How to Skim the Cream Off Your Milk!

How to skim the cream off your milk!
Fresh cream says decadence like few other things in life... one of the blessings of producing your own food (or buying the equivalent from a local farmer) is that you get cream with your milk, filet mignon with your ground beef, asparagus with your spinach. Take full advantage of these little luxuries...
You use cream for coffee, ice cream, whipped cream and, most importantly in my book, BUTTER!
But before you can create these amazing treats, you have to get the cream skimmed off the milk. In this video, Carolyn will show you how to skim your raw cows milk to separate off your cream.
If you want cream from your goats milk you may have to use a cream separator, as most goats milk is naturally homogenized.
Be sure to check out what else you can do with your raw milk here: homesteadingfa...
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MORE ABOUT US!
WELCOME! We're so glad you're here! Let's start growing, preserving & THRIVING! We are Josh and Carolyn Thomas. Together with our eleven children, we are The Homesteading Family where we’re living a self-sustainable life in beautiful North Idaho. Let us welcome you and show you a bit about us here: bit.ly/HFWelcom...
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A few highlights you don't want to miss are our FREEBIES!!
Click any of the links below for instant access to free video training resources:
Healthy Healing at Home - Learn how to confidently use herbal medicine in your home with this FREE 4 video workshop. homesteadingfa...
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Click any of the links below for instant access to these free downloadable PDFs:
- 5 Steps to a More Self Sufficient Life- Simple PDF download on 5 steps anyone can take wherever they are to start a more self-sufficient lifestyle.
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- Carolyn’s Cottage Garden herb list- PDF with Carolyn’s favorite herbs for growing at home.
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- Carolyn’s Make-Ahead Breakfast Casseroles- Carolyn’s favorite make-ahead breakfast casseroles.
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- Your FREE Guide to Preserving Eggs- PDF download with multiple ways to preserve eggs.
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- 5 Steps to a Healthy Garden- PDF download with an explanation of what makes healthy soil and 5 steps you can take to improve your garden
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- Save the Crumbs- Several Recipes for using bread leftovers, a less committal entry to bread than the workshop.
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- Fearless Fermenting- A PDF on basic lacto-ferments.
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- Fermenting Tomatoes- PDF download on fermenting tomatoes
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- Preserving Culinary Herbs- Downloadable, step by step directions to drying, freezing and salting culinary herbs.
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- Render Your Own Lard- PDF with instructions on how to render your own lard.
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[@OO_sunflower_OO]

I love how she talks to us so slowly like babies. I’m a city girl, the daughter of a really city boy and my life is pressure and expectations. I keep a garden, rabbits and chickens though bc I just love being around nature and animals. Thanks for this video :) looking into getting a mini jersey (if I can like get stables or sheds for the cow) 😘

[@winsomewife7112]

We just got 2 LaMancha goats in milk, and get 6-7 quarts a day. 2 city guys in our family & a friend tried the milk at a party I brought some to our married daughter, and they said "it tasted no different (than cow's milk) and it was great". We like it very much too. We still talk about getting a dairy cow again, but it's much easier to have several goats so they have a friend. 2 cows is a LOT of hay & poop & pee & more space needed, such deep holes in the wet ground so was stuck in the barn more than we thought was good for her. The goats can be on pasture more of the year bcz they're easier on the grass bcz they're so small. As sweet as our cow was, we got hurt a few times, just so big & heavy. They're WAY stronger than a horse of the same size too. Shockingly stronger. It was amazing. Raised her from 6 months old. Miss her so much. Died of mastitis that the vet couldn't stop from going gangrenous. Had to put her down. Probably won't get a dairy cow again unless we can have more than 1 cow so she won't be lonely. Our cow kept escaping so she could go visit the neighbors cows a few houses over. She could hear them. I guess our horse & previous goats weren't enough for her. They like their same kind better.

[@coopie624]

I love the cream off of fresh, raw milk! There is nothing better!

[@mayhmmaydn]

With an abundance like that I would be tempted to can butter in half pint jars and gift them with some muffin or bread for the holidays!

[@stevenssunshinefarm5560]

Hi! We are a homesteading family also and I am loving your videos! I always say, the star of the farm is the lovely milk cow ;) I was blessed years ago by finding a local farmer who provided great raw milk, then later we were able to get our own milk cow and that opened up a whole new world of delicious health and treats! Looking forward to her calving again in early winter, but we missed a year because she miscarried several months back. I am really enjoying your videos and finding new ideas to bring to our own homestead! Blessings, Melissa

[@HomesteadingFamily]

+Stevens Sunshine Farm Hi Melissa! Yes - the milk cow is a really important member of the family around here!! We've missed a year before due to a miscarriage and ended up buying a second milk cow since we couldn't imagine going a year without!

[@LB-vl3qn]

Great video, thanks. I live in the suburbs and now i want a cow.

[@beccareul]

L B no you don’t because they have to be milked twice a day, rain or shine 365 days a year.

[@vispev3123]

@@beccareul it's not that hard to milk a cow

[@yelloworangered]

My Great-Grandma Gibson was such a farm lady that she could skim the cream with one swoop of a finger. How I wish I could spend time talking to her. How I wish I had all her skills!

[@PrayerWarriorMama]

I love her because she’s acting like Miss Hancock and I really like her

[@tinkmarshino]

oh I love this.. reminds me of my childhood grandma skimming the cream off of the milk for grandpas coffee in the mornings.. and I would get a bit for my cereal.. dang I want a time machine...

[@Begining2013]

I've been binge watching all your videos. I love love love your channel. It's so informative. Thank you for making these videos.

[@shelly5596]

I think what you ment to say in the very beginning is that the cream will rise to the top not the milk. Anyway, thank you for the tips. We dont own dairy animals but we have recently purchased raw cow milk from a farmer that lives a couple hours away from us. It's only available once a week and is very inconvenient especially coming into the harder winter months. Anyway, they dont sell raw cream, only pasteurized cream. I had the idea of skimming the raw cream off of the milk in order to make raw sour cream. I'm on the GAPS protocol which requires a large amount of fermented raw dairy. This is a challenge where we live.

[@brandontruelove]

I love your videos! Thank you so so much for sharing what you know. It's so hard to know how to do some of these thing correctly, without having been brought up that way. Homesteading is our family's goal so your knowledge is so very much appreciated!

[@Inkdraft]

Even the organic companies are now putting gellan gum in their heavy cream to thicken it. Geez. I get my raw milk from an organic farm (If I can get there before the milk truck gets there LOL) and I let it sit in the fridge 48 hours and then just skim off the thickest cream for coffee or for whipping and leave the rest for drinking. But if I'm making yogurt or cheese I leave all the cream. I really enjoy your videos.

[@zhippidydoodah]

or carrageenan :(

[@hansstrydom-yd9bu]

Very good demo. Your presentation and explanation very professional. Thank you very much. Fourways. Sandton. South Africa

[@silvana.ameandespeciallyyo6885]

God bless dear.. God bless the precious cow..🙏💜

[@RamonaRayTodosSantosBCS]

Do you want to adopt a grandma during the summer? I know how to milk a cow lol, and I speak Español! I can run a crew! Well... I used to 20 years ago. Jajaja

[@tammymarkham611]

I love love love your videos.... thank you for sharing them

[@LB-ku6ry]

Wow. Thank you for this.

[@robin-marie111]

Your such a WEALTH of information 💗 THANK YOU 💗 I'm LOVING your Dairy Masterclass 💗

[@nowasia8887]

Thank you so much! Such a beautiful and simple video and I love your kitchen. Looking forward to get back to nature and have my own cows and make my own cream!

[@suegoff2684]

That delicious cream is also great on a baked sweet potato when you are sitting around the cabin waiting to go out and that big frosty nose deer!!

[@ladybugcrafts2014]

My Granny called milk that had been fully skimmed of cream "Blue John". lol She'd say why'd you get that blue john milk, it isn't any good.

[@HomesteadingFamily]

+Deb G - No it isn't good drinking it straight - but you cant tell a bit of difference if it is baked in something... and the kids LOVE hot chocolate made with it (tastes like caramel hot chocolate!). But it totally ruins coffee...😉... love her name for it though...

[@HomesteadingFamily]

+Homesteading Family lol... sorry - read your reply as canned milk... but I'm with her - good milk needs some cream!

[@mariedelozier2530]

Lady Bug Crafts ; That's rite; ol' Blue-John...shoot, if ya hadda lotta milk,you'd mix it with the hog-feed!! If ya ask me, them ole commercial Holsteins just give only Blue-John, right outta the tit!! Ain't wuth drinkin'!!

[@RestingBitchface7]

Lady Bug Crafts I grew up the same. The reason commercial skim milks have blue and pink caps is because back in the day, Blur Milk was only used to spread over fields or give to chickens, and Pig’s Whey (pink cap) was added to hot mash for hog farms. This is waste, not human food.

[@RestingBitchface7]

Homesteading Family see my comment above. That’s pure sugar, and not good for kiddos.

[@alanabunch6749]

I love your videos and tips! You are absolutely the best! God Bless you sister! I have learned so much!

[@DaylightDisinfectant]

I’m drooling. I would just sip some of that fresh cream. I’d put some in strong coffee.

[@liza71234]

I'm so glad I found your channel! Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge.

[@mio.giardino]

I may have drooled for this whole video. I miss whole unpasteurized milk.

[@johnp.turner2000]

Are you leaving your raw milk out on the counter and then harvesting the cream from the top or do you keep your milk in the refrigerator? Thank you for your video

[@ryantube9274]

I like the milk with all of the cream.

[@cattleNhay]

I get that really really thick skim milk in the Swiss alps...the grass is just sooooo good and cows produce amazing milk :) they get corn silage as well, a few grains in winter. But in summer up on the high alps, only alpine grass for cheese production.

[@kha0s616]

Thank you!!!

[@caudillcaudill2237]

😢you do it the way my Aunt Kate did it...I miss following her in kitchen. 💜👵🏻

[@kurtremislettmyr7108]

how long can you let the cream sit in the refrigerator before you make butter. can you freeze milk and then make butter? I really liked you video 😊 and what you said about milk being healthy is so true. It's even used to describe the ultimate blessing in the bible, being given a land of milk and honey. lol. i love both😍

[@gracehillgranny5445]

Have you ever tried the bottom draining fat separator pitcher, that's normally used for separating oil or fat from broth? I buy from a local farm. It is transported in quart jars, not a half gallon or gallon jar.

[@salemthorup9536]

I feel like whenever it seemed I got any milk in the cream that the cream wouldn't whip. Are you able to get it to whip even with tiny swirls of milk? I was using a much larger and deeper ladle and didn't wet it, so maybe that was my mistake. I will try skimming with a gravy ladle. I love your videos. Just discovered your channel last night. We are soul sisters. Thanks for living the dream and sharing it.

[@Candeerose3]

Can you make a video on how you make your butter? I would love to see that!

[@marksman3530]

Candee Rose Get your cream and over whip it with a electric beater or till its butter and the leftover milk is called "buttermilk"A beater isn't a must but it would take a long time but still possible

[@theprudenudist2182]

Very easy to make butter. Take the cream and mix (stir or use blender) depending on the speed you'll have to wait different periods of time for your butter to solidify.

[@cattleNhay]

Candee Rose in a deep Woden barrel, fill 1/3 with skimmed milk..insert 2 mice. The one who swims and swims is the little mouse that could cause he churned it to butter and jumped out.

[@aCycloneSteve]

Do you have a posting showing you making butter? I didn't see one looking through your list. Thanks (And thanks for the posts, pure gold!)

[@HomesteadingFamily]

+aCycloneSteve Not yet... but on the list as the first dairy video I do this year once the cow freshens....

[@couponingjunk6423]

do you perhaps have a video on all the things you can make from raw milk? like what you do with the cream, and you can make whipped cream and cream cheese, and cottage cheese, and butter, and how you keep the buttermilk and all that kind of stuff and what your process is and how you store it????

[@HomesteadingFamily]

We do have those in our masterclass here: classes.homesteadingfamily.com/practical-homemade-dairy

[@gilmore25967]

Would love to see a butter video and ice cream!

[@HomesteadingFamily]

+Sarah Gilmore - Ohh - ice cream! We love that homemade ice cream... but the cow is dry for winter, so maybe in the spring...

[@sweetlorikeet]

I'm very impressed with the cream yield your cow is giving! When you make butter in such large quantities, what method do you use?

[@HomesteadingFamily]

+T Nicholas Hi there... Yes she is a great milk cow... but she hardly keeps any fat for herself - the more (better quality) you feed her the more she produces and gets skinny! I just use my good old Bosch mixer with the cookie paddles and do about .5 gallons of cream at a time... Not the most efficient, but large electric butter churns are EXPENSIVE!! So we make do!

[@brissygirl4997]

Homesteading Family have you tried the old fashioned wooden butter churns? I saw a video on Townsends here in youtube on how making butter was done during 18th century America and it was fascinating to watch.

[@beckycory9023]

Maybe try a cookie sheet instead of a towel. Maybe poor your spills back in the milk. Yum.

[@sailingtersancta4884]

You can get the thick cream here in wales uk pretty much in every farmers market

[@tasneemsbenaty7096]

Thank you for this video 🌼 I know that we need to use raw milk for that, without boiling it or anything right? Is it safe to consume products from raw milk? I want to try it, but I'm a little confused

[@lashyliam9862]

I really want a cow now 😍

[@TheIntuitiveBodyFoodieNetwork]

How long does raw cream last in the refrigerator before going sour or spoiling?

[@redsailor101]

Cream was NEVER a unhealthy food....until you added sugar...

[@nancyvance1873]

If you skim into a large measuring cup - with a big top - it won't be so messy. Then, pour cream into your clean jar.

[@allglad]

Is your 12-24 hr milk refrigerated before separating?

[@sarahharter5297]

Do you ever make powdered milk? I’ve always wondered how it’s done. I use milks in the soap I make but I’d love to buy fresh milk, cream, powdered milk and so on. Love your videos!

[@charsiu_808]

I'm thinking a freeze dryer would be awesome for that

[@elladuhon2297]

Carolyn, love,love the videos even though I am not able to do most of what you do. I am disabled now but when younger , I did everything in my power to keep going. Wish I had the land and youtube when I was younger. My life would be quite different along with the childrens lives. I would make sure of it. Hind site is truely 20-20

[@susanwoo466]

Can you freeze cream till you have enough to make butter

[@stephenamberleighwedding4812]

Do you make your yogurt and cheeses in cast iron pots?

[@jillbyrd9949]

CAROLYN I’ve never been around raw milk. 😊. If you guys are just drinking it do you skim it first and drink what is left? And do you skim after it is refrigerated? Thank you for helping us get started!!

[@rawfoodelectric]

Yay!!!

[@purehell7075]

Skimming starts @ 4:57!

[@2023praise]

Im first timer here and bought at dairy and it came in gal container . Should I have poured in into a glass jar?

[@PoliticalAnimal87]

Is it a viable option to use a straw to suck out the milk from under the cream raft? Or is that a bad idea.

[@mollylenz1032]

Can you use that cream to make half and half?

[@jvcantrell]

While waiting for the milk and cream to separate, is it refrigerated?

[@HomesteadingFamily]

+jvcantrell Yes it is!

[@mastercheapgamer278runners9]

+Homesteading Family Even know if it's refrigerated, wasn't it really good to drink with? I thought the cream milk wasn't that good, but it smells different.

[@seamossoahu]

Can you make ice cream from this cream?

[@mujahidali9818]

Nice demo mam, but if you get your camera closer to the jar and show the difference of color, would be great. also need to confirm that you didn't heat the milk at all .. right? only keeping it for long time in fridge .. please advise

[@katjodaniels4233]

She did not heat the milk. Only refrigerated it.

[@moneymanusa7]

Does doing this turn the milk into non fat milk or low fat milk

[@CatalpaCreekFarm]

this may be a stupid question but after you skim off the cream....what do you do with the rest of the milk? can you still drink it? thank you great video

[@HomesteadingFamily]

+Kelly Troup - It is great to drink (its what you drink everything you buy milk at the store!). It is still the equivalent of whole milk from the grocery store. I often make cheese with the skimmed milk, we drink it, make kefir with it or clabber it.

[@CatalpaCreekFarm]

Homesteading Family thank you so much I am still learning 😀

[@sarakeech3706]

You need to talk about if you left it out first and if so how long...

[@trishlovewell2573]

I have enjoyed watching several of your videos. Do you have one on how to make butter?

[@doradelacruz4365]

What can you make with the cream if you left out side the refrigerator? Or how many days can stay outside?

[@laceyfleming16]

I skimmed the cream off and put it in a jar, and it had a smell to it. But the jar where I skimmed it from did not. Is that normal?

[@ninaleuvelingtjeenk887]

Hi! Love your videos☺ i'm new to farming and just wanted to ask(i know dumb question) do you leave the fresh milk in the fridge or at room temperature to skimm off the cream?😁 thanks for any help😁🙏

[@sunnyfine1968]

hi . thanks for the video. how many grams of butter comes from 1 liter milk? (approximately)

[@zuleikabanks3609]

Do you put it in the fridge to sit, for the cream to rise?

[@BabyGirlADM]

I thought I'd let you n all ya viewers know I recently bought a new brand from kroger called homestead creamery n apparently there the only place that sales it I thought at first I had got a bad batch do to the thick layer at the top but I see know it's actually a ligit close to raw milk n thanks to ya video I know no diffrent know my question is how long will the milk b good sence there's no date like the process kind with experaction dates n bty thanks for this learned something new n most defiantly a new experience

[@stillportra]

hello, is it from refrigerated raw milk or refrigerated pasteurized milk?

[@doublekhobbyfarm]

Hi. Love your videos. I bought a gallon ofilk from the tank from my local farmer last Saturday. Today I am skimming cream like you. Great tip with the small ladle. I am very inexperienced with fresh milk. It has different smell. That is normal? Or did I wait to many days?

[@sabhalevis6126]

Can i whip with culf milk its more "Fresher" as i thought "Fresh" cow milk is older.im sure the expert cow get the bids by exert their expressive milk better.

[@lynpharr]

That heavy cream you're talking about?... Yeah, I've found it here in washington. #luckyyyy

[@davidb.854]

What do they call it?

[@lynpharr]

@@davidb.854 it's just raw cream here. Dungeness valley, and twin brook creamery sell it here. I can also buy raw milk and ladle the cream off myself.

[@anatalia4589]

I have a question, can you use the skimmed milk to make mozzarella, farmers cheese, etc

[@TommyGunzzz]

So is it low-fat raw milk after the cream is skimmed off?

[@just_likethat3052]

Does the rest of the milk still able to be use to drink after boiling it or was it only can be use for other to processed it like cheese?

[@linz9350]

Hi. Do you have a how to make butter video?

[@terrancetoll7003]

do you take the cream off the milk before you make the dream cheese ? i am trying to understand.

[@joannabaldwin1787]

I found some local grass fed lightly pasteurized cream. Is that still good for you?

[@HomesteadingFamily]

+Joanna Baldwin Sounds better for you than the fully Pasteurized grain fed store bought stuff, but it is lacking the enzymes that the raw cream would have... but all in all, a step in the right direction!

[@marykaycreations3144]

So what do you do with your milk after you skim the cream off? Can I process something more from this milk?

[@HomesteadingFamily]

There are many things you can make with the skimmed milk. One of our favorites is mozzerella.

[@lavendergivata1220]

Are the benefits still there for skim raw milk? Just wondering

[@carolinebaines8735]

Do you pressure can butter or milk?

[@dianarojas4351]

Can you make sprouts bread?

[@sundaycaradine2171]

do you have a video showing how to make butter

[@HomesteadingFamily]

No, but we're back in milk now and will try to do some more dairy videos!

[@beccareul]

Okay honestly what do you do with 60 lbs of butter a month? I love butter, I could eat it on just about anything but my family could never eat that much butter. Can you sell it being that it’s unpasteurized?

[@monicag.1527]

Not only is it a good spread, but can be used for low heat cooking, can be used in baking, it can be frozen (as she mentioned), also, she has a large family, so I imagine they have no problem using it up.

[@BonesBones54]

Can we see a butter video?

[@HomesteadingFamily]

+becky jones I was totally planning on one this year but we are now drying the cow off 😞... Next year?

[@eliut6620]

Hello love this video. My husband and I have some dairy cows (Holstein ). Now I boil the milk here at home in order to kill the bacteria (I still have a toddler ) is the cream there after boiling? Or should I let the milk set for a day in the fridge in order to collect the cream?

[@Fandao19]

You’ve just killed all the healing elements of the milk by boiling it, the bacteria is for healing, The Goverment lied to you

[@eliut6620]

@@Fandao19 see in all honesty I never knew how things where done. I only did what my neighbors did. Also I don’t live in the U.S. I live in a rural area in Mexico. I was also following the indications that the local doctor had given me. Excuse my ignorance. I’ve been me location longer and have since changed the way I process the milk in my kitchen

[@Fandao19]

Eliut hi, thanks for the reply and great work on keeping your raw milk now full of life giving and healing bacteria that your body thrives on, all the best

[@WaffleStaffel]

5 gallons of cream a week? Holy smokes. God, I miss my raw milk.

[@iseeewe5936]

Hi, is this milk raw or pasteurized?

[@laurarichards4667]

Raw.

[@BrendaBodwin]

?Questions?? How is goats milk naturally homogenized? What could you possibly be using that much daily milk on? 15lbs of butter per week? Your special cheese. Do you sell it or give some away?? Its just seems like way to much for 1 small family. Also, how does your family go away? Do you have family that will come do the chores if you take a family trip?

[@HomesteadingFamily]

Well, there are 13 people in our house... and we do store a lot for when the cow is dry. Sometimes we sell our extra. Getting away is always a challenge on a farm, thankfully we have farming neighbors that help out occasionally. ❤️

[@BrendaBodwin]

@@HomesteadingFamily 13? I guess I dont know how many children you have. Im not sure why, but, I thought it was the 2 of you and 7 children. I had 19 boys. 🤯 I didnt give birth to them. Only 3. 16 adopted. Had 19 sons by the time I was 23. Lost 5 in the wars. They are all grown men now. Anyway, 13 people in the house explains it. You would definitely need and use a lot of milk, and, milk products up. Thank you for answering. Have a blessed day. 😁👍❤

[@youtubesuckss7058]

Can someone please tell me why I get a fever since I started drinking raw milk, my milk supplier is very reliable. Basically I get fever and congested and headaches too. Thank you.

[@lenkngomez8451]

Raw milk means that you’re drinking straight from the cow, who knows if there’s any bacteria when it comes out. Leaving you vulnerable to E.Coli and salmonella

[@thephilosopher5799]

Try a different milk supplier if the same thing happens then stop drinking milk. Try A2A2 grass fed raw milk. You might have sensitivity to bacteria/microorganisms in milk

[@Fandao19]

It is detox, the milk is healing

[@ChronicViper]

If you just want to show your kid what non homogenized milk looks like, fast forward past the five min intro to the actual skimming of the cream.

[@cindiwitfoth4031]

Can you buy raw milk

[@indianne9781]

It depends on what state you live in. Here In Indiana, you have to buy a herd share. Legally you get the milk for free (because it can't be sold), but you pay for boarding your piece of the cow. Some states are a bit more reasonable.

[@ThatDruidDude]

Do you pasteurise the milk first before processing it ?

[@changetheworld2572]

Once skimmed can you continue to drink the remaining milk?

[@melissawagner7195]

After skimming off the majority of the visible cream, approximately what percentage of milk fat is the remaining milk? I know I saw some other comments and you mentioning it is still "whole" milk - so does that mean the remaining milk with barely any cream line is still 3.25-4% fat?

[@yohanbrad4095]

MELK!

[@jdydhbdgjxjdbzidbdv7206]

skilm milk taste like cream

[@neils6695]

Sound is no good, you need a mic for better sound.

[@donkeydonk96]

100