Seeding pastures to add beneficial flavours to milk

Started by sprocket, February 24, 2015, 07:34:21 PM

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sprocket

Hello all -

My wife and I have a herd of dairy goats that we graze seasonally from about April-ish till October.  I'm curious if anybody has any suggestions or advice on beneficial plants (ie. herbs, bushes, flower, etc.) that we could seed into our pastures and that would contribute beneficial and unique flavours to our milk.  I'm not trying to replace grass as a significant part of the diet, just augment what we already have in the hopes of producing better cheeses down the road.

Has anybody tried this, or does anyone have any resources that discuss this sort of thing?

Thanks so much,

sprocket!

Stinky

Sounds interesting.... Alpkäserei, a member of the forum, knows a lot about the herbs and whatnot that grow in the Alps. He might be able to contribute something here.

bill shaver

Bravo, somone is thinking outside the box, love this.this is what will make small scale chees production somthing viable to a market, not just a select one at that, for once all hear, see & try, all will take up notice & buy your goods.

What would be good in a field, would have to be afield you take hay off of and use as pasture, this has alwyas been done in years before, dual use of your land.I'd try for a grass, be it timothy, brome or orchard grass along with legumes that are sustainable by themselves, to me colver works, red & ladino, along with trefoil, alfalfa...notwithstanding. Would use what accomidates your pocket book .various species of plants out of the ordinary that animals will consume, wild carrot, wild hops, buttercup, belive it or not various weeds will work well, quack grass, ox eye daisy, red root pigweed, have even seen goats & sheep consume variety of thistles...i'd look further in agronomy books, books that differ from hay production, for as you know weeds are plants growing out of place, ie dandilions, they'll eat them with glee.