Ways with Whey

I am certain that, immediately after reading my last entry about making ricotta, you ran right to the kitchen and whipped up a batch yourself.

No? You didn't?

That's okay. Let's just pretend you did. What did you do with all of that left over whey? I hope you didn't dump it down the kitchen sink!

Admittedly, the first few times I made cheese, I did just that. Truth be told, I had no idea what else I even could do with it. I mean, it was cloudy and yellow. It smelled, um, less than rosy. It really reminded me of... well... never mind.

As time has passed, however, I've become more committed to trying to use as many of my farm-related by-products as possible (as opposed to dumping them in the trash or down the drain).

So, what were my options for that gallon or so of whey that is left after every batch of cheese?

I've searched around the web, and here is the result:

Urban Homestead Hint #3: Ways with Whey

(Ordered from Least Plausible #10 to Most Likely #1)

10. Make lemonade with it.

Seriously? Many sites recommend this. I might rather die of dehydration than drink this stuff with lemon juice and sugar!

9. Use it as a rinse in the shower [on your hair] to add shine.

Wait, you don't want to go around all day smelling like stinky cheese? Neither do I.

8. Bring to a boil, drop in a tea bag, and serve with a scone.

Uh... I'll take the scone and skip the hot whey tea, thanks.

7. Blend it with frozen fruit and ice for a high-protein, high-calorie energy smoothie.

This would be great... if I was looking to bulk up! Maybe I can pawn off liquid whey to my more physique-minded friends!

6. Pour it over dry dog food to add shine to your pet's coat.

This would be great... if I had a dog. I wonder what my cat would think.

5. Use it to boil pasta, rice, or potatoes.

I can see this option having potential, especially since you can drain and rinse the food after boiling. But then you still have the twice-left over whey to deal with, so this is not entirely a solution!

4. Substitute it for water or milk when baking.

I have to say, this is not bad! It gives your baked goods a cheesy flavor and the kitchen smells heavenly while your oven is on! Many people claim it is the key to perfect cornbread. As for me, I like it baked in Italian Feather Bread. The bread alone tastes like grilled cheese. Yum!

3. Feed it to farm critters.

Hmmm... I wonder what the ladies will think about this.

2. Pour it on your compost bin.

Now this I can do!

1. Use it to water your acid-loving plants.

Well, my camellias are already lack-luster, so it's worth a shot!

As you can see, I'm not sold on too many of these ideas quite yet. I'll have to do some more experimenting and report back.

Do you have any special ways with whey you'd be willing to share? Please do!

For more about Ways with Whey, visit the following sites:

The Prairie Homestead

How Can I Recycle This?

Bottom Up Food

Urban Homestead Hint #2: Farm-Friendly Identity Theft Prevention

I sure love to garden.

Conversely, I sure hate to pay bills.

Even more than that, I vehemently abhor junk mail.

I've signed up online to stop the ads from hitting my mailbox.

I've returned items to sender. And still they come.

I don't get as much junk mail as I used to, but even one piece of junk mail is one too much for me. I pity the poor once-living tree that was felled in the forest only to become a flyer, credit card offer, or fast food take out coupon. Alas, if that same tree had been used to build a house instead, it might have enjoyed some longevity and, with any luck, earned some subconscious love and appreciation from its inhabitants. Take Shel Silverstein's The Giving Tree, for example. Yes, the tree was sawed off at the branches and base (and, yes, I may have cried while I read this part to my children once or twice), but at least that tree was going places... and I don't mean it was going to my mailbox. Or yours.

Anyway, every year I end up with a giant bag of junk mail and paid bills that I need to "deal with." This usually occurs over the summer months when I have time to tackle such business. September through June are lost causes when it comes to paperwork, unless it involves papers that need to be graded. Math tests. Reading tests. Essays. The never-ending pile. I could go off on another bird-walk here about the amount of paper used in our school systems, but for your sake (and the sake of this post) I will refrain.

So without further ado, let's get to it.

Urban Homestead Hint #2: Farm-Friendly Identity Theft Prevention

Do you have piles of junk mail lying around your home? Perhaps, like me, you have paper bags and cardboard boxes full of paperwork containing personal information that needs to be destroyed. You could just recycle it and hope for the best. Or, you could shred and recycle it. That's even more secure. But wouldn't you rather put that junk mail and those paid bills to better use on your very own urban [or suburban] farm?

Look no further than your compost pile! Shredded paper is a great "brown material" addition to your bin. Be sure to water the pile after adding shredded paper; if the paper remains dry it will not decompose.

A few tips about what types of paper to add to the compost pile:

• DO shred and compost any traditionally flat-toned white or colored paper, such as newsprint, regular printer paper, or construction-type paper or card stock.
• DO NOT compost glossy papers or magazine covers or pages; they have been coated with plastics to give them that "special" sheen. Plastics have no place in your bin.
• DO NOT shred or compost any documents you may need for tax purposes (try explaining that one to Mr. Auditor)! "I promise I wasn't trying to commit fraud or tax evasion... I was just making sure my microorganisms didn't go hungry!" That one might not fly.

That's it! Whether you add shredded paper to your compost pile once a year or a little bit each month, the material will eventually decompose completely, become nutrient-rich soil, and help your farm flourish. And I'm certain the earthworms will never attempt to steal your identity.

Urban Homestead Hints

I've decided to add a new "genre" to my blog: urban homestead hints. This is where I'll post little nuggets of trivial information [which may or may not be helpful to the average gardener].

They may be wise. They may be wacky. They may even be worthless. Here we go!

Homestead Hint #1: Proper Egg-Collecting Attire

When collecting farm-fresh eggs, no matter the time of day, it's often advisable to wear specially selected clothing. Feel free to forego the muck boots.

In fact, on Easter Sunday I found myself giggling at the paradox of me, in my knee-skimming dress and gold Franco Sarto platform heels, tip-toeing through the [chicken poop-smattered] yard to gather eggs.

Do other urban farm girls struggle with this issue?

Can farm work and fashion coexist? Hmm......

On the other hand, Mason would advise you that it's best to hit the dress-up basket prior to venturing out to the chicken coop. After all, a felt moustache and vintage cowboy hat definitely lend credibility--and flair--to the urban homesteading scene!

So next time you go to gather eggs (or come to visit mine)... don a little something special! The chickens--and you--will be happy you did!