Had no idea. Thanks. Little ridiculous IMO.
Glad to hear there are still small dairies out there.
Had no idea. Thanks. Little ridiculous IMO.
Glad to hear there are still small dairies out there.
I would be interested in buying some. I grew up on it also but the wife has never had it.
Some good points there.
My family started (and has now stopped) a small dairy a number of years ago.
Know what you're getting into.
The government and big farms / dairies are NOT small farm / dairy friendly.
There's still a few, but they are dwindling. It's nearly impossible to make money. It's not a job, it's a life, and there's no vacation.
I don't know if you have kids, but if you do, talk to them about it before you seriously commit. I was in high school when they started it, and I hated it.
My maternal grandparents had dairy cows, and that's what my mom told me--those cows had to be milked every morning, rain or shine, come hell or high water.
She doesn't even drink whole milk now, let alone have any interest in owning cows...
I was born and raised on a dairy. it is a good life but isn't for everybody. there is a good reason for regulation of raw milk and it isn't just to keep the big dairys in business. keeping a dairy cow in milk isn't just having a cow out back on some grass. if you don't know what you are doing you will end up with a sick cow and a high white count"puss" in your milk. sick cow gives sick milk = sick people. i fully support the small farm raised raw milk idea and sustainable family farms. do you know what undulant fever is? bangs? brucellosis? all the same and i knew people who suffered from ignorance.
I have the benefit of a good vet an excellent neighbors who have ran cows for years. All of our animals are like part of the family. I have no problem asking about something I don't know. There are plenty of old ranchers around with a wealth of info to share. Occasionally I see one out working cows and I'll stop and talk to them, I have yet to find one who wasn't willing to talk cows for a while.
It an everything day for sure. Even now talking a vacation or going out of town is near impossible, we have to get family to come farm sit. But if we can get self sustainable operation and everyone can work from home that would be worth it in my opinion. Plus I was raised on a farm and want the same for my kids, no prissy stuck up city brats here lol. My daughters four and can already shoot her bolt action .22, with proper supervision of course.
I applaud You sir. it isn't an easy life but it has rewards for those who embrace it. we need more family farms with cows chickens etc. but most importantly the children of family farms to continue the hardship and gaining rich rewards that the surrounding community can share in.
My family ran a dairy when I was a young fellow. I love milk, but my favorite is skim milk which is more like what we drank at home. Some people called it "blue john", but it was easier to keep fresh with our poor old refrigerator. We had mostly Guernsey cows - good middle ground on volume, milkfat content, and disposition. Milk cows don't take a day off or go on vacation - pretty confining vocation and should be avoided if you are subject to drinking binges.
Cedar Creek
Cedar Creek
Ive seen a few Gurnseys for sale but mostly Jerseys and Holstiens. You would be supprised how hard it is to find a good milk cow that doesnt have sore foot or ran ragged from some dairy. A registered one would be ideal but they start out at around $3k and go up from there. I want my daughter to able to show when she gets older if its something she is into.
