Land of Milk
8/06/06 - 1st Day - On the Sabbath we were up again at 4:30 to try to train Ami so we can milk her. I got her into the corral all right, but when I went to tie her leg off so she wouldn't kick me, she threw a fit and we didn't get much done. Then she pooped while I was trying to get her leg tied off. I finally got it tied off and washed her udder. I figured that was far as we would get, so I fed her sweet grains and talked to her a bit, then let her go. We had a great sabbath. We took a "sabbath's day journey" to Santa Anna for breakfast at the Line Shack which is always a blessing. Then we walked down the main street (which is full of Texas themed shops, antique shops, etc.). We talked to the lady who owns The Santa Anna Store and got talking about Longhorns.
We are considering butchering Maria as soon as she weans our heifer calf (now named Pita). We talked to the lady about Maria's horns, and she sounded interested, so maybe we can find a market for the horns and hide.
The rest of the day was spent resting and reading. I was reading about making soap from both The Foxfire Book and from the Encyclopedia of Country Living. Then I read some in Volume 2 of John Gill's Tracts and Sermons.
Morning - This Lord's Day a.m. we were up at 4:30 again. The last two days both Tracy and Jennifer have gotten up for the morning show. Might as well get used to it. I got Ami separated off into the corral again without too much trouble, though Rosa always beats Ami down to the corral and all 4 cows with the two calves all came down this morning. Anyway, I got Ami tied off and tied off her back leg without a single kick! This could be a good day. Then I washed her udder, and she didn't protest one time. So far so good. Tracy handed me the milk pail and I went at it. Now, the problem is that I have never milked a cow before. I have read about it, but reading about a skill is not the same as doing it. So here I was with a calm and collected cow with a pail under her... what to do? Well, I started doing what the books said to do, and low and behold here came a thin stream of milk! Wow! So I did it again. Milk again. It ain't much, and it is not like they get on the TV shows, but it did make the ziiiippp sound in the pail that you expect. So I go at it a little while. I'm doing it one handed because I still have one hand on her back leg to help me know if she is going to kick. It doesn't seem she has an inkling to. I have my flashlight in my mouth and I'm milking away. Ok, so we didn't get much milk. My hand got tired, and it was hard work, but we got milk today and that is a great, great blessing. First milk on the land. We didn't even get enough for a bowl of cereal, but it was a beginning and now we will do it every morning until we start getting plenty of milk. It is always about the process, right? More later...
MB
We are considering butchering Maria as soon as she weans our heifer calf (now named Pita). We talked to the lady about Maria's horns, and she sounded interested, so maybe we can find a market for the horns and hide.
The rest of the day was spent resting and reading. I was reading about making soap from both The Foxfire Book and from the Encyclopedia of Country Living. Then I read some in Volume 2 of John Gill's Tracts and Sermons.
Morning - This Lord's Day a.m. we were up at 4:30 again. The last two days both Tracy and Jennifer have gotten up for the morning show. Might as well get used to it. I got Ami separated off into the corral again without too much trouble, though Rosa always beats Ami down to the corral and all 4 cows with the two calves all came down this morning. Anyway, I got Ami tied off and tied off her back leg without a single kick! This could be a good day. Then I washed her udder, and she didn't protest one time. So far so good. Tracy handed me the milk pail and I went at it. Now, the problem is that I have never milked a cow before. I have read about it, but reading about a skill is not the same as doing it. So here I was with a calm and collected cow with a pail under her... what to do? Well, I started doing what the books said to do, and low and behold here came a thin stream of milk! Wow! So I did it again. Milk again. It ain't much, and it is not like they get on the TV shows, but it did make the ziiiippp sound in the pail that you expect. So I go at it a little while. I'm doing it one handed because I still have one hand on her back leg to help me know if she is going to kick. It doesn't seem she has an inkling to. I have my flashlight in my mouth and I'm milking away. Ok, so we didn't get much milk. My hand got tired, and it was hard work, but we got milk today and that is a great, great blessing. First milk on the land. We didn't even get enough for a bowl of cereal, but it was a beginning and now we will do it every morning until we start getting plenty of milk. It is always about the process, right? More later...
MB
posted by Michael Bunker at 8/06/2006 03:16:00 AM
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