Free's kidding journal 2011: Plum's death wish p 42

[Denim Deb]

Just curious, how much was it? I saw one on CL here that was going for $500. I thought that was a bit pricey, but since I have no idea of how much they cost, I could be wrong.

 

[I'm A Gardener :)]

Just curious, how much was it? I saw one on CL here that was going for $500. I thought that was a bit pricey, but since I have no idea of how much they cost, I could be wrong.

500 would be, I think, a great deal!!!!!

 

[freemotion]

It was around $800. Plus shipping. It is a new prototype for a better machine at a lower price, I'm the first guinea pig with it. There was a craigslist machine here for around $5-600 that my dad spotted, but I know nothing about milking machines. So I figured I would do much better to spend a bit more and get one with all new parts and that had a warranty and someone willing to take phone calls until I got it up and running, and for trouble-shooting. You need to replace certain parts every year, too, and I don't know about that and wouldn't know by looking at a used machine. The one I am getting has ALL new parts and a rebuilt vacuum pump. It is also set up for milking one goat. I don't need to fiddle with it and try to figure out how to re-configure it for a single goat.

I need something trouble-free. If it lasts me 20 years without too many repairs, which it should, it will really cost me pennies per day to use. Soooo worth it!

 

[ksalvagno]

Congratulations! My milking machine has really saved my hands. I would be in so much pain that I couldn't even pick up a mug. Makes all the difference in the world. And cleaning the machine is not a big deal. In fact, including cleaning, it takes me almost half the time it would for me to hand milk.

I thought I was going to be milking big and small goats so I had gotten a two goat milking system and since don't need it but it is there if I ever change my mind.

 

[freemotion]

Putting up the kid's pen fence today. DH just went to TSC to get some more t-post clips. We got one line done, I made the gates from cattle panel sections but haven't put them up yet, and we have to fence out the newly enlarged garden.

There is a cedar in the pen with a low, tight crotch between two main trunks that I envision trapping a baby goat leg so I have to figure out what to do about that. I don't want to cut it down as it offers some good shelter. Maybe I'll wrap it in hardware cloth? I have some around here somewhere. Of course, the babies were jumping up and trying to break their silly legs in it already when I had them out earlier.

 

[freemotion]

The kid's pen fence is almost done....just a few more feet! We ran out of daylight but were determined to finish it. Oh, well, I was freezing and it is supposed to rain all weekend, anyways. I still need to line all the cattle panel gates with something that will hold kids in, chickens out, and keep youngsters from getting their foolish horns stuck in the panels. All the gates are up and have latches, though. So not much left to do....and BOTH of the pasture gardens will have good fencing to keep goats out. I think.

I had two sets of visitors today, from two of my craigslist ads. Sometimes you meet the nicest people! The first was a young couple who have a farmstand in CT near where dh and I teach once a week. They inherited a 60 acre farm. There are tenants with animals that are leaving at the end of this month. Then they plan on cleaning up and getting animals for their farm.

They may want some of my goats....the two older pet pygmies as petters for the farmstand and maybe, hopefully, a couple of doelings for future milkers. They would like to add goat's milk soap to their offerings at the farmstand, so they took three bars home and want some for their seedling sale in May, then more for when they start selling produce a bit later.

They were very interested in some of my projects and I will be trying to get them to check us out. They have a wood cookstove! They are interested in Joel Salatin's methods and other sustainable and older ways. I told them about 12 Aprils in CA and some other stuff....they'll be emailing me for links and such. Where was that link to the River Cottage series online, anyone remember?

The second set of people was a very nice family with three cute and well-behaved little girls and a boy cousin. They want some dairy goats and possibly meat goats later. They want the two doelings if the first couple doesn't want them. The dad signed up for my goat basics class in May. What a great idea that was....thanks, Lori!

No one wants the buckling..... Yet.

AND that is not all of my fun day. More chicks hatching and....and.....wait for it......wait......for........it.......

MY MILKING MACHINE ARRIVED!!!! UPS came just as I was leaving for the office. It is not even unpacked yet. I still have to go out and milk Ginger, I am just thawing out right now. I won't get a chance to try it out until maybe Sunday evening. Dad will come over, hopefully, and help me with it. He's used portable milking machines in the distant past, so it won't be so new to him. His electrical engineering background will help, too.....unless he wants to make "improvements!" It hadn't even arrived and he was talking about replacing hoses or something! Sheesh! It doesn't need to maintain an orbit, Dad! Seriously!

 

[freemotion]

Here is my new milking machine. This part, the bucket and "claw," I refer to as R2D2:

This part is the vacuum pump. I named it C3PO:

I will need some help with it the first time at least, so I will be waiting until I have time and my dad has time/energy to come set it up. Meanwhile, C3PO is too heavy for me to lift out of the box! R2D2 is rather intimidating, but I spent some time with the manual learning such words as "claw" and "inflation" and "shell" and "pulsator" and other strange words that didn't mean what I thought they'd mean.....and I'm waiting for it to no longer be a holiday weekend so I can call the Perry's and ask a few questions.

I got official word back from the nice farm couple who came to see the goats and bought some soap....they will definitely be buying the two doelings and will take them home the first week of May. I am giving them the pygmies and they will pick them up at the same time. It is very sad for me since rarely in my life has an animal left my possession....they are usually with me for life. Even if that means freezer camp for some. I know they all had the best life possible. But I really liked this couple and feel very confident that these goats will all be well cared for and loved, maybe even more than I would because they will be their first goats ever, so they will always be special. Yep, that is how it will be.

Sniffle.

 

[Wifezilla]

Cool new toy!

 

[glenolam]

But you'll have more babies in the next few weeks so you'll get to enjoy that warm snuggle feeling again soon!

 

[Javamama]

Very nice Free! Enjoy playing with it