Monday at the fair.5am Alarm goes off.
5:20 downstairs, coffee in travel mugs (large ones) for me and the man, lunches in boxes, work boots on.
5:30 I'm out the door to the farm and he is off to hop in a rig for the day.
6am pull up the house driveway at the farm shut off truck. Most mornings lately there has been a dusting or so of fresh powder snow. As if Mama Nature took a bag of powdered sugar and sifted it out over the land.
The walk to the barn in the dark only takes a few minutes. But already signs of life scatter out across the path and the lawn.
Little mouse and rabbit tracks dot the white shadowed earth near the now retired CornPro stock trailer.
A cat crossed the bridge atop the ravine that connects the two tracks of land. Quick glance ahead shows its Chainsaw, sitting waiting watching as I trudge out to flick on lights and wake the girls up.
Coffee cup and flashlight into the old microwave. Walk down Mom's line of milkers to check Magic, a small black and hugely pregnant cow that is defintiely close. No calf today. Maybe tomorrow. Blitz and Mandy are hanging their heads over their stall front watching, thinking perhaps I have a bale of hay in my pocket because as far as they are concerned a round bale apiece twice aday would not be enough food
Back out to the milk house. Flick the switch to run the last cycle on the pipeline washer. Calves get water or milk as per age group.
By the time I feed the last baby, Carolina a sweet little split face heifer who greets me like a long lost friend every time I walk down the alley behind her stall, the pipeline is done and I can set up and get started.
I really love my hour or two alone in the barn every morning. Not that I like setting up its a pain in the rump but for that little bit its still so peaceful. The sun isnt even up out of bed yet. Generally just as I am milking Sugar, the calf Licorice, a sturdy mid-sized black cow, is carrying is starting its morning lets irritate mommy ritual. I usually get a solid bump from it as it stretches out in her belly when I bend over to attach Sug's machine. By the time I am done adjusting the hoses Licorice is rocking back and forth as the calf does a two step against her stomach. I think she is more than ready to have the calf get born and stop kicking her all the time.
I milk Dad's set of cows last. They are probably the easiest batch. No young two year olds, mostly second plus lactation cows with decent tempers. Old girls like Balsam and Heather who like to be scratched and patted. Or just calm critters like Syracuse and Lucky who you barely notice.
Mom Dad and Becky are out milking her line and the bucket cows now. It gives me a chance to sit and enjoy the last of my coffee before I head out onto the road to work for NFO and inspect my farms or run water samples or whatever else the day requires. Speaking of which...I think I better get moving and shower and grab some breakfast...Or I will be quite hungry tonight!
5:20 downstairs, coffee in travel mugs (large ones) for me and the man, lunches in boxes, work boots on.
5:30 I'm out the door to the farm and he is off to hop in a rig for the day.
6am pull up the house driveway at the farm shut off truck. Most mornings lately there has been a dusting or so of fresh powder snow. As if Mama Nature took a bag of powdered sugar and sifted it out over the land.
The walk to the barn in the dark only takes a few minutes. But already signs of life scatter out across the path and the lawn.
Little mouse and rabbit tracks dot the white shadowed earth near the now retired CornPro stock trailer.
A cat crossed the bridge atop the ravine that connects the two tracks of land. Quick glance ahead shows its Chainsaw, sitting waiting watching as I trudge out to flick on lights and wake the girls up.
Coffee cup and flashlight into the old microwave. Walk down Mom's line of milkers to check Magic, a small black and hugely pregnant cow that is defintiely close. No calf today. Maybe tomorrow. Blitz and Mandy are hanging their heads over their stall front watching, thinking perhaps I have a bale of hay in my pocket because as far as they are concerned a round bale apiece twice aday would not be enough food
Back out to the milk house. Flick the switch to run the last cycle on the pipeline washer. Calves get water or milk as per age group.
By the time I feed the last baby, Carolina a sweet little split face heifer who greets me like a long lost friend every time I walk down the alley behind her stall, the pipeline is done and I can set up and get started.
I really love my hour or two alone in the barn every morning. Not that I like setting up its a pain in the rump but for that little bit its still so peaceful. The sun isnt even up out of bed yet. Generally just as I am milking Sugar, the calf Licorice, a sturdy mid-sized black cow, is carrying is starting its morning lets irritate mommy ritual. I usually get a solid bump from it as it stretches out in her belly when I bend over to attach Sug's machine. By the time I am done adjusting the hoses Licorice is rocking back and forth as the calf does a two step against her stomach. I think she is more than ready to have the calf get born and stop kicking her all the time.
I milk Dad's set of cows last. They are probably the easiest batch. No young two year olds, mostly second plus lactation cows with decent tempers. Old girls like Balsam and Heather who like to be scratched and patted. Or just calm critters like Syracuse and Lucky who you barely notice.
Mom Dad and Becky are out milking her line and the bucket cows now. It gives me a chance to sit and enjoy the last of my coffee before I head out onto the road to work for NFO and inspect my farms or run water samples or whatever else the day requires. Speaking of which...I think I better get moving and shower and grab some breakfast...Or I will be quite hungry tonight!
