Guest Appearance - Milk Cow On The Farm By Curtis
Curtis @ Growing Thumbs has been gardening for almost 20 years and his website is full of gardening tips and tricks he has learnt along the way. We have become blogpals via comments left on each other’s sites and I recently learnt that Curtis lives near his grandparent’s farm and thought that he might have some interesting farm memories that he could share with us. He does and he has, so if you are sitting comfortably then Curtis will tell you about the………milk cow on the farm.
When I was about 8 or so my Grandmother bought a Jersey milk cow so she could have her own milk. Lucky for me and my parents, we lived next door so more milk and cream for us.
At first getting used to this milk was difficult. This stuff was full bodied with a little cream still in. Once we got used to it, drinking milk at the school or while out tasted strange and thinned out. My Grandma had enough milk that she sold it along with butter. Butter talk about work!
At this time she had chickens making eggs for us and to sell. I remember them buying the chicks there were 100s of them.
Milking a cow is no easy task. Milking is one thing. Having to milk in the morning and evening day in and day out is something else. When the cow had a calf you had to milk her some for the calf which we hand fed and the rest for the dogs and cats. Because there is a certain period after giving birth when the milk will not be any good for human consumption. I think it was six weeks then.
After my Grandparents going through nearly two milk cows and all the work that came with it. They sold the last one. Again going back to store bought milk. A change that took time to get used to it. But now when I do drink milk, it’s skim milk.
So the next time you go out and buy a gallon of milk or other dairy product. Remember there was a lot of work put in it.
Milk Cow On The Farm By Curtis @ Growing Thumbs
If you have a farming story, memory or farm visit that you would like to share then please send me your story and I will happily include it on a guest appearance post.
Guest Appearance Farming Stories
We take a lot for granted! I have an embarressing admission, I actually can’t stand the taste of milk, I have it in tea but never drink it, whereas my daughters, well, there is never enough in the house!!!!!!
Comment by Libby — September 24, 2007 @ 10:48 am
Hi Libby,
Thanks for visiting and commenting. Yes we do take alot about food for granted that is why it is good that children are being educated now about where their food comes from so that they don’t think that eggs, butter and milk come from the supermarket!! Yes of course you can buy them in a supermarket but that’s not where they come from.
Like you Libby, I have to say that I don’t like drinking milk!
Thanks again. Sara @ farmingfriends
Comment by Sara @ Farming Friends — September 24, 2007 @ 11:32 am
Milking cows by hand is a long, slow way of getting a drink, isn’t it?
I think it was only a few days that we had to withold the milk after a cow calved. Just until all the yellow milk (containing colostrum) had gone.
Interesting memories to look back on, Curtis.
Comment by Alice — September 24, 2007 @ 7:04 pm
Hi Alice, Thanks for your comment. I will let Curtis know what you think. I agree that Curtis’ memories are very interesting and so is your comment. Thanks for dropping by.
Sara @ farmingfriends
Comment by Sara @ Farming Friends — September 25, 2007 @ 8:35 pm
I enjoyed reading this story, I know that my dad started off his farming career on a dairy farm in Cranleigh, Surrey so I shall be asking him if he has any milking memories he can reminisce about. Where and how our food originates should never be taken for granted, I feel very aggrieved when I hear about what price the farmers get for their milk, I believe sometimes several pence less per litre than it costs to produce, it is scandalous.
Comment by LOUISE — September 26, 2007 @ 2:54 pm
Hi Louise,
I am pleased that you enjoyed Curtis’ farming story. I look forward to more of your farm memories. Yes it is scandalous what the supermarkets and food producers get away paying farmers for their farm produce. Thanks so much for your comments.
Sara @ farmingfriends
Comment by Sara @ Farming Friends — September 26, 2007 @ 3:04 pm