There is one good thing about a gross name, like colostrum, which invokes a creep alert or gag factor to most, even my bovine lovin’ friends. Beestings is another name for it, who knows why. It’s one of the reasons we eat “cat food” to gross out the uninitiated liver haters, but I think that colostrum crosses the line with most.
Colostrum is kin to magic, for all mammals, so I like to drink as much of it as I can when a cow freshens, and freeze some for colostrum emergencies. I’m sure all of my ongoing research into the health benefits, restorative qualities, a2/a2 milk vs. a1/a1 milk would bore most to tears, so I won’t delve into the depths.
Suffice it to say, in case there was any doubt, on following my “expert” advice on any topic, that although I am not a doctor, I do play one on tv. Caveat emptor.
I absolutely panicked when I saw the colostrum from our first cow Gert, that it had a slight pink line when the yellow cream settled to the top. Gert’s udder was massive and she gave almost 6 gallons a day when she freshened. I found out that it is called strawberry milk and it is when the udder engorges very quickly then some blood vessels burst, but it is not harmful to the cow, calf, or to us. Think of it as a rare steak, or just say no when offered colostrum ice cream. 😉
Annabelle did not have a pink line with either of her freshenings, but Miss Becca did, especially yesterday on milking her for the second time. You can see how much rich cream… colostrum has.
After a while it all rises to the top, with neon yellow cream, and a pink line.
Anyway, it does not bother me, and I am trying to come up with ways of preserving it, and the best way is to freeze it, so why not ice cream? I also make colostrum kefir, kefir cheese and butter with colostrum and it is fantastic.
I adapted the raw ice cream recipe from Nourishing Traditions, but we don’t like ours as rich as she makes it with all cream, so we usually use half raw milk and half raw cream. Colostrum is rich and creamy anyway, and so I used 2/3 colostrum and 1/3 cream. I found a jar of coveted cream in the freezer, as I thought I was out.
3 egg yolks
and 1 cup of cream separator cream, which is thicker by far, but you could use skimmed cream as well. Whisk in your mixer.
Whip until pretty firm.
Add one quart of colostrum.
one half cup maple syrup
and one tablespoon of vanilla
Of course it is nice to know what is actually in vanilla extract, so you can make your own with organic vodka (GMO’s don’t ya know) and good vanilla beans. Let it infuse for at least a month, and each time you use some, you can add in a bit more vodka.
Pour mixture in an ice cream maker until it sets up.
The consistency will not be as firm as regular ice cream, so pack it in jars and freeze.
grassfood. 
Thank you for a beautiful and thoughtful reply to colleen.. superb!! and thank you for doing what you do.. an inspiration indeed!
Don’t you feel immensely guilty that you stole what she made for her baby, to give it antibodies for survival? Or did you just steal her baby too?
Dear Colleen,
What you said is so very true. Colostrum is truly a miracle food, and all mammals need it within an hour of birth. There is no greater mother than a cow, and you are correct, most dairies do steal their babies and the mother never gets to nurse her baby. This is why we refuse to eat/drink any dairy products, unless it is from our own cows, or from a small raw milk producer. It is our cows greatest joy to be able to keep their baby, which we leave together 24/7 and milk once a day.
You must know, that the commercial dairy industry can be very cruel, but most commercial dairy producers love their cows and do not allow harm to come to them. Even most small producers remove the calf and have nurse cows, as they are trying to make a living from their milk sales, and they love and care for their cows very dearly.
As far as stealing the colostrum. A good dairy cow makes way too much colostrum for a baby to drink. Most dairy producers throw away this gold, as most people think it tastes nasty, but for me I understand the stellar heath qualities. I treasure it, and from my cows, I usually get very little extra.
Dairy cows must be milked once a day, if they have a calf on them, and even twice a day with a calf, for a few months if they are a big producer. It is not stealing from the calf, the cow makes way too much, and it will hurt her if she is not milked, as not even twin calves (which we have had) can not drink all of the colostrum, or all of the milk for the first few months.
I do appreciate your passion, albeit a little antagonistic, but for the right reasons. I for one see the importance of raising my own meat, dairy and as many other foods I can possibly grow in my climate, and supporting local family farmers.
Do you?
(And I hope your passion for animals means you are doing everything you can to support sustainable, cruelty free, agriculture and local farmers.)
Agreed! Beautiful counter-argument toward those who attack without full understanding of your humane and loving practices!
I want to say thank you, thank you, thank you. It appears that the cream separator you have and the one I am getting are very similar. I have searched and searched for the information that you gave me and what you told me is exactly what I needed.
Thanks again and God bless you.
Oh, thick cream, ahhhh! I cannot wait to be able to separate again this summer. Please let me know if you have any questions about your separating. Enjoy!
I poured the colostrum I acquired from a local healthy cow in icecube trays and then dumped the cubes in a gallon zip lock bags. I then can take out a cube or two and add it to our family smoothies.
That is a great idea Karen! I rarely make time to make ice cream, but whenever I have a cow freshen, I make sure everyone drinks as much colostrum as possible. Usually they don’t even know! haha! Colostrum kefir is also delicious. It always amazes me that so many people with cows throw away the most precious colostrum. 🙂
I have frozen cow colostrum in my freezer, and this looks like a great idea! However, I have a few autoimmune disorders (celiac and hashimoto’s) . I would like to make ice cream without raw eggs. Any suggestions? Thanks!
Hi Lisa, Many people make ice cream and just skip the eggs. I would think that with the colostrum being so thick to begin with, that it would be great without the eggs. I have some frozen colostrum as well, and I’ll try and make some soon to experiment. Let me know if it turns out to your liking. 🙂
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wish i could find someone offering this stuff here in Mi 🙂 awesome!!!
Try and find a raw milk producer from WAPF Real milk Finder and one of the farmers might have some frozen, or you can ask for some the next time one of their cow’s calf. People freeze it to have on hand for just born animals that are rejected by their mom. Most farmers throw it away or feed it to pigs, but it is very special and delicious. Good luck. 🙂
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Great post Jamie! I especially love using colostrum for things that don’t need to be heated/cooked in any way. When Sugar calved I got a picture of Coleman (9) with a big colostrum moustache cuz he would just chug it! haha. Also froze little “single serving shots” for future need but I wish I had done more…
Love it, Coleman! Yes, colostrum is fleeting for sure. 😉
That looks just too good!