Diplomacy is always the first step.  Having love towards everyone, our brothers and sisters, is imperative to creating and maintaining a peaceful attitude and atmosphere.


This week I met another Sabbath keeping anabaptist family. We discussed many topics. This issue was discussed. They agreed with me.

The verse the father used to reinforce his point was one that I've mentioned on this blog before. I've never heard it used in this context.

1 Timothy 5:8- But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.

I think this is an interesting interpretation of the verse, one that I'm not prone to disagree with.
Providing for our own takes on many different responsibilities, not just financial.

I feel that henceforth my conviction on this matter has been settled, however it didn't require me to compromise. I feel comfortable now about this. However I will continue to pray, and ask Yeshua for his guidance on the matter.

How Much Does It Cost?

Well I suppose for each person the answer to this question is different. I'll try my best to relate everything to our real life example as it in all reality is probably a typical situation for anyone seeking this life.

Elizabeth and I came from two different types of families but yet were brought together by a common love for God and an interest in homesteading. She had been raised in a family that gardened annually and that encouraged her activity in 4H. I on the other hand didn't become acquainted with providing for oneself till I was in my early twenties. I had a small collection of axes and saws that I had used to fell some trees on my fathers land in PA. I had truly expected that I'd be able to finish a cabin that I had started. We both brought different experiences and tools to the family.

Even with the tools that we brought into this marriage, we still find that a particularly large portion of our income is put towards homesteading tools and supplies, not to mention the space they take up. We have a room that is dedicated to crafts. It has two looms in it, one is full size and the other is about large enough to make things about the size of a place-mat. Both looms were gifts.

I encourage you to write down what direction you want to go in with regards to homesteading. It will greatly determine your budget. It will also determine what you do and don't need, and from that you will know what you will be purchasing in the future. I say the future because Elizabeth and I have been married for over six years and we are still acquiring the things we know we will need in the future (Like pressurized lamps and clothing material).

A lesson that many a homesteader learns the hard way is to buy the best quality that they can afford. Being cheap doesn't pay off in the end. We feel strongly that all homesteading tools should be heirlooms. The next generation does not need to struggle as much as we do. Not only that, but if you figure out how much money you spend replacing inferior tools annually, you quickly figure out that you could be greatly ahead had you simply purchased quality. The one exception to this that comes to mind is buying Snap-On Tools versus Craftsman. Unless you've got the money laying around, don't waste it.

The reality of the matter is that if you are going to liv this life of homesteading full-time, it will literally cost thousands of dollars. It's a life of passion that gives us much pleasure. So instead of spending a large sum of money on a TV, spend that money buying something you can use to make yourself money.

I know I've made it sound like alot of money, but when you consider the different directions in which one can go, the truth becomes evident. Many of us will acquire things for free and that furthers our ability all that much. It is quite possible in many places in the U.S. to find draft horses for free, people just can't afford the hay and feed, but then you have the cost of leathers and implements.
I by no means have gotten to that point, but I will admit I entertain the fantasy. This is a case where once you own land, the horse, and the items pertaining to the horse, you only really have to worry about the cost of the horse coming up again a dozen or so years down the road.

I'm struggling as it is to make my plane-making venture work. Machinery is not cheap. Yes you can buy a table saw used but you never know how the previous owner took care of it. With machines it's best to buy new and to try to get a warranty. That costs money. On the upside, it's probably a machine you will own the rest of your life. Don't buy cheap with the express intent of saving money. Buy quality with the intention of owning something for a lifetime. It may be uncomfortable at first, but the rewards will show themselves in time.

I'm not sure how well I helped you, my goal was to be honest. There is no way around the fact that any venture you take in life will cost money. Homesteading will be expensive. Plan ahead and use your money correctly.

I hope this helps.

Lord bless.

2 Gallons of Real Cow Milk!

 

This is what real cow's milk looks like. The stuff they sell at the store in no way resembles this. Once you have tasted and handled real milk it will anger you what they try to sell you. They exploit your lack of knowledge. Basically the milk they sell at the store is milk that has had all the cream taken out of it, they use it to make butter and other products. When you drink this at home you keep the cream in it, it is what gives it it's depth of taste and nutrition. Without the cream this milk is not appetizing, though I would still sooner drink it than what they sell at the store.

The arrow shows you where the division between the milk and the cream is.

 

Typically I shake the container before I pour a glass. Otherwise the first glass can taste like liquid butter, quiet a funny experience for a newbie. If you are a skinny guy like me and are trying to gain weight, this is the stuff you want to drink. It tastes great, is much cheaper than weight-gainer, and is also much much healthier for you.

 

This is supposed to be a one gallon jar, but it turns out to be a full five quarts. A quart of cream and four quarts of milk. It's a real nice treat every week. We consume about two of these containers a week. If we had teenage sons there would be no way that I'd be caught without a milk cow!

 

I've personally met the cow that gives us our milk, sadly her owners haven't given her a name.

She gives about 3-4 gallons a day they say. That's enough to satisfy her owners needs and pay for herself. We are currently paying 5$ a gallon container. To us it is more than a reasonable deal, especially considering that the cow is a Guernsey and that she is grass-fed not grain-fed.

 

We currently liv in the state of Arkansas where it is legal to purchase cow's milk from off the farm. I will never again purchase milk from the grocery store if I can avoid it. It is immoral that they try to call it milk. It is not milk.

 

I strongly encourage you if you are able to, to get ahold of some real milk. I've only had store bought milk my entire life. I grew up in Houston Texas. Don't buy the lies from the milk companies and big government that tell you real milk will kill you. It won't. If you're worried about it, just check the farms facilities and make sure that they practice proper hygiene. Be cautioned, some places do not practice proper hygiene, the burden lies on you to validate.

 

We made butter from a gallon we purchased. We'll be posting that probably later this week. We have plenty of pictures!

 

By the way, this is only our third week having real milk. We are still very new to it.

 

This is milk the way God intended it to be, unadulterated by man.

 

 

 



Pastors Of the Porters-An Invitation

We know that there are like believers out there. I know this, because we have met them. Granted those meetings were before we had this blog and also only in passing. You meet a lot of people as a truck driver.

Well, we need an individual or individuals that are willing to be our preachers. At this time, I do not feel that it is the will of the Lord for me to establish a home church and to lead it. I simply am not learned enough nor do I have a sufficient memory to communicate adeptly the ideas and their foundations that I have gleaned from the Word of God. I may be eloquent, but I am not where I need to be yet. I feel secure that there will be that time, it's just not now.

If you are an anabaptist pentecostal and are interested in leadership, please email us. Even electronic pastorship is appreciated.

porterhomestead@gmail.com

Lord Bless.

Our Fiftieth Post!

I'd just like to say thank you to all our readers! Our last posting was our fiftieth. I honestly didn't imagine this day when we started this blog. I didn't know if we had enough to put on here. As time goes on we think of more and more things that we want to add!

We had misplaced our butterchurn and were just about convinced that one of us had put it in a box and taken it to the Good-Will. Fortunately I found it! It was in a box hiding on a shelf in the garage.
We are both very relieved, it is an heirloom from Elizabeth's family. We'll be using it soon to make butter.

We have a posting to make on some butter we've already made just using mason jars. It was a lot of fun and very simple. We were both very surprised by how much butter came from the cream, there was very little buttermilk.

Please if your enjoying our blog, vote on the home page and sign up for emails!

With you in the Lord

Michael and Elizabeth McCartan

The anabaptist pentecostals

Want To Join? What would your contribution be?

This posting is being written with the intention of provoking your interaction.
We'd like to hear what your contribution would be to the discussion of faith and culture.  

I think to this point Elizabeth and I have made a fairly clear point of where we stand on our theology and our convictions.

We are curious about where you are with your walk with God and what brought you to our blog?

At this point we do not have a plot of land that we can liv off of, that won't happen for five to ten years, but when it happens for us, We are curious. Would you like to join?

We'd prefer families to purchase at least 10-20 acres. We'll let you know "where" when the time gets closer. We'll let you know this, land is selling there for 2,000$ an acre, a fair price.

If enough families commit there would surely be enough "sub" groups that everyone's ideological differences would be satisfied.

At this point the binding factors of our "preferred" community would be
1. horse and buggy
2. No electricity in the house
3. Electricity in the shop is fine for working men
4. Bi-weekly fellowship with like-believers
     This means that every other week would be spent with a different community
5. Homeschooling for children
6. Men either work from home or with other men of the community
7. Higher education is not encouraged for women, unless they intend to remain unmarried
8. Higher education is only encouraged for men when there is no alternative.
9. Trades are encouraged above all else.
10. Women are encouraged to enjoy their life and to perfect the art of motherhood

Our Theological Establishment Is Founded On The Bible
the following statements are the theological foundation for our community

1. Weekly conversations on the Biblicality of our beliefs and convictions-this is a lot of fun to dive into, you learn so much that changes they way you look at the world.
2. We all believe in one God and that his name is Yeshua.
3. We are baptized in our Lord's name.
4.We Read from the Bible daily.
5. Legalism is heavily discouraged
6. We believe in water and spirit baptism
7. In situations where it is merited, we do believe in shunning.
8. There is to be MORE THAN one preacher.


There is more to the list than this, but that is why we need your input. This is only intended as a starting point.

I encourage you to contact me through email. I will respond.
And if you are comfortable with it, I would prefer to post your reply for others to read and comment on.

My email is Porterhomestead@gmail.com

Every individual brings a new and different dimension to a group. We all have different life experiences. We encourage discussion to move things forward. We are curious about what you would like to see in a community.

Having a community makes it much more simple for our children to find their future mate. Living states away makes things difficult for everyone, and many opportunities are lost as well. Not to mention the potential loss of a sense of identity.

Lord bless, We'll talk again later.