Got Milk? (We do!)

Today is Saturday - the Sabbath.  Normally, we're up at 5 am milking.  On Saturdays, however, we sleep in a little bit.  That is, until we hear our alarm clocks going off.  In this case it is two Jersey mama cows outside of our window mooing loudly.  They want to get milked and begin their day - a day filled with eating grass and slumbering in the shade.

One of the first hard lessons that we learned is that milk cows need to be milked everyday. They don't observe holidays!  They don't care what the weather is like.  They are pretty demanding girls.  But, they provide the best fresh milk ever.  Fresh milk for drinking, for making butter, fresh cream, kefir, cheese, creme fraiche, ice cream, etc.  We love it.

First, we get things together to begin milking.  First we start with two very clean gumbo pots.  We wrap the top with a sun-sterilized flour sack that acts as a filter to keep dust, hair and other contaminants from the fresh milk.

Next, Tricia fills a bowl with water, vinegar and dash of soap.  This is used with a rag to clean Daisy and Rosie's bags and udders prior to milking.



Then we head out to the barn.  Here's the milk maid with her bucket!



When we get to the barn, the first thing we do is give the chickens some rice to eat.  Tricia always says that anyone with self-esteem problems needs to get themselves some chickens.  They follow you anywhere!  We have a mixture of barred rock, Rhode Island Red, and Aracauna hens.  The barred rock and Rhode Island Reds lay beautiful brown eggs and the Aracaunas lay blue and green eggs.  Delicious.

Here comes the girls.  They're hungry and want to be milked.  Amazingly Rosie is first today.  She's usually lagging behind.

We have two milking stalls in the barn.  Here's Daisy.  I think she's saying, "Hurry up!"

Now they are both clipped and we get ready to get started.

In the next couple of frames, Tricia starts by cleaning their bag really good with the vinegar, water, soap mixture.  Then she squirts out a few shots of milk from each teat.  This is to squirt out a "plug" that the cow makes to keep bacteria from entering the teats.

Tricia then ties one of Rosie's legs.  Sometimes Rosie kicks - not really to hurt you, but she can knock over the bucket.  Not a good thing when you've got a gallon or two of milk in the bucket.  We learned quickly about the old saying, "You can't cry over spilled milk." 

Next, Tricia fashions some hay twine around the pin bones and back legs.  Rosie swishes her tail and has a habit of hitting you across the face with a tail that is wet with milk or fresh morning dew.  Tricia's invention keeps that tail from swishing.

Now she adds a little olive oil to each teat for lubrication.

Finally, here we go.  Tricia sits down and starts milking.  I start milking Daisy right on the other side.  Once we start milking, it only takes 15 minutes to complete the job - not too bad.

After finishing, we go inside and get the milk ready for refrigeration.  First Tricia removes the "filter" and pours the milk into gallon jars.

Here's what the girls provided today - Almost 3 gallons.  We milk Rosie twice a day and Daisy once a day as we share her milk with her little adopted calf.  We put all the milk in the fridge. 

After the milk cools, the cream rises to the top.  You can see in this picture where the top 3 inches is pure cream.  This can be ladled off to make butter or to use as cream for your coffee.

Now that the work is done, it is time for a nice glass of fresh milk.  

Nice milk mustache, Benjamin!