My Right Hand Man

In the Book of Genesis, the youngest son of Jacob and Rachel was named 'Ben-oni' which means 'son of my sorrow'.  He was named this unfortunate name by his mother after a hard labor in which she ended up dying in childbirth.  Jacob renamed him 'Benjamin,' which means 'son of my right hand.'  Well, Benjamin is our youngest son and he lived up to his namesake this weekend as he was truly my right-hand man!

In an earlier post I was talking about how Benjamin was going to have to 'step it up' since Russ went off to college.  Russ really helped me out around the farm.  While Benjamin's normal chores include feeding the dogs and cats and making sure that the cows, goats, chickens, turkeys, dogs and cats have water, he was now going to have to gather eggs each day.  We also talked about how I was going to need him to help out in other areas as well.  Other Areas is a broad frontier, I know!

Well, this past weekend Tricia drove to Corpus Christi, Texas to visit her Mom and I really needed Benjamin to step up to the plate and handle the goat-milking duties that Tricia normally handles.  Nellie's milk production is falling off somewhat as it's been about 6 months since Annie was born, but Nellie's still giving a little less than a quart each time we milk her.  Nellie requires milking twice a day since we have her 'goat bra' on to try to wean Annie.  So the $64,000 question is:  "Was Benjamin up to the challenge?"  The Answer: A Resounding YES!

Benjamin brought Nellie into the goat milking stall and she jumped up on her milking stanchion.  First he closed the stanchion around her head, locking her in.  It doesn't hurt her and she doesn't mind.  Then, he had to remove her goat bra.  This contraption that Tricia designed keeps Annie away from her momma's milk so that WE can have it.  The apparatus also ensures that Nellie is dressed modestly around the other farm animals. (Smile)

Unfastening the goat bra

The next task is to clean Nellie up.  Animals like to lie down in the dirt from time to time and although we milk through a filter made with a muslin cloth, we still use a washrag to wash the teat area to ensure that it is free of dirt and hair.  No one likes dirt or hair in their milk.

Scrub a Dub Dub

Nellie sometimes gets a little antsy while she's being milked and stomps her feet.  We find that a little feed in the trough in front of the stanchion is a nice diversion while we milk her, so Benjamin put a scoop of Dairy Ration in the trough.

Breakfast for Nellie

You'll notice that Benjamin has one of Nellie's legs hobbled with a halter leash to keep her from kicking.  It is anchored to a cleat that I have fastened to the side of the stanchion.  Then he places the cloth-wrapped jar under one of her teats and starts milking, one teat at a time.  (While a cow has four teats - a goat has two.)

Got Milk?

Benjamin got the process down quickly.  He's a whole lot better at it than I am.  While I can really milk cows easily, somehow I can't get the hang of milking a goat.  In the photograph, you can see how Nellie's teat fills with milk as you open and close your hand and you simply squeeze it out. 

Fresh Squeezed Goat Milk

It really doesn't take that long at all to milk Nellie, but you still want to be comfortable, so we have a little stool to sit on during the process.  While milking our cows, we have box fans running to cool us off, but with the nice Fall weather, we don't need them right now.

Sitting down on the job

In no time at all Benjamin's jar started filling up with goat milk.  We make kefir with it and I usually have a goat kefir smoothie for breakfast each morning with honey and figs and a dash of cinnamon.  Pretty soon when Benjamin opened his hand, the teat no longer filled with milk, letting him know that he had emptied her.

Almost done

Benjamin is an adept Dairyman.  I was so proud of him and I think he was proud of himself, too.  He was a little hesitant about milking at first, but when he proved to himself that he could do it, his confidence was boosted and he felt good about it.

The Dairyman

There's something to be said about learning how to do something that you've never done before.  Doing the unknown can be intimidating, but when you actually do it and succeed, it bolsters your confidence to try other things.  Attaway to go, Benjamin , My Right Hand Man!