Post by shadowwings on Jan 15, 2012 17:40:03 GMT -5
I've been visiting this site for a little over two years. How it all started for me was I had a weekend 'get together' with a bunch of people from a site I own a couple of years ago. A lady that lives here in Georgia came and brought fresh milk from her cow. At some point during the weekend I decided I had to at least try the fresh cow's milk and was floored by how good it was. I have Nubian goats and never was real crazy about their milk so I was apprehensive about the fresh cow's milk.
As is usual and customary for me, I began to ask her a thousand questions about dairy cows. At the time she was looking for a new milking cow herself and she directed me to this site. One of the reasons I've always liked this site is because it is one of those wonderful 'gems' that is hidden here on the net. Perhaps that's one of the reasons that it maintains that specialness...one has to look to find it.
Anyway, over the past 2 years I would start to look for a milking cow and then abandon the idea...it just wasn't the right time I guess. I don't know what happened but this past week I started looking again and one thing led to another and before I knew it I had reserved an unborn heifer and unborn bull calf lol.
I was a city girl up until 5 years ago when I moved to the mountains and my farm. I've been so incredibly blessed with friends that have lived this lifestyle for decades or more so they have counciled me, taught me, been there for me and some where along the line I began to learn. I've come a long way over these past 5 years and am shocked at how much I know these days...it still can blow my mind that my life took such a drastic turn but it was by choice that I'm here and feel so very blessed.
Those friends that have been there for me all these years lack in one specific area though...they tend to be more goat people than cow people so as I enter into finally owning my own milking cow this forum has become even more valuable for advice while I learn the ropes in this new arena. I want y'all to know how much I appreciate that. I know alot of things about a few things...I know a little bit about alot of things but I really don't know anything about properly raising a milking cow so I've been here for the past few days reading, reading, reading. I'm more tired from reading than I am from working the farm lol.
Anyway, I just had to jump in and write this post because I'm shocked at how excited I am about getting this little girl that will one day provide fresh, raw milk in our home. My youngest daughter has commented a few times about how excited she is too which surprises me. Other than our dogs that we breed, the other animals are great and we enjoy them but I wouldn't say that we necessarily get excited about them lol.
I kept the locals around here in stitches the first few years because I had my own lingo for various things that comprise a farm, whether it be animal, machinery or whatever. It was exhausting to learn the propert terms for different breeds...bulls/steers/rams/bucks/blahblahblah. To me, it seemed MUCH simpler to refer to them as 'boy or girl cow/pig/goat/sheep' instead of having to learn so many new words lol. I never could understand why they would refer to loose stools as 'scours'...why didn't they just call it what it was...diahrrea? lol
I've come a ways though and have begun to learn the proper names of different things but the long explanation above is to let y'all know that when I start coming in with the 1000 questions I'll have on raising a milk cow properly that it'll probably take me some time before I can properly communicate what I'm trying to say lol.
In the meantime, I'll continue to scour the archives, not knowing what I should ask or know. If anyone has any suggestions or ideas on what I can/should do or have before the stork arrives I'd appreciate it. I have alot of things from milking the goats that won't necessarily work with a cow but I do have a milking machine (if I ever decide to stop hand milking) that I can buy a 'cow attachment' for to convert it over.
Until then, I'm tempted to do the 'happy dance' over finally getting a milk cow...well, not a REAL milk cow yet but a little heifer that someday I'll breed and have the pleasure of milking!
Thanks for listening. I figured y'all would appreciate how I'm feeling right now more than anyone else I know. If I tell my friends here at home they'll probably just groan and roll their eyes and laugh as this city girl/gone country embarks on her newest journey.
Darlene.
As is usual and customary for me, I began to ask her a thousand questions about dairy cows. At the time she was looking for a new milking cow herself and she directed me to this site. One of the reasons I've always liked this site is because it is one of those wonderful 'gems' that is hidden here on the net. Perhaps that's one of the reasons that it maintains that specialness...one has to look to find it.
Anyway, over the past 2 years I would start to look for a milking cow and then abandon the idea...it just wasn't the right time I guess. I don't know what happened but this past week I started looking again and one thing led to another and before I knew it I had reserved an unborn heifer and unborn bull calf lol.
I was a city girl up until 5 years ago when I moved to the mountains and my farm. I've been so incredibly blessed with friends that have lived this lifestyle for decades or more so they have counciled me, taught me, been there for me and some where along the line I began to learn. I've come a long way over these past 5 years and am shocked at how much I know these days...it still can blow my mind that my life took such a drastic turn but it was by choice that I'm here and feel so very blessed.
Those friends that have been there for me all these years lack in one specific area though...they tend to be more goat people than cow people so as I enter into finally owning my own milking cow this forum has become even more valuable for advice while I learn the ropes in this new arena. I want y'all to know how much I appreciate that. I know alot of things about a few things...I know a little bit about alot of things but I really don't know anything about properly raising a milking cow so I've been here for the past few days reading, reading, reading. I'm more tired from reading than I am from working the farm lol.
Anyway, I just had to jump in and write this post because I'm shocked at how excited I am about getting this little girl that will one day provide fresh, raw milk in our home. My youngest daughter has commented a few times about how excited she is too which surprises me. Other than our dogs that we breed, the other animals are great and we enjoy them but I wouldn't say that we necessarily get excited about them lol.
I kept the locals around here in stitches the first few years because I had my own lingo for various things that comprise a farm, whether it be animal, machinery or whatever. It was exhausting to learn the propert terms for different breeds...bulls/steers/rams/bucks/blahblahblah. To me, it seemed MUCH simpler to refer to them as 'boy or girl cow/pig/goat/sheep' instead of having to learn so many new words lol. I never could understand why they would refer to loose stools as 'scours'...why didn't they just call it what it was...diahrrea? lol
I've come a ways though and have begun to learn the proper names of different things but the long explanation above is to let y'all know that when I start coming in with the 1000 questions I'll have on raising a milk cow properly that it'll probably take me some time before I can properly communicate what I'm trying to say lol.
In the meantime, I'll continue to scour the archives, not knowing what I should ask or know. If anyone has any suggestions or ideas on what I can/should do or have before the stork arrives I'd appreciate it. I have alot of things from milking the goats that won't necessarily work with a cow but I do have a milking machine (if I ever decide to stop hand milking) that I can buy a 'cow attachment' for to convert it over.
Until then, I'm tempted to do the 'happy dance' over finally getting a milk cow...well, not a REAL milk cow yet but a little heifer that someday I'll breed and have the pleasure of milking!
Thanks for listening. I figured y'all would appreciate how I'm feeling right now more than anyone else I know. If I tell my friends here at home they'll probably just groan and roll their eyes and laugh as this city girl/gone country embarks on her newest journey.
Darlene.