Tracy in Ky Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 I'm just saying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest janainaz Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 Wow, that's almost a week's worth for us! I think maybe WE need a cow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nakia Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 LUUUUCKYYYY!!! :D I want a cow. I know I say that on every one of your posts. But I do. I really want a cow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Alte Veste Academy Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 Hmmm. I felt certain there was a "green with envy" emoticon. Couldn't find it. I'll just use this instead :nopity:as I tell you how we go through a gallon of organic milk every day, which adds up to $165 a month on milk alone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnTheBrink Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 Five gallons a day? That would last us...oh let me see...2.5 months! I don't think we need a cow around here at all. LOL Congrats on your udders running over! (or, her udders, anyway) :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarlaS Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 (edited) Holy cow! :laugh: I used to raise dairy goats. Much more manageable amounts of milk! Unless you have a dozen or so in milk at any given time--which we did. :D I don't do anything just a little bit. Gotta work on that... ETA: Is she a Jersey? I love them! They have those big doe eyes... If I were to ever get a cow (and I'd feel like I was betraying dairy goats!) it'd be a Jersey or maybe a Guernsey. Edited April 10, 2009 by darlasowders Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaik76 Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 Sounds like my own milk supply when I was nursing (I'm sorry...I couldn't resist!). That would be more than a week of milk for the regular milk drinkers in our family! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaT Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 Wow. We go through a gallon a day. Maybe we need a cow. We have the barn and pasture and the kids would love it, but it just sounds like one more thing to take care of . . . LUUUUCKYYYY!!! :D I want a cow. I know I say that on every one of your posts. But I do. I don't live too far from you Nakia. Maybe it could be YOUR cow and we could just house it for milk?:001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tammyla Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 That is some cow;). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in Australia Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 My cow is only giving 2 liters a day!, I can't wait for the other cow to have it's calf. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julesmama3 Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 So what do you do with all that milk, sell it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nakia Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 Wow. We go through a gallon a day. Maybe we need a cow. We have the barn and pasture and the kids would love it, but it just sounds like one more thing to take care of . . . I don't live too far from you Nakia. Maybe it could be YOUR cow and we could just house it for milk?:001_smile: :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imeverywoman Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 Congrats on your udders running over! (or, her udders, anyway) :lol: I needed that laugh. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katemary63 Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 Is it easy to make your whole milk into skim milk right there at home? I would love to get a dairy cow and milk it, but we don't drink whole. How do you do it? ( maybe a dumb question, but I just don't know anything about it!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarlaS Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 I would love to get a dairy cow and milk it, but we don't drink whole. How do you do it? You can get a cream separator for home use. It's also possible to skim a good bit off the top after it sits overnight (in a wide mouth jar). You'd probably get something more like 2% that way though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrie12345 Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 Wow! I have to ask- what is considered a "normal" amount? I plan to have chickens one day, but cows kind of scare me :lol:. I may be able to get passed that for copious amounts of milk! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rachel in KY Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 Wow. Mine's only giving about a gallon and a half a day. I'm going to be drying her off at the end of the month anyway, since she's due to calve in August. Don't ya just love all that milk! I can't wait till I'm wallowing in it, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diaperjoys Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 Wonderful! What breed of cow is she?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarlaS Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 I may be able to get passed that for copious amounts of milk! Consider a dairy goat- or better yet - two. They are very social animals. Do some research before discounting them. Sadly, many myths still abound about these amazing animals. (I highly recommend against owning your own buck though. They are the ones that stink...) I've had several gallon a day milkers (goats). None of which were more then about 150 lbs. One other major advantage--there are only two teats. This is just right for my two hands! My hands are killing me just thinking of milking 2.5 gallons from one animal at once. Not to mention there is almost no way a goat can kill you with a kick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brigitte Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 LUUUUCKYYYY!!! :D I want a cow. I know I say that on every one of your posts. But I do. I really want a cow. Glad to know I am not the only one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newbie Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 That makes a lot of butter and ice cream. MMMM! Btw, how is the baby, havent seen pics in a long time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracy in Ky Posted April 11, 2009 Author Share Posted April 11, 2009 Thanks for the udder well-wishes! :D Sweetheart is a Jersey-Guernsey mix. She only has two working quarters, so she is like a big goat :lol: I think this is a normal amount for a cow. She just calved about 4 weeks ago; they usually give more right after calving. We love drinking the milk whole. Her milk is very rich and creamy. However, when I remove cream for butter, ice cream, alfredo sauce or whatever, I have 'skimmed' milk left and that is yummy too. I still leave quite a bit of cream in it, but it is lighter and thinner and a little more 'refreshing' if that makes sense. To remove the cream, I just scoop it out of the top of the milk jar. We do make butter, yogurt, ice cream, and soft cheeses. Today I ordered a cheese press in hopes of successfully making some hard cheeses. Having a cow is a lot of work. But it is so worth it. I wouldn't have it any other way :) Here is Sweetheart in a picture from last weekend. We had just turned her into a lush pasture... Her baby is doing great! We're bottle feeding him. We've also turned him into a steer ;) He's not the man he was :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newbie Posted April 11, 2009 Share Posted April 11, 2009 Thanks for the udder well-wishes! :D Sweetheart is a Jersey-Guernsey mix. She only has two working quarters, so she is like a big goat :lol: I think this is a normal amount for a cow. She just calved about 4 weeks ago; they usually give more right after calving. We love drinking the milk whole. Her milk is very rich and creamy. However, when I remove cream for butter, ice cream, alfredo sauce or whatever, I have 'skimmed' milk left and that is yummy too. I still leave quite a bit of cream in it, but it is lighter and thinner and a little more 'refreshing' if that makes sense. To remove the cream, I just scoop it out of the top of the milk jar. We do make butter, yogurt, ice cream, and soft cheeses. Today I ordered a cheese press in hopes of successfully making some hard cheeses. Having a cow is a lot of work. But it is so worth it. I wouldn't have it any other way :) Here is Sweetheart in a picture from last weekend. We had just turned her into a lush pasture... Her baby is doing great! We're bottle feeding him. We've also turned him into a steer ;) He's not the man he was :lol: Tracy, are you saying Sweetheart had a baby, thats impossible, I remember when she was born. I want a pic of the new baby. And boy she is as big as a cow now, what do you feed that child , miracle grow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracy in Ky Posted April 11, 2009 Author Share Posted April 11, 2009 (edited) Oh, I think I misunderstood, which explains the confusion. We have two calves.:) Isabelle was born in September. Her mother was our milk cow Daisy. Daisy died about 2 1/2 days after giving birth to Isabelle. Then in Oct, we got Sweetheart--another pregnant milk cow. Sweetheart just calved about 4 weeks ago. She had a bull calf which we are raising for meat. The cow in the picture above is Sweetheart, the milk cow. Here is a picture of the new calf: And here is a picture of Isabelle resting with Sweetheart: Isabelle is 6 months old; the bull calf is 4 weeks old. Sweetheart is almost 5 years old. :D Does that clear it up?? lol Sorry for the confusion. Edited April 11, 2009 by Tracy in Ky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tricia Posted April 11, 2009 Share Posted April 11, 2009 Wow, you should make kefir. We have tons of raw milk too and we constantly have gallons of kefir fermenting. Yummy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracy in Ky Posted April 11, 2009 Author Share Posted April 11, 2009 (edited) I want to make kefir again, but I need some grains!!:) Edited April 11, 2009 by Tracy in Ky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blossom'sGirl Posted April 11, 2009 Share Posted April 11, 2009 My DH is bound and determined to get one but I feel maxed out already. We have 25 chickens, 6 bunnies, dog, cat and 4 boys who need schooling. Breakfast / chore time in the morning takes us at least an hour. I also have a big garden and bake bread. I know I am a wimp compared to our forefathers but I don't want our lifestyle to take over our lives. I love our semi-homesteading but I am afraid a milk cow is adding a lot to our plate. In addition, DH wants feeder pigs to give the extra milk to. DH would be able to do the milking most of the year but in winter he is very busy and it would have to fall on our shoulders. I am not cherishing the thought of sitting in a sub-zero barn milking a cow for a half hour. I am also concerned about our long NY winters. That means lots of cow feed we would have to buy. I don't wants to squelch DH's desire but I am a hopeless realist. I would love the milk for yogurt, bread and cheese making but that is a lot more work too. BTW, we loved reading your blog and your view of God's blessing on your homestead. We also admired your red, rock free soil. We have great dirt here but it is full of gravel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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