Goats' milk from 100% Fresh Greenery
of Woodlands and Pasture
We offer seasonal CSA goats' milk shares, usually from mid-May or early June until the 2nd week in October. Milk-drinkers sign up and pay for a regular weekly pick-up with their choice of time and day. Each week, they bring me their own clean jars to fill.
Call and leave voicemail, and say your phone number: (207) 338-3301
In winter. Shana drinks most of the milk. Precious winter excess goes occasionally to those faithful CSA milk drinkers who helped with farm-related tasks, or as trades to those sharing other foods they've produced, or as nurturing gifts to those showing up for the fall push of spreading leaves on the blueberry field, OR if you are just at the right place at the right time!
Preference goes to milk-drinkers who compost their humanure - we work so hard to raise this milk-product of the live land, and want it to continue cycling in the health of soil.
Summer 2023 Update:
Chevre (soft spreadable herbed cheese) is now available! Please call to claim your weekly or bi-weekly share of the 5.7 oz jars ($10 each), that Wendy Morse is filling with the goodness of our milk from 100% fresh greenery of woodland and pasture, rennet, a dash of salt, and my fresh garlic greens, Laufer’s garlic cloves, and Wendy’s own dried dill (all grown organically).
Would you like to MAKE chevre, mozzerella, feta, kefir, caramel, or a product of your dreams? from our milk, and trade half your resulting product for the fresh milk involved? (Wendy is making the
chevre from 4 gallons/week because she wanted to EAT chevre herself!) Of the 21 gallons per week of
lovely milk I am lovingly hand-milking after endless browse wanders, fence moves and pollard tree
prunings, 7 gallons per week continue to lack a destination. This situation may or may not last; I just set
out a large new milk sign at the farm, and also Rhyan and Maddy are trying their hands at icajeta today!
(Icajetaa is Mexican cinnamon caramel topping – 1 quart milk, 1 cup sugar, 1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda, one cinnamon stick, and simmer for 1 hr.)
Call me! 338-3301 (voicemail, and say your phone number).
No PFAS! According to Alpha Analytical and Northern Tilth (the testing lab and the ones taking samples and managing testing, respectively) our PFAS lab results throughout the 2022 milking season were false positives due to the milk-modified (?) 537.1 water test’s inability to differentiate two cholic bile acids (tdca and tcdca – tudca also does this but is probably present in lower quantities) from PFOS (the one PFAS, of 28 that the test reports, which seems to show up commonly in milk – at least when using this water test). The more accurate 1633 test we sent for in March came back “non-detect” for all 28 PFASs. Its accuracy is said to be within 80 parts per trillion.
Similar cholic acid interference caused withdrawal of an EPA study of PFOS in eggs; the researcher dutifully described the error in her 2008 follow-up report. In 2010, Canadian researchers from SGS presented about such interferences, and maintain a current post about the same, plus offer free consultation to labs testing for PFAS. These “interfering” cholic acids are present in all vertebrates, and help us to digest cholesterol and fats.
The Maine State DACF continues to use the 537.1 water test (modified for milk) on all cow milk samples despite not knowing what level of these cholic bile acids are present in cow milk. They are now following up with the 1633 test if the first test comes back with an F qualifier (as did all sheep and goat milk samples, and my cow milk, last year – for some reason, no one talked about this F for “failed” until fall, though we’d had such results since April). The F qualifier means they detected WAY more (or less, but most of mine were more) of the substances they inserted than what was put in (their acceptance ranges run many percentages above 100% already). The 1633 test has been available since 2021 and is aimed at many substances including milk, but costs about $100 more than 537.1, and takes longer to run.
The State is still theoretically regulating us to below a 210 ppt threshold for PFOS, including the bile acids if no F qualifier, and despite the 80 ppt variance of the 1633 test, and 20% variance that I was told by a person at Alpha that they accept and expect on the 537.1 test. I did not ask if the State is still planning to lower this threshold to 44 ppt. I am guessing that the person researching what level to set is concerned about human health, and was not talking to the lab to know what is possible to measure. MILK SHARES! As for the farm, the grass and leaves are coming in early. May 9th
(3 month weaning date for the babes) I expect to start passing milk to humans who bring their jars and pay $5/qt. or $10/ half-gallon X 22 weeks (thru October 9th) – call 338-3301 to get on the weekly pick-up schedule! WINTER in REVIEW: My forestry of scary initial lopping of red maple tops produced milk all winter (not at summer level, but enough for our household and 3 goat kids) without grain input. The hog did bring hay daily from our barn, and seaweed occasionally from our freshly filled barrels, out to our woodland yard. A lot of red maple top-wood and brush will be left, for firewood, soil building, or simply to protect germination of new plants/trees there from being bitten short. Medicinal wild turkey-tail fungi will appear on some of that wood.
The live pollarded trees remain from 9 to 35 ft. tall for re-sprouting, with probably a 6 to 8 year return for next cutting. I offer free "Rope Climbing for Farmers" lessons, for folks who want to restructure such woodland canopies safely. Call and leave voicemail (say your number): 338-3301.
The 9 month old Jersey calf Angelo became adept at stripping maple, apple and fir bark to eat; buddy red maple twigs down to 1/4 inch, and hemlock, cedar and fir tips are of course his first choices. Always there has been hay as well, free choice.
DRAFT POWER and MOFGA’s FARM AND HOMESTEAD DAY June 10th: Angelo's draft work used to be limited by his unwillingness to leave the herd (so they came along). Since February 28th, we have been surmounting this problem by practicing riding each day to a leaf of very nice 2nd cut treat hay, leaving him hitched to a tree there to eat, then coming back in a short while to ride or drive (with yoke, britches, single tree, and large jet sled), him home (he is always very happy to go back to his goat
family). Riding just requires his rope halter, so is quicker for me than rigging him with his yoke and britches, but may threaten his back health if not limited to very short sessions.
Hopefully Angelo will be well-practiced by Farm and Homestead Day June 10th, to move piles of possibly PFASy old newspapers away from the Children’s Area willows (which tested to have a different PFAS, that was apparently not high enough to show up in our milk). This is your chance to try driving Angelo!
The 10 year old retired American Guinea sow Nosenia got ahead of me with leash tied to my sled one day, on the way to have some social time with other species in the woodland yard. So I gave her the hauling job more regularly. She was already very fit from a 3 month parsnip removal job at Little Garlic Girl Farm in Morrill this past fall, and hopes to go back to continue that delicious job this summer.
Meanwhile, as the snow left, she started to pull our new (used) Garden Way cart, but has since been VERY clear with me that she prefers not to. She has communicated this by taking deliberate wrong turns, toward the road, back home straight through the fence, into a swamp, or into thick bushes. So either she will pull her sled at MOFGA’s Farm and Homestead Day, or stay home and let Angelo do all the work.
LEAF HARVEST! See the Grant page, and consider a visit to help us fill barrels with machine-separated intact tree and shrub leaves, any time this June into October (with a break for blueberry harvest), or to help with livestock trials next winter. Call 338-3301 (leave voicemail, and say your phone number).
2023 UPDATE
Nosenia's harness
Nosenia is hauling hemlock branches and hay in two sleds.
Now Nosenia is sharing the sled of hemlock with the goats.
All eating hemlock except Angelo, 2nd pic.
Goat faces and Nosenia with a curved hemlock branch, cute pic.
Nosenia has arrived with the hemlock and hay sleds, Angelo in house behind.
Nosenia hauling hemlock and hay in two sleds, fuzzy pic.
Nosenia wanted to eat some before starting her haul, great pic.
See our Blueberry Page (button above), inc. PYO (Certified Organic), and get involved!
We are open to having an additional committed herdsperson or family, to share the tending of 9 goats, 1 steer, and 1 sow, and receive Shana’s mentorship (climbing/pollarding fodder trees, wild plants/fungi, love-based cow draft, etc.). Option to co-own after 1 yr. if you are competent to share infrastructure repair responsibilities, and are excited to continue exploration of ecologically reparative perennial close-contact farming practices.
Off-grid living experience, Waldo County Maine ties, music, and dancing make you a priority applicant.
(207) 338-3301. Leave Voicemail!
Book NOSENIA (Guinea Hog Sow) now for your GROUND WORK!!!
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(Video: Tulip loves buckthorn!)
(Video: Tulip playing with ash, pollarded by our driveway July 1st, 2020)
*FRUIT TREE PRUNING - Call Shana to be on the list for Feb.-April 2022 (still completing commitments for 2021)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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| Nosenia, our 2nd hog, loves peach leaves, shaken down. |
We started our Hog Rental Service in earnest in spring 2016. We will deliver and set up fence, then pick up/take down for $35 or trade plus $.50/mile.
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| Hazel in Witch Hazel |
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We often have Pear, Apple, Japanese Heartnut, Black Walnut, Shagbark Hickory, Burr Oak, Yellow Birch, Basswood, White Ash, Red Oak, Witch Hazel, Cedar, Black Spruce, White Pine seedlings.
Tree of Life Fruit Tree Service is my name for offering 33 years experience in winter pruning and spring grafting. I charge $30-$40/hr. depending on proportion of ladder and chainsaw work, versus free climbing with the Wheeler saw, with a $30 minimum unless in Belfast, plus $.50/mile, plus claim the live brush for my goats.
Instruction is included; I encourage everyone to learn how to tend trees. We have worthy old orchards throughout Waldo County to prune, plus need to plant young Standards as these old trees were planted by our great grandparents.
Chastity Coolots have lasted through 2 month periods of continual use without discomfort, disrepair, nor conception. Tried and proven, but not guaranteed. A buck may cavort with his favorite old doe safely while servicing the younger girls.
Buck Aprons keep a buck’s face and front quarters sweetly clean, and have kept all does present at 3 Streams Farm from being bred, though not guaranteed. Our apron has proven useful for the months when doelings are fertile but as yet too small; the buck doesn’t have to be lonely while he waits to breed later.
Weaning Bras zip wide open for milking ease. These have proven useful for a self-nurser off farm, and for establishing bottle feeding at birth on 3 Streams Farm, where does and kids live outdoors together. These bras will need adjustment and repair if used with an experienced nursing kid. Bottle feeding allows instant weaning later without separation.
A Day Pack has been added to our collection, for carrying hot cider when we (goats, sow and farmer) escort you through our woods to find...
your dream Solstice Tree at the tippy top of a tall fir. I am cutting tall firs to create sun pockets, for "Air Meadow" regeneration of fodder from lowered tree canopies.
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Mostly Wooden Farm-made Hardware can be custom-built to order.
Baskets are from 3 Streams Farm materials.
Mangers are of fir and goat-stripped maple, with a birch bark or metal roof. I made these light-weight and free-standing mangers to move around our outdoor winter yard, spreading hay and manure mulch to the poorer soils.
Craft Materials grow here at 3 Streams Farm. You are invited to help gather your materials, for a reduced price or trade. Elm raffia (inner bark), White Cedar bark strips, White Birch bark of various inner shades, skun Fir poles in many sizes, forked Hardwood props, goat-stripped Red Maple or Apple branches, Beech “star” nut cases, Spruce cones, colorful Duck, Guinea and Rooster feathers, Goose quills, and dried Black Walnut hulls (for ink with the quills; children’s writing kits available packaged as stocking stuffers) are some but not all of what’s here.
Cashmere from Hazel especially is available in small quantity.
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3 Streams Farm would like collaboration with or without residency of:
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Instruction is included; I encourage everyone to learn how to tend trees. We have worthy old orchards throughout Waldo County to prune, plus need to plant young Standards as these old trees were planted by our great grandparents.
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I also offer Fodder Tree Development, Research, And Fascination (obsession?), which started in 2010. Look up Shana Hanson's Presentations on our Resources page.(button at top).
I also offer Fodder Tree Development, Research, And Fascination (obsession?), which started in 2010. Look up Shana Hanson's Presentations on our Resources page.(button at top).
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Shana’s “Togetherness” line of Goat Lingerie (thanks to Katie Savalchak for the name) is sewn from water-proof fade-proof (semen and urine-proof) scraps of colorful awning fabric, with other decorative scraps from your or my collection. These are custom-sewn items by special order, mostly in winter, for goats near enough for fitting in-person. $20/hr. plus materials.
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| Bunchberry, a big buck |
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| Smaller Kraut needed a second zipper. |
Buck Aprons keep a buck’s face and front quarters sweetly clean, and have kept all does present at 3 Streams Farm from being bred, though not guaranteed. Our apron has proven useful for the months when doelings are fertile but as yet too small; the buck doesn’t have to be lonely while he waits to breed later.
A Day Pack has been added to our collection, for carrying hot cider when we (goats, sow and farmer) escort you through our woods to find...
your dream Solstice Tree at the tippy top of a tall fir. I am cutting tall firs to create sun pockets, for "Air Meadow" regeneration of fodder from lowered tree canopies.
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Mostly Wooden Farm-made Hardware can be custom-built to order.
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| A pack with 3 half-gallons of milk |
A two day “Baskets from your Back Yard”
winter workshop is offered if four people express interest.
winter workshop is offered if four people express interest.
My Quansit Frame is 12’ wide x 11’ high, of local softwood strapping. I can build a similarly 12’ long frame at your place for $260, or much less if you help. Mileage may apply. Smaller frames for light-weight moveable animal dwellings are possible.
Stainless Wire Fence Panels are 20 ft. long, quite light, and is goat-proof when electrically charged. I’m developing these to last longer than me for general use in our pasture, plus be carriable in the woods, to fence a felled tree for instance. The wire cost a 1-2 pennies more per ft. than poly-wire. You are invited to schedule a winter workshop to weave your fence.
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Craft Materials grow here at 3 Streams Farm. You are invited to help gather your materials, for a reduced price or trade. Elm raffia (inner bark), White Cedar bark strips, White Birch bark of various inner shades, skun Fir poles in many sizes, forked Hardwood props, goat-stripped Red Maple or Apple branches, Beech “star” nut cases, Spruce cones, colorful Duck, Guinea and Rooster feathers, Goose quills, and dried Black Walnut hulls (for ink with the quills; children’s writing kits available packaged as stocking stuffers) are some but not all of what’s here.Cashmere from Hazel especially is available in small quantity.
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3 Streams Farm is the home base for Belfast Blueberry Cooperative, a fresh market organic wild harvest crew. In August, we take orders for table quality berries in flats of 15 qts., (abot 24 lbs.). See our Blueberry page (button at top).
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3 Streams Farm would like collaboration with or without residency of:
- Biochemist and soil scientist curious to investigate:
- Pathways and measurements of toxins from rain and snow through our farm food chains;
- Effects of toxins from rain and snow on microbial soil life with and without:
- Fungal wood debris mulch layers;
- Bio-char amendment;
- Beneficial Plant Compounds found in our milk
- Food Fungi propagator to use:
- Chipped and bundled hardwood goat brush refuse, trunk logs of felled poplars and red maples, and large branches of oak and ash cut when establishing pollards, all throughout the woodland
- Olfactory person to distill essential oils and tars outdoors from:
- fresh green white pine limbs, white cedar cuttings post browse, balsam fir boughs, and yellow birch sticks post-browse
- Wood craft person to use:
- Goat-stripped branches, interesting pruned-off tree joints, basketry and cording materials, and fir poles of all sizes
- Arborist to climb and sculpt the forest canopy with Shana, to become a lush many-layered “air-meadow” of regrowth for animal fodder.
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