Tip for a cleaner milk pail

[willow_girl]

I came up with this idea today, tried it and it worked really well. Thought I'd share it, in case anyone else finds it helpful ...

You will need a bucket with a snap-on lid (I used a 5-quart ice cream pail, left over from when we used to buy ice cream from the store! :haha: ) and a piece of muslin about 18 inches square.

Cut a big hole in the lid of the bucket, leaving about 1" of plastic all around the edges. Place the muslin over the mouth of the bucket, loosely, then snap the lid on top.

As you milk, the milk will drip through the muslin, straining out any impurities that ordinarily would fall into the bucket. Keeps flies out of the milk, and also will help to keep the milk from spilling if the cow accidentally (or not-so-accidentally ) kicks your bucket.

I found this was much easier than what I was doing before, which was tying the muslin over the top of the pasteurizer can, and pouring the milk through it to strain it.

[uncle Will in In.]

I always hated to be sitting on the stool milking when the cow kicked the bucket.

Originally Posted by willow_girl

I came up with this idea today, tried it and it worked really well. Thought I'd share it, in case anyone else finds it helpful ...

You will need a bucket with a snap-on lid (I used a 5-quart ice cream pail, left over from when we used to buy ice cream from the store! :haha: ) and a piece of muslin about 18 inches square.

Cut a big hole in the lid of the bucket, leaving about 1" of plastic all around the edges. Place the muslin over the mouth of the bucket, loosely, then snap the lid on top.

As you milk, the milk will drip through the muslin, straining out any impurities that ordinarily would fall into the bucket. Keeps flies out of the milk, and also will help to keep the milk from spilling if the cow accidentally (or not-so-accidentally ) kicks your bucket.

I found this was much easier than what I was doing before, which was tying the muslin over the top of the pasteurizer can, and pouring the milk through it to strain it.

EXCELENT!! Just make sure if you reuse your muslin, unbleached is best and when washing don't use bleach or fabric softner(both coat fabric), instead use white vinegar in rinse cycle.

[willow_girl]

I just wash out the muslin with hot soapy water while I'm washing the milking pail ... hang it up to dry in the kitchen.