How we milk our cows

It has been well over a year since I posted explaining the process of how we milk our cows.  Milking cows used to be a fairly common thing among farm families across our fruited plain.  I talk to many people in our area who grew up milking the 'family cow' as young boys.  When we talk about it, they all reminisce fondly about milking cows.  Isn't it funny how some things we complain about, when we look back on whatever it was, we have good memories and even though it was a difficult thing, it shaped us and made an impact on us?

It is truly a blessing to have a family cow.  The cow is truly a beloved part of the fabric of the family, providing milk, cream, butter, buttermilk, cheese, ice cream, sour cream, kefir, and yogurt.  I'm sure I'm leaving out a product or three.  They whey is used to feed the chickens.  She'll provide you with heifer calves that you can raise to milk or sell or bull calves that you can put in the freezer.  She'll provide you a gentle, but bossy personality and becomes like part of the family.  She'll give you memories of livestock shows, ribbons, belt buckles, etc.

Well, let's get started.  I would assume that there are a million and one different process in how one milks a cow.  We do what works for us and I'm sure there is a better way to do it.  We adjust our process from time to time and look to continuously improve.  I'll say this, it is very hard to get up every morning, but once you get going, milking cows is a pleasant, peaceful, pastoral experience that is SO worth it.  Here's how we currently do it:

Our mornings begin at 5 in the morning except on weekends when we sleep until the cows begin bellowing for us to get up and milk them.  That's usually around 7 am. Everything starts in our utility room.  We milk three cows (and a goat) each morning so we use 3 large gumbo pots to milk in.  Each pot has the cow's name on it. Daisy, Rosie, and Maggie each have their own bucket.  The buckets are thoroughly scrubbed and sterilized each day after the milk is poured.

Milking buckets

To act as a filter, we use a muslin cloth that we tie over the top of each bucket.  This cloth catches pieces of hay, cow hair or dust particles that may be drifting around in the barn when we start milking.

Muslin cloth filter

We also bring out a small crock with water, vinegar and a dash of soap and a rag in it.  

We'll then use the wet rag to wipe down her bag/udder real good.  Usually the girls are pretty clean and it only takes a quick scrubbing to get them spic 'n span.  Most of the time the cows are particular about where they lie down.  Occasionally we have to take them by the hose and give them a bath, though.

Scrub a Dub, Dub

The milking stalls are bordered by posts with cleats screwed on the bottom of them. We take a goat lead and run it around the cow's back leg, run it back through the loop, leave about a foot of slack, and then run the end in a figure 8 fashion around the cleat .  Cows will kick - usually not to hurt you, but to brush you away.  I probably wouldn't want to be tugged on either!  The last thing you want her to do is kick your bucket of milk over that you worked so hard to get.  Hobbling her leg limits her range of motion and allows you to milk her without dodging hooves.

Don't kick the bucket

Our feed room contains some large containers that we keep Dairy Ration in along with Alfalfa from time to time.  They are heavy duty and have screw-on lids to keep varmints out of the feed.  They seal nicely to keep the feed fresh.  They were originally filled with pickled vegetables for restaurant supply.  They smelled like pickles for the longest time!

Barrel of fun

We don't feed our cows very much - one scoop of Dairy Ration, two cups of alfalfa pellets, some kelp minerals, free choice salt blocks, and all you can eat hay.  In the Spring, Summer, and Fall, they help themselves to a buffet of Bermuda/Bahia grass in the pasture to keep them fat and happy.  We only feed them while we're milking them.  

Breakfast of Champions

They look forward to breakfast time and will be waiting for us at 5 am, requesting that we open the restaurant.  When we open the gate to the barn, they file in and assemble themselves in their respective milking stalls.  I normally milk Daisy and Tricia milks Rosie.  Once done, while Tricia milks our goat, Nellie, I'll milk patient Maggie, the last cow in line.

Booth or a Table, Ma'am?

I made their feed troughs by cutting a food-grade barrel in half and mounting to a frame made with 2x4's.  It works out great and they lick their 'plates' clean every morning.  I made wooden covers for the troughs that we put in place once they're done eating or else the chickens will lay eggs and do other stuff in the troughs that isn't befitting of polite conversation.

Miss Rosie eating breakfast

I'll use Vaseline to lubricate each of her teats, squirting out a couple shots of milk from each teat on the ground.  The cow forms a plug that protects her bag from bacteria and you want to remove that prior to milking.

Lubricating

Milking is a nice process.  It is a great time to pray, to think, to plan.  We try to pray for those who'll be drinking the milk.  It takes about 15 - 20 minutes and you're done. Tricia and I have different techniques.  I grab the teats and squeeze, alternate pressure from the index finger down to the pinky finger, pulling gently. Generous streams of fresh, warm milk begins filling the bucket.  On cold mornings, steam rises from the bucket.  It is not hard.  You don't need to strain.  Squirt, Squirt, Squirt...

At first when you start, the udder will be full and tight.  As you milk, it will loosen and become wrinkly.

If you've ever watched a calf nursing, you know that they'll use their heads to knock on the bag to make the milk 'drop.'  Sometimes when we just get started, the milk hasn't dropped yet.  All of a sudden it drops and you're able to get lots of milk. Towards the end, you aren't getting much milk from squeezing the teats. Then we begin a process we call 'stripping.'  We simply take the teats between our thumb and index finger and gently pull downward for a bit.  This will empty the bag.  It is important to do this, especially if you've weaned her calf.  You want her empty to avoid the possibility of her getting mastitis, a painful condition for a mama cow.

Stripping

We'll then carry the 3 buckets of milk back into the utility room where we'll remove the muslin cloth and prepare to pour the milk.

Fresh raw milk

The milk is carefully poured into sterilized glass jars.  

Pouring

We have numerous glass jars of all types and sizes.  We'll top them off with the delicious milk.

Topping off the jar

Sometimes we use a funnel to pour into glass jars with a ring in the top.  They are easy to carry and pour, but a little harder to clean.

We will quickly put the milk into a refrigerator that we have set on the coldest setting in order to chill the milk down quickly.  The milk is quite warm (the cow's body temperature), so you want to cool it off.  In the old days, they had a 'Spring House' where cool spring water ran through to cool the milk. 

Our modern "Spring House"

Here's a great benefit on non-homogenized, raw (unpasteurized) milk.  If you look about 4 1/2 to 5 inches below the cap of the jar below, you'll see a line.  You've heard the old saying, "The Cream Always Rises to the Top?"  Well, that is the cream above that line.  Once it cools, the cream will rise.  It is the best part.  You can either shake it up and drink WHOLE milk.  Or you can skim it off to make butter, whipped cream, and other delicious dairy products.  

The Cream Always Rises to the Top!

Our cows are Jersey cows and are known for making a very high percentage of rich butterfat.  Other than drinking the milk and consuming the other dairy products, this pretty much covers our milking process.

Nah, that Holstein didn't make that.  This is Jersey milk.

Oh, one more thing.  We wash the buckets and rags and get them ready for the afternoon milking and the morning milking.  Milk.  It does a body good!