Mildred

Some time last spring I started debating whether or not I was ready for a real dairy cow.  We milked Dorie, a beef cow, the first year when she lost her calf, and attempted it again when Casper was born.  Casper gobbled up every last drop of milk though, turning it into some mighty fine beef.  By the time Sharlotte came along last summer I had pretty much given up on the idea of ever milking Dorie again.

I had my sights set on Nelly, our bottle baby, becoming our next milker, because she's so lovable, friendly, and agreeable.  But she never calved.  She might calve this year.  She might be agreeable.  She might have enough milk for her calf and us.  She might not.

I wanted milk.  I did not want a Holstein, which I could buy any day at the auction.  They're very common around here.  Those udders are just too intimidating for me though.  How many hours would it take to hand milk a Holstein?  And then what would I do with ALL THAT MILK?  Nope, too much.  I was leaning toward a jersey, Guernsey, or a Canadienne.  I've seen each breed at the auction from time to time, so knew they were available in our area.

A couple of months ago I started searching in earnest.  I placed an ad on Kijiji, started talking to farmers, searched the online sale boards.  I had one guy in Sarnia offer me a jersey.  Sarnia!  That's only about a ten hour drive.

Yesterday I was going to stay home and vegetate clean up after March break.  Then Husband found out he had the day off work.  He figured since it was Monday, and sunny, that he would drag my butt outside using the auction as a lure.  Big mistake on his part! lol

Someone came in with a basket full of Saanen billy goats.  We need a new stud.  Doesn't he look like a stud?  Meet Maximus.

Then I bought the first of several calves I'm planning to raise for beef this year.  He doesn't have a name yet.  So far he hasn't responded to anything we've tried.

I so wanted to buy a couple of piglets.  There were about thirty that came through the auction, from kitty cat to nearly ready to butcher size.  Most of them were male.  I sat on my hands.  I really have no place suitable for raising piglets until we lose a couple feet of snow.  Now watch, I won't be able to find any in the spring.

And Mildred.  I named her before I bought her.  It was early.  Hardly anyone there.  She was all alone in a stall.  I talked to her for a bit.  She mooed at me.

I told her her name was Mildred.  She mooed.  I told her she was going to be a family cow.  She walked away.

I told her she was coming home with me.  She came back and let me pet her nose.

She's a little thin.  I don't think she's very old.  First calf maybe?  Or second?

I bid hard and fast against the meat guys.  Once she was over their profit margin it looked like she'd be mine.  Then the other hobbyists, homesteaders, and such got started.  I went slower with them.  I tricked some of them.  Right after she sold one guy came over and asked how much I wanted for my jersey.  He thought I had brought her to sell and was just driving up the price.  Nope, not for sale.  She's mine!

She didn't get home until about 10pm.  Then we had to milk her.  She was in a new place, with new people, engorged, and accustomed to machine milking.  It took three of us until midnight to get her drained.  I brought nearly 4L in the house, after feeding the calf, spilling the bucket, dumping the bucket she stepped in to the chickens, and making a mess while filtering.  Just look at those udders!  How much can they hold?

We got her haltered this morning and brought another 4L in the house.  Round two went a little quicker.  She's very calm and agreeable.

After the auction strangers started coming up to us and telling us what a good cow we bought.  That's never happened before!  One lady told us she had three jerseys from the same farm as Mildred.  She knows the people who owned them.  They sold Mildred because she produces TOO MUCH MILK for their dairy line!  This lady has the jerseys raising other calves, two to three at a time.  She says they're great adoptive mothers.

I am declaring this the official first day of spring.  I am going to ignore the snow that is currently falling, the snow that is forecast for the next three days, and the bitter north wind that is blowing.  I have babies and a cow to milk.  It is spring.