Flat Broke with Two Goats

by Jennifer McGaha

Goat Milk Soap The hardest parts about making goat milk soap are (1) milking the goat and (2) overcoming your fear of working with lye. The rest is a piece of cake. Once I got past my phobia of lye, I found soap making to be fun and relaxing. I loved all the smells and textures, the way the scents filled the entire house when the bars were curing. It was a lot like baking bread, and since I could no longer make anything as fussy as bread in our temperamental oven, soap making was a nice alternative. I have tried various methods with varying degrees of success, but by far the easiest way I have found is a hot-processed method that uses a Crock-Pot. Though hot-processed soaps have a slightly rougher appearance and tend to be darker in color than cold-processed soaps, they are ready to use soon after making and thus fulfill my need for almost-instant gratification. •20 ounces olive oil •40 ounces coconut oil •18 ounces frozen goat’s milk •9.56 ounces 100 percent pure lye Melt the coconut oil in Crock-Pot turned to low. When coconut oil is completely melted, add olive oil. Wearing protective gear and working in a well-ventilated area, slowly stir the lye into the frozen milk. (Note: Always add lye to the milk, never the other way around.) Once the lye has dissolved into the melted milk, slowly stir the lye/milk mixture into the oils in the Crock-Pot. Using a stick blender, blend in quick bursts for several minutes, until the mixture begins to “trace.” At this point, the mixtur...