New Man on the Job
We have a new milker to add to our workforce!!Yes, this week, at his request, 5yo son started helping--genuinely helping--with the milking. Just look at those hands go!
Normally, two of us go out to milk sometime mid-morning. (The Jersey calf is separated from his mother at night, but is released after the mama is milked in the morning. So at this point, we only milk once a day: a VERY nice arrangement, although the calf is getting quite big. I'm not sure how much longer we'll be able to keep it up!)Usually, 15yo daughter and 12yo son do the milking. Occasionally, I go instead of one of them. So they are the primary milkers; I'm back-up, when needed. 5yo son occasionally went out with us, and occasionally milked a little, but only for fun--until this week, when he asked to help out, and 15yo thought he (and she) could handle it. And he has helped a few times now! He's gone out with her or with 12yo and pulled his weight in the milking department--generally with no problems or thoughts of complaining (although I understand he was quite easily distracted today).
Mary Susan
posted by The Bradshaws at 2:25 PM
6 Comments:
Mary Susan, would you be willing to take some more pictures of your milking set up? I like the fact that there is a place to sit and let your feet go down under the cow. YOu can email them to me, or just make another post. =)
Great for your son! He could certainly give me lessons, as I'm still trying to do a decent job of milking goats!
how many gallons of milk do you get a day from your cow with it nursing still? we get about 2.5 qrts. from our french alpine goat. We are thinking of a cow too. I am friends with christy at stouffers living simply. thanks Homemakerang
homemakerang@hotmail.com
Marci,
There really isn't a place to sit; what 5yo is sitting on is just a board we put under Clarabelle to place the pan on that we milk into; most of us milkers sit on ultra-uncomfortable concrete blocks--one on each side of the stanchion (in the top photo, a block would be behind 5yo). He's just too small to reach the teats if he sits out where the rest of us do. I will try to post more pics, but I'm not sure they'll help or inspire. Any oddities about our stanchion have been attempts at keeping Clarabelle's hooves out of the milk; she's GREAT at getting them in, but we seem to have done enough to prevent that, now. Nothing worse than getting a bunch of milk, only to have a hoof get in it--and have to give it to critters!
Homemakerang,
I've seen your comments on Christy's blog, and you are blessed in knowing her!
We get about 1.5 gallons a day from Clarabelle right now, I'd say. That seems to be on something of a downward swing, with winter pasture as well as probably needing to wean Chuck. (However, we don't want to wean him because he makes a full day away on Sunday do-able!) Two gallons in the fall was not unusual, but it is now.
Mary Susan
Our daughter wrote a post a while back with some better pictures of the milking stanchion.
Keith
Thanks for the link to the pictures. I see now what you are talking about.
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