May be getting a Jersey cow!!!

[freemotion]

Check out this site: http://www.realmilk.com/ unless you've already done so. An ND really turned my health around (and I was not living the typical American lifestyle either) by introducing me to these concepts and also www.westonaprice.org . You might even look into becoming a providor, people will drive quite a distance to get real milk, if it is legal in your state. You should also be able to find info on that site on the legality, as well. You will be able to get a better price, too.

Well, I'm not an expert by any means, but I am learning about cheesemaking at an incredible rate! I have another wheel of cheddar in the press right now. I plan to keep making cheddar for two months until I can taste my first piece!

 

[Beekissed]

A new wrinkle to the cow saga.....the people who own the cow are the same folks who came and bought--cheaply, I might add---my apples last year for making of apple cidar!

I was getting discouraged from not reaching them to schedule a time to see the cow, but I called this morning and talked to the man. The wife is doing all the dealing on the cow, so he couldn't tell me much but he did tell me he was the fella who came after apples. Small world!

This is about the only "hippy" family in the area, that I know of, so this ought to be interesting. He said he would like to come back this fall and dicker for apples again!

So......there may still be a chance of getting this cow!

 

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And you might even be able to trade with them for milking duties, for when you are working late or an emergency comes up! Cool! People will be more inclined to sell an animal to someone they know will care for it, rather than a total stranger. Hope you get it. Waiting with bated breath!

 

[Beekissed]

Update on the cow, free! Went to look at her and she is in pretty poor condition....sort of like your one goat you took in. She needs some serious TLC.....so they came down to $600 for her.

The owner says she knows of a couple of people already who would like to buy milk and another lady today told me she has some folks in her church who would like to do the same. I may never get to make cheese and butter!

She is very sweet and docile, so she should be easy to work with. She is not the pretty shade of red/fawn that I prefer in a Jersey but she will be pretty once I get her fattened and glossed up.

I need a butter churn in the worst way!

I'll post pics of her....don't be too shocked at her appearance! I will take a "before" pic and later, when I've had time to get her back to par, I will take an "after" pic. I can't wait to affect a change on this animal....I love making things look lovely.

 

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My parents used to sell paint in their store. I wonder what a paint shaker would do to cream??? I bet Lehman's has a churn for you. I wonder what could be rigged up with an old exercise bike??? But seriously.....

 

[Blackbird]

I bet you'll get her back up in condition in no time! Pretty soon you'll have to buy another fridge to store all the milk.
Does she have any sort of milking records? Is she used to being hand milked?

 

[Beekissed]

She's used to being hand-milked and was owned by this one family for 6 years now, but I doubt they ever kept a milk record on her. But I will! They seem sort of vague about her...but then, you would have to consider the source...the couple are the epitome of hippy-looking, flower children. I don't think they are rooted much in practicality or the business aspects of really using a milk cow.

All I can think of is how much food this one cow will produce and for how many different families! Out of this one animal comes a beef calf, gallons upon gallons of sweet, creamy milk, and manure to nourish my veggies and apple trees.

She should score high on the Squirrel Challenge, that's for sure!

 

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Ooops, how many goats do I need to catch up???

 

[lorihadams]

Jealous.......you guys are killing me, we want cows AND goats! I can't wait to see pics of her Bee. I bet she will LOVE living at your house!

 

[Beekissed]

lori, I never expected to ever own a cow! I always dreamed of being a farmer's wife and having a milk cow, but it never happened and I kind of disposed of that dream. We had one when I was young and on the homestead, but she wasn't mine, ya know?

Now...on the brink of getting a cow that I never dreamed of owning, I have to think God has a hand in this somehow and I'm wondering about the implications. Will this cow be instrumental in providing people with much needed nutrition? Will she be a key factor in our doing well in an economic crisis? .... Am I overthinking obtaining a milk cow?

I'm just wondering...why now? I don't use any dairy products except buttermilk on occasion, so its not something my family actually needs. I could have really used this cow when my kids were little, though!

I'm hoping this cow is something God will use to His own glory and will help people who need a cheap and good source of dairy foods. Whatever the case, I'm willingly along for the ride, because I dearly love doing the old-timey skills and food production like my granny used to .