Olde Sow Farm and Creamery

Some Pics

2010-10-01T18:30:00.004-04:00

Ayla Faye and her " kitten " Mulberry. He looks absolutely massive doesn't he? If you scroll down to the post I made in June, there's a pic of them on Ayla's Birthday. You can see how much he's grown in a few short months

"Henrietta" our oldest heifer 14 months old. She'll be bred before we move the cows up to the barn in December. She is so tame, she's almost a pain! We adore her.......

"Teeny" just exiting the milk parlor, trying to get past the barn cats that are eagerly awaiting their share. Teeny is a lovely cow, milks like crazy and has a really great attitude. I so hope I get a heifer from her!

"Happy" cow and her daughter "Henrietta". Can you see the resemblance, LOL! They are the calmest, friendliest cows I've ever had! I hope they continue to pass that along to all their future calves.

Finished with milking, Zoie is walking them across the bridge and back to pasture. I hope these times will be remembered as sweetly for Zoie as they are for me. Zoie actually took all these pics, except this last one, while I milked tonight.

The Cheese Nun

2010-09-30T14:35:00.002-04:00

I finally watched this most interesting documentary yesterday. I think I may have to own this one.
I ordered it through Netflix. Here is the brief description that came with it:

Explore the world of artisanal cheese with Sister Noella Marcellino, a Benedictine nun who visits France to probe the mysteries that make every cheese unique. Marcellino ventures from farmstead to aging room to laborotory, reveling in the fungi and microorganisms that are as essential to cheese as terroir is to wine. This homage to fromage is an unabashed celebration of the science, craft and humanity of cheesemaking.

I absolutely loved the footage of the French countryside and the remote cheesemakers. The cows were gorgeous! They looked like fat Herefords but with nice dairy udders. The sister herself milked and made cheese from their own herd of Dutch Belted cows back at the Abbey. Hand milked, I might add.

Going to the local builders supply tommorrow and ordering all the windows and lumber etc. for the farm store. I will document the process. We also went to see the midwives on Tuesday. Baby is big and healthy, active, and we were all blown away when we heard that strong steady heartbeat! I can honestly say it is no less thrilling with the sixth baby, than it was with the first. I almost cried. Speaking of crying, poor Ida May has had a harrowing week. Monday she somehow fell while dragging a large metal chair, pulling it over on top of her and smaking herself right across the bridge of the nose! It swelled up and bruised most impressively, now on day four it has gone from purple/blue to a green/yellow color so I think that's a good sign? Then yesterday, ironically, just as we were on our way out the door to a Dr. appt, she slipped and hit her head on the door jam. There was some blood, and some drama but by the time we drove 20 minutes to the doctor it was looking much more benign and they told us nothing further needed to be done. Man, it's hard to be a two year old. So many diabolical plans, but those short stubby legs keep failing! Right now as I type she is prancing around in a Fancy Nancy dress and mismatched high heel shoes.
I'm so happy that today, the cows are already milked early and we have nowhere we need to be or anything we have to do. Perfect.

Birthday Pic

2010-09-24T20:35:00.002-04:00

For some reason blogger wouldn't let me put a pic with my previous post. So here's a pic, read the next post!

Happy Belated Birthday Jude!

2010-09-24T20:22:00.002-04:00

It was Jude's 9th birthday yesterday. We celebrated with family last night and then he had some friends over tonight. It was intense......there were several injuries, no blood shed though! A total of only 4 boys, and 6 girls ( 4 of those were Jude's sisters!) but the mayhem was substantial and I only had to be a meanie once. Maybe twice. I cannot tolerate damage to our measley possessions, or theft of Jude's piggy bank. Other than that I had a great time sharing stories about the skunk that we blasted, after it blasted our dog with spray under the porch---or the time I ran over that mean rooster with the truck. ( I didn't even intend to but he hesitated just a TAD too long crossing the road....)
Now I'm planning to do some cheese research (my favorite kind!), the kids are all watching Diary of a Wimpy kid , and I'm hoping for a nice dull, uneventful night.

Happenings

2010-09-20T07:57:00.002-04:00

A lot has changed since I've last written! In fact I couldn't even remember how to log in. There are some exciting plans in the making, the most important being a new baby for us in March! I may have managed to actually pull it off, so that the majority of the cows will be dry in March too. That remains to be seen, I'll have to send in some cow pregnancy tests here in a couple weeks.
We are also finally going to build that little farm/dairy store I've been needing for so long. Construction should begin in a couple weeks. Hopefully we'll also be able to carry a nice complement of local foods to round out the selection. I've been needing a good option to offer my goods, while still maintaining the privacy of our home.
I simply can't be housewife extradinaire right now while trying to juggle everything else. I'm also the only cow milker, cheesemaker, so I can't travel around peddling my cheese. There aren't enough hours in the day!
Had an epiphany yesterday too, about exactly what to do with my milk--as it is limited supply,temporarily, and I'm also of the opinion that it's probably best to really focus on one area of cheesemaking and do it REALLY well. Perhaps the best use of my limited time? I think its time I finally take that intensive 3 day cheesemaking course in Vermont, I've been wanting to do for years--but it's never a good time. Well, it's never a good time is it? I think I'll just try to make it happen.
I will really try to get some pics, now that we have faster internet. I gave up on posting pics with the dial up, LOL! Have a great day!

It's Been Awhile

2010-06-22T06:26:00.010-04:00

Miss Ida May smelling the flowers as I plant them.

Ayla on her birthday with her " wittle " kitten Mulberry.

More of Ayla and Mulberry. Best friends. He even goes down the slide with her apparently of his own free will!

Haven't had much too say! I'll try to briefly update as best I can. I've been busy with the creamery. Beretta had the last calf of the season in May. That makes 4 heifers and 2 bulls. How I love looking at all those sleek shiny little babies grazing with their Moms and hurtling themselves back and forth at twilight! After a major struggle where I was sure our 2 year old Jersey bull was gonna kill Dante, we managed to get the assumably pregnant ewes out of the bull pasture and in with the milk cows. I've now bartered milk for their shearing fee with friends, but can't get the ewes out of this new field and the 1/2 mile to the barn for the actual shearing! I need a Border Collie.

The garden is doing great! I spend a lot of time out there and am trying to keep ahead of the weeds. I made an amazing Swiss Chard Gratin with things from the garden and the creamery. Our diet is consisting mostly of garden produce and relying on the cows for protein. By that I mean their dairy products and the eggs we barter milk for as well. We have a HUGE sow that we are fattening up for slaughter, and that scary Jersey bull too. I can't even really get the cows into him, it's ridiculous!

We are getting rid of the TV and I can't wait! It's a move I'VE wanted for years. We'll still be able to rent movies as needed. Lately I've been thinking a lot about why I homeschool. Mainly because I keep getting asked that, and it seems people are constantly challenging me about it. My top three reasons that I now tell people are:

1.) I want to teach my kids how to think. Memorization is not proof of higher intelligence, just proof of memorization. I want them to REALLY be able to think. Be able to competently make decisions and find soloutions that will actually apply to them.

2.)I want my kids to be GOOD people. This is super important to me. I cannot believe how bad Jude was bullied trying to play sports this year. I'm completely blown away by these rude kids. Jude is smart, sweet, and diplomatic. He even got bullied in boy scouts! Sadly it doesn't go well with those other boys. What a shame those qualities make him a target. Even little Ayla got picked on at her last day of gym class. This is a class of 3 and 4 year olds. Ayla is short and a bit cuddly, if you know what I mean. She is not fat. 2 girls in that class said she was big and that she broke a tire swing because of it. Totally not true, but shows how young it starts.

3.)I love to learn with my kids.

Veda had her 6th birthday on May 14th, and Ayla had her 4th birthday on June 14th. I can't believe I'm the Mom of an 11 year old, soon to be 9 year old, a 6 year old, 4 year old, and an almost 2 year old " baby "! Time is flying!

Emotionally, it's still a roller coaster. Many ups and downs. Many decisions still to be made. Many ambivalent feelings. Just taking it a day at a time and trying to be smart about it and see the whole picture. It's tough--but this is really living. I'm grateful for that.

White Water Rafting

2010-05-25T19:13:00.002-04:00

We went this last weekend! I didn't want to post anything until after we got back and everyone survived. We have found a wonderful babysitter and she and my Mom joined forces and managed to keep the kids alive and happy! This is the first weekend away I've had since becoming a Mom 11 years ago.
The friends we went with are wonderful and I feel like we all got to know each other even better.
My stomach hurt from laughing so much. I was afraid of falling out, not because I was afraid of dying but I was worried about some poor soul having to haul me back in again. Let's just say the wet suit didn't look quite as flattering on me as it does on those girls at Sea World. Oh well.
The cows were all a dither with the change in routine and it has been rough getting them sorted out again, but it was worth it. I am refreshed and ready for lots of summer fun! Took the kids swimming the last 2 days, and then got caught in a downpour walking the cows to the barn for milking. Zoie was with me and I said, " I really don't what to do if we get caught in bad lightning!"
Thankfully I didn't have to make a decision. There are so many bonus points to getting in shape, and outrunning the cows and lightning are just a few of them!

My Homage to Fromage ( Blanc that is...)

2010-05-10T19:22:00.003-04:00

Raw Creamline Milk $5 per gallon, $3 per 1/2 gallon (plastic)

Raw Jersey Cream $4 per pint

Whole Milk Yogurt, Plain $3.25 per 16 oz glass jarOR$5.50 per glass quart

Flavored Yogurt $ 2.50 per 8 oz glass jar, $4 per 16 oz glass jar,OR$6 per glass quart
Flavors: Red Raspberry, Strawberry Fields, or Ginger Peach

Fromage Blanc, Plain $4 per 8 oz

Lemon Thyme Cheese Spread $5 per 8 oz

Basil and Purple Onion Cheese Spread $5 per 8 oz

Garlicky Chive Cheese Spread $5 per 8 oz

Fig and Honey Cheese Spread $6 per 8 oz

Thanks!Jessika, Family and Cows

I am now like a crazy catatonic cheesemaking fool! Today I spent the day being a good little homemaker, but will pay for that tonight. Good things are happening around the farm. Fields are looking good, calves are growing and surprisingly well-behaved. Garden is doing well, need to cover some plants there may be a frost tonight. I hope not! I'm thinking about raising some meat chickens again, and have an interesting proposition for a certain person in regards to that. Other than that I'm reading a stack of good books.
Food Inc.
Fast Food Nation
House Rules by Jodi Picoult
Four Season Harvest by Elliot Coleman
Untold Story of Milk
Actually I've read all of them except House Rules SEVERAL TIMES. They are classics! I've also been invited to present at Career Day at the local school. If anyone has any ideas about what content and articles to display please give me ideas! I guess if all else fails I'll take some pics of the cows, maybe some cheese samples and just talk about what I do. Right? I'm rather distracted these days and can barely write let alone speak!
The kittens are almost 7 weeks old and I really dread trying to home some of them, we all love them so much! I really wish we could just promise to spay/neuter EVERYONE and keep all four.
Berretta is the last cow to calve. I had her due on 5/21 but I don't think she'll go that far. Wow, is her udder even bigger than last year! She is 6, and I'd say hitting prime production. She is one of the most trouble free cows I own. Such a pleasure to work with. I'm nervous because of Brie, but I need to have a good experience to put that last horrific one to rest. I think she's having a bull, that's okay. She gave me a heifer last year.

Cinco de Mayo Theme This Week

2010-05-02T19:35:00.003-04:00

Happy Cinco de Mayo! I've been inspired this week to delve into traditional Mexican/ Latin American cheeses in honor of this celebration. I also included a recipe which nicely uses most of these cheeses as ingredients, calls for spices you probably already have on hand and calls for chicken.

Queso Jalapeno $5 per 8 oz
A smooth, soft cheese with bits of real Jalapeno pepper in it. Ideal for making quesadillas with a little extra zesty flavor or for anytime snacking.
Oaxaca $5 per 8 oz
A white, semi-hard cheese from Mexico, similar to unaged Monterey Jack but with a mozzarella-like string cheese texture.It is named after the state of Oaxaca in southern Mexico, where it was first made
Queso blanco $4 per 8 oz
A Latin American cheese. The name means white cheese.There are many variations of this cheese throughout Latin America. It is hard and rubbery, with a bland, sweet flavor. It is excellent for cooking, and has the unique property of not melting even if deep-fried.
Crema Agria ( Sour Cream ) $3 per 8 oz
A Mexican-style tangy sour cream.

Chicken Enchiladas
2 cups chopped cooked chicken
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Oaxaca cheese
2 cups (8 ounces) Queso Blanco cheese
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
10 6-inch flour tortillas
1-1/2 cups enchilada sauce
1/2 cup sliced black olives
1/4 cup minced green onion
Simple but oh, how delicious!
serves 6

Raw Creamline Milk$5 per gallon, $3 per half gallon (Plastic)
OR
$2.50 per 1/2 gallon in a Glass Ball Jar
Raw Jersey Cream $4 per pint
Creamtop Whole Milk Yogurt Plain,$3.25 per 16 oz glass jar,OR$5.50 per quart
Flavored Yogurt - Mexican Vanilla Bean!$2.50 per 8 oz, $4 per 16 oz, or $6 per quart

The cows are now on grass 24/7 have you noticed the vitamin rich yellow hue to the milk and cream? That's because Jersey cows don't use all the beta-carotene they consume in the green grass, a lot of it is passed along to you in their milk. Not all breeds of cows have this ability so enjoy your milk with an extra helping of vitamins!

Thanks!
Jessika and Family and Cows of Course!

Cow Pics

2010-05-01T18:56:00.003-04:00

The herd grazing. Notice the babies learning how to be good graziers from their Moms. This is key if you want to be grass based.

Teeny. A fabulous cow, giving 5+gallons a year into lactation.

Happy and Henrietta. Happy has a bad knee, that got her kicked out of her former dairy, but she does pretty good here on grass.

Jules on babysit detail. The heifer calves are Juliette and Margot.

Baby Margot. Just the sweetest little thing EVER.

I took these pics today of the cows. My Mom said I was seriously slacking with my blog, so I hope to make up for it with some nice pics. I tried to upload one last pic but it quit on me. This was an embarassing pic of me after I got a little too cocky trying to jump the brook and fell in.

Muddy, and reflective I sloshed a 1/2 mile up hill back to the house. There is photographic evidence.....it just got lost in cyberspace somewhere.

Hidden Hazard

2010-04-21T20:17:00.002-04:00

Okay. This is lighthearted I swear!
Picture it:
Zoie and I are taking the cows out to pasture. The milk cows are still really excited, and even though we don't urge them on at all, most are trotting pretty steady the 1/2 mile down the road.
They are kinda ungainly, what with that big udder swinging. Zoie is keeping strides with Gale, a very " endowed " cow, when all of a sudden SOMETHING white and milky squirts out and hits her right in the eye! It was milk of course! As her udder was swinging milk was squirting out and somehow flew right into my 11 yr old daughters eye. I laughed and laughed, and laughed some more. Don't you all find that really funny? Even Zoie giggled. We all know not to walk directly BEHIND a very excited cow on spring grass ( a hazard of a much worse sort there! ) but who would of guessed there was a distinct possibility you might get milk squirted in your eye!

Bakers, I need your help!

2010-04-17T16:28:00.003-04:00

So I made a DELICIOUS batch of cream cheese, and am feeling inspired to bake some homemade Bagels. Who's got a recipe? I'd like to flavor them too, things like " honey wheat " "multigrain" etc. The weather is turning crappy for a couple days, it's cold and I'll be hiding out in the house so I might as well do some much needed baking. Anyone?

Another Ambulance Ride

2010-04-15T07:00:00.002-04:00

We had to go back to the hospital with Ayla last night. This time it wasn't because she was sick----but very intense nonetheless. Her BG had been on the high side all day. I changed the infusion set for her insulin pump a total of 3 times and still the BG wouldn't budge and in fact started rising despite lots of insulin. Checked her ketones and they were unbelievably high, 4.4, and she strated to vomit, complain of headache and blurry vision.
Called 911. They whisked Ayla and I off to the hospital, sirens blaring. I was afraid she was gonna go into DKA any minute. Somehow we remembered to give her an injection, in addition to the insulin her pump was giving and this is what turned it around. Finally her BG was back down to 132 and ketones all but gone. We believe her pump was malfunctioning and not delivering the insulin it said it was. I need to call them, and probably demand a replacement. It could have killed her. That's how fast type 1 diabetes kills. That's why I have to believe in a cure. I don't think people are aware of the differences between the 2 types and exactly how serious this disease really is. Then as I had a feeling it would, her BG took a big drop in the night. I noticed her twitching and as soon as it entered my unconscious mind--I checked her and sure enough she was only 43. Very dangerous too, but in the opposite direction.
We got home at 1:00am. As soon as I got her settled in I started working on some of my orders because I can't afford to miss any sales and Dante just headed off to work too. I have an hour and 45 minutes to complete as much as I can and meet the distribution truck.
Some exciting news:
5 of the milk cows spent the night out to pasture! They were so happy and such good girls. Walked the 1/2 mile to the gate---unfortunately the wrong gate---but they just stood and waited for us to catch up and let them in another one. The babies stayed with 2 babysitters in the barn. I need to finish their fence. If I put the mother/babe pairs in with the bulls I won't be able to go in and get them if I need to, so I need the babies in a different field with easy access.
We are still feeding hay, but those days are quickly coming to an end!

Puppy Love

2010-04-14T19:05:00.003-04:00

Ida May ( 20 months old ) and our faithful dog, Cinder. He is the best. Defending the farm from coyotes by night---and loving the kids by day.

An Interesting Day

2010-04-11T18:22:00.002-04:00

Let's see.....It started off with a bang and only 4-5 hours of sleep. This time I have no one but myself to blame, I did a little socializing last night. Zoie had to meet the bus at the school for another peewee tournament game at 8:00 a.m. on a Sunday. What???
I cheerfully launched into a good barncleaning and leisurely milking when Jude runs out and says,
"Papa is coming with the hay and wants a 1/2 gallon of milk." Well it's the least I can do for my Dad bringing me some hay and all. So the milking seriously picked up the pace, with me running in place tugging on cow collars. They can't be hurried you know, just plodding along. I did get him his VERY fresh 1/2 gallon of milk.
Then we needed to load some manure for a friend. I had to threaten Dante within an inch of his life to leave MY 3 year old aged and composted manure pile ALONE and take from a different pile. C'mon girls, you all have a prized manure pile right?
While making feta cheese, I decide to try this workout from Self magazine that claims I'll be "bikini ready" by June. I somehow manage to pull a muscle in my left butt cheek. You don't realize how much you use that left butt cheek until it is in agony! I don't know if I'll be bikini ready by June----but I'll probably be martini ready LOL!
Looking for even MORE punishment, I escape with only Zoie and Ayla and a jogging stroller to go for a power walk/run on the trails. It was good---except for that pulled muscle I mentioned. I kinda had to do an improvised power limp.
We almost made it home in the car when suddenly Ayla just explodes and starts going ballistic screaming and crying! I didn't know what the heck was going on but I stupidly tell Zoie to unbuckle and get back there while I'm swerving around and screaming myself. Then Zoie says,"Mom I see flashing blue lights!" I now have been admittedly driving erratically with 2 unbuckled children in a beat up minivan going 10 miles over the speed limit. But when I look in the rear view mirror the flashing blue lights look strange and the vehicle is pulling a boat. Huh??
I pull over, swearing like a sailor, and know my goose is probably cooked with good reason--but I really thought we were having a medical emergency! In my side view mirror I see a uniformed officer, but he's wearing shorts and a fisherman hat. Okay.....
He asks if I know why he pulled me over. I tell him I was probably all over the road, but I thought my 3 year old diabetic was having a seizure and then I did a brief synopsis of her history of seizures and my PTSD reaction to a certain scream she does. I got a stern talking-to, a slap on the wrist and he was on his way. Buckled the kids back in, and then Zoie says, " Did we just get pulled over by a GAME WARDEN?" " Yeah....it looks that way" As a green game warden truck pulling a boat roars off down the highway. That was a first.
The afternoon sun was shining in my room and my bed was looking so gooooood....before I knew it I had hopped in and pulled the covers over my head. In the distance I hear a pounding on the door and then Dante yelling, " Jess! I need you and Zoie the bulls are over at the neighbors!"
You HAVE to be kidding me! We jump in the van and race next door to see our biggest bull scratching his neck on the corner of the neighbors house. Sweet, really sweet. I leap out and wave my arms and clap my hands. Nothing. He stares at me and lowers his head. Okay. I fly back to our house grab a nice big stick and go back, by now Dante is there and we give chase. Did I mention that one side of my butt is in serious distress? Try hopping through tall grass with the fear of a bull smashing you in front of your kids and the neighbor kids with a pulled butt-cheek muscle! We got them back in and now I'm gonna make some homemade pizza.
Overall, not too shabby. Quite entertaining actually. A good day!

Any thoughts or Inspirations?

2010-04-09T09:55:00.003-04:00

Regarding weightloss or lack there of! I have been stuck at the same weight since Christmas BUT I've dropped another pant size and have gotten into much better shape. I know I shouldn't obsess over the number on the scale but I'd like to see that change with all the work I've put in!
This week I haven't exercised as much, I think the stress of last week finally caught up to me. I've had a stiff neck and then my back really was messed up, probably no doubt from the whole cow episode.
I hesitate to do anything other than ride it out. Dante and the kids get WAY too much enjoyment out of recalling the last time I went to the doctor for my back. Dante and I had been rolling round bales of hay onto a pickup every 2 days while I was pregnant, because at the time our tractor couldn't move them, but the cows still needed to be fed. ( No wonder my back was messed up! )
So I went to our family doctor, thinking he'd refer me to a chiropractor. Nope---right there with all the kids watching in horror and amusement---he folded me up like a pretzel and then pounced on me four or five times. It probably looked like some fake wrestling move. I'm glad I was able to provide a quality lasting memory for the kids. They'll probably NEVER seek medical attention for an ailing back in their lifetime!
Anyway, I'm looking for some ideas to ramp up the weightloss again. I think I probably need to switch it up. I usually eat similar foods, and have been pretty much running 3-5 times a week.
So I switched to yogurt for breakfast ( I usually don't eat breakfast ) and I think I'll start lifting weights. I wanted to wait until I reached my goal before doing strength training, ( I lift PLENTY of weight on a daily basis on the farm--but my body is SO used to it ) but I think I'll try it and see what happens. Anything thats working for you?

I'm Still Here !

2010-04-06T18:13:00.011-04:00

Here's a pic of Zoie and I, checking out the pasture--wishing it was greener! I told Dante I want a cabin in that pasture so I can wake up with the cows grazing right outside of the door. He says, " Then the cows will crap on your front porch." and I say, " Well the big ones won't. " I really wouldn't mind. I'd just keep a shovel by the door and clear a pathway!

Things are alright. I keep it in perspective. The kids are all well--we've enjoyed this warm spell.

I've pretty much decided that the cows are moving out to pasture--ready or not---I'll just sacrifice one area. I need to have a break from the intense barn work, and they are just dying to get out anyway. I absolutely LOVE , walking the cows back and forth along our 1/2 mile wooded driveway to be milked, and returning them to pasture. I can't tell you what that quiet time does for my soul. I usually have a whole flock of kids along to " help ". It is as close to a perfect time as any.

I need to go back and calculate Berretta's calving date. I think she's due sooner than the " middle of May " date I've had in my head. I am a bit nervous, but have to remember we did this whole calving routine dozens of times without a glich and Berretta is an old pro. She'll be the last cow to calve, and in fact no one is even bred back yet. I want March - May calving dates next year.

The bulls are bored and have Spring fever, and a gate left untied was all it took for an escape today. I knew they'd make their way up to the barn. Wasn't much a woman and 5 kids were gonna do about it really! especially a woman in a whirlwind trying to finish yogurt and making cheese! I blame them for putting me behind schedule and making me late---ALL DAY LONG--!

We are waiting for Zoie to get home, so we can have a gate opener, while we go in a cut the bulls out of the milk herd, and take them back where they belong.

We were all at one of the last pee wee basketball games, Zoie plays. She has come a long way, but I can tell she favors me more than Dante in the team sports arena. I was always better at running, horseback riding, those type of things. I hated little league. I used to go out in the outfield, and sit down and pick flowers. Didn't even notice the game going on really.

You see.. I've always taken time to stop and smell the roses.

We Lost Brie and her Calf

2010-04-02T10:57:00.002-04:00

I hate to even write anything. I know these things happen, and it is a part of farming but I'm pretty torn up right now.
I found Brie down, uterus partially prolapsed but no calf in it. Obviously she was dying. Called Dante home, and a neighbor came to help. They put her down and performed a c-section. I worked really hard on that little baby but he died.
For some reason her cervix barely dilated. I've never had any major calving issues, nothing like this. It was so dramatic and horrible and it makes me not wannna do this anymore.
I'll be fine though. Just another test, for what ---I don't know-- but I'm really sad and plain old wore out. To make matters worse Maddy's calf was looking off this morning. She is still nursing and I have them snugged in now, but I don't know where I'm gonna muster the energy to give that the proper diligence.
That's the thing about it, I keep getting blow after blow but I still have to keep going. I can't even just hide out and cry for a few days because I need to make meals for the kids, check Ayla's blood sugar frequently, milk the cows, dishes, laundry. It's probably good, I guess, but all I want to do right now is go to bed but I should probably go check on Margo. Veda didn't understand and threw a fit about gym class so I got her there. Now I gotta go pick her up and make lunch.
I haven't even gotten to mourn the loss of a sweet cow, too many details to settle.

Baby Margot

2010-04-01T08:15:00.003-04:00

Have you ever tried to take a self portrait of yourself and a calf while struggling to hold the aforementioned calf? This is little Margot. She is still really tame and sweet. Althea, 6 weeks old, and Juliette, 3 weeks old, are both full of it now and while very interested in me---they are officially cheeky little nurslings that are hard to catch! I noticed that Althea's collar needs to be loosened. I'll have to try to make a leap for her, and somehow loosen that collar.

Maddy is very good about milking but has a tiny little udder. I think that Margot will be able to take care of it pretty soon. Maddy is so small, that I can't use the milker hanging on its strap but have to crouch next to her and hold it up. Those of you who have held an EMPTY surge milker, can appreciate how difficult this is! Do you think I could add a few rivets or something to the strap to make it fit her?

Maddy has learned the routine and even though she is so picked on, readily makes her way to the gate to be milked, and doesn't she LOVE her little baby.

I need to make a few changes in the barn, and I think I found someone to help me. We'll see if it works out. The milk parlor needs a fresh coat of white paint, and I would do just about anything if someone who doesn't have a pathological fear of spiders ( like I do ) could come in and sweep down those barn spider webs. At least in the areas I spend most of my time. I'm sure the spiders are beneficial, but after having one drop down my chest while milking last summer, I don't want to have a repeat! And you wouldn't believe it but I saw a couple moths outside on the deck off the bedroom. MOTHS! How is that possible? You all know how I feel about moths!

Gooseberry's kittens are fat as can be, and opening their eyes. She still tries to frequently move them into the coldest, dankest corners but we're on to her. It is a bit annoying.

Brie hasn't calved yet, but boy is she close. I'm sure we are probably due for a bull calf, that's okay, I've really lucked out with 4 out of 5 calves being heifers.

We Might Be Home This Evening!

2010-03-30T12:08:00.002-04:00

Things are looking up! Ayla is off the i.v's for now if we can keep her hydrated and those nasty ketones away. She is actually able to cough up some of that junk, as gross as it sounds its a good thing! Her attitude is better, she is getting feisty and called me a monkey butt. Typical Ayla.
Ida May still sounds pretty wheezy, her lungs aren't as clear but she isn't on oxygen anymore and is just receiving breathing treatments periodically. I can tell she is feeling better too because she is starting to get into EVERYTHING!
How could this have happened? We generally have pretty healthy kids and I just cannot believe any of this was happening. Last night was SOOOOOOOOO hard. I didn't sleep at all the last 2 nights at the hospital and last night was even worse than the first because I had 2 kids in 2 seperate beds who both needed me, and lots of monitoring and checks and alarms going off. All day yesterday was insane because Ayla was in ICU and Ida May was in the ER and we just ran ourselves ragged trying to go back and forth between them.
We were still trying to keep in contact with our other 3 kids and make arrangements for the cows and milking, and our wood furnace was out and the house was cold and did I mention we were gettting TORRENTIAL rain and wind. My first worry was of course our sick kids but I was also concerned for the cows especially our 3 day old heifer Margo.
I just came home, milked the cows, filled the water troughs and cleaned the barn and took my first shower in 3 days. God knows what kind of germs I picked up at the hospital, it felt nice to have a hot shower! I'm heading back now, keep your fingers and hooves crossed that we'll be home tonight sometime!

QUICK UPDTAE MONDAY 8PM

2010-03-29T20:11:00.002-04:00

hello people,
This Morning we took IDA to the hospital, she took a turn for the worst last nite, and we brought her in this am. Same diagnosis as Ayla, pneumonia and SVR, and her oxygen levels would not come up so she as well was admitted and is on oxygen, they both share a room in the ICU, and Jessika and her mother are both there. Im home with Zoie Jude, and Veda(8pm, e.s.t.) If Any of you want to call to wish the best to Jessika, the phone number is 1-207-255-0456(direct line to her room). So far so good. Keep our children in you prayers and thank you so much for the support. Dante(the father).

Ayla Update: Pneumonia and KetoAcidosis

2010-03-28T20:03:00.002-04:00

Ayla is admitted to the hospital. She's in intensive care. She has probably got pneumonia and is on I.V.'s, and we are really battling acidosis trying to keep it back. When you have type 1 diabetes EVERYTHING not only looks worse but it IS worse. This morning her ketones tested at 3.2 and the little scale we have says if you get a reading of 1.5 they are at risk of ketoacidosis, so this sent us into full panic mode. Adrenaline was not my friend this time, I was shaking so bad I just couldn't function couldn't hardly breathe.
Getting an I.V. in took over an hour of jabbing and Ayla and I were both crying, Dante had to leave. I hate needing to rely on the hospital to save her and yet needing to advocate on her behalf as well, when they kinda forget she isn't just a patient but a little sick 3 year old girl.
It is a very delicate balance, with so many variables and if anyone of these things starts to decline then we are transferred to a bigger hospital. Dante and I are working just as hard as they are checking her blood and ketones hourly while they draw blood for potassium and acid levels. All this amounts to Ayla being sick and tired of being messed with and now just getting really terrified whene anyone walks in the room.
I only ran home to milk the cows and now I'm going back to spend the night with her. It looks like she is in there for at least 48 hours on I.Vs anyway. Please continue the prayers, we need them. I'll update when I can.

We need Your Prayers!!!!!!!!!!

2010-03-28T09:56:00.001-04:00

Heading to the hospital with Ayla now, I am terrified! Please pray for her!

MORE New Babies !

2010-03-27T12:58:00.003-04:00

It has been a busy week with all the joy, but also work that new babies bring. Our cat, "Gooseberry" had 4 kittens. She is a sweet but rather bizarre cat. I had no idea how this motherhood thing was going to go with her. I reluctantly had to break the news of the impending births to Dante by saying, "I have bad news and good news. Gooseberry is pregnant but I'm NOT!" He still wasn't happy, but what are you going to do? The cats are barncats because of Dante and Jude's allergies. We couldn't get Gooseberry spayed in the winter because she lives outside. The cat daddy is feral. We've tried to live trap him to get him neutered but he was too smart. So we have 4 tiny, adorable kittens that are longhaired, and living snugly in a box in our cellar if anyone local is interested. Three are dilute calico females and one grey tiger male. They'll be looking for good homes in about 8 weeks.

Gooseberry is actually doing pretty good and LOVES her kitties. She does keep trying to move them though, and if you run up the cellar stairs after visiting, she immediately assumes you are running because you've stolen a kitten and will give chase and cling to your leg. I told you, she's strange but harmless.

We also have ANOTHER new calf as of this morning! I was completely shocked that Maddy had her calf. She has a tiny little udder and I should have known, but have been a bit exhausted after the crap that Jules put me through, so may have not quite realized the signs.

Don't hate me but, IT'S A HEIFER! I cannot believe it... I now have 4 gorgeous heifers. 3 born since February! I'm am so NOT excited to milk Maddy after having had an absolutely rotten experience with Jules which is actually still unresolved and all my bruises and cuts haven't even healed yet.

Maddy is much smaller, and much more tame. I'm hopeful.....but I may need a glass of wine to boost my morale. Pics of more kitties and the baby calf, "Margot" coming soon.

Another Satisfied Customer

2010-03-23T13:42:00.003-04:00

I sincerely hope all of you that buy cheese from me regularly are just as enthusiatic as Miss Ida May. Of course, as Zoie says, " Mom--Ida May eats cat food. She's hardly an expert on good cheese." I still love the thought of you at home just eating it with your hands, cheese smeared on your faces. Who needs a cracker?

Life IS Good

2010-03-22T22:17:00.002-04:00

You're probably sick of all my doom and gloom, so I thought I'd report that I'm feeling good!Things are peaceful and all is well right now. I am trying very hard to have compassion, even though Jules has reverted back to trying to kill me and I'm not set up to handle her properly. I realize that animals have individual personalities just as much as people do. I may try to make a few phone calls tommorrow and see about getting some help with her, or I might just try to see if maybe she is better suited, this time around, to be a nurse cow. ALL of my other cows are an absolute joy to milk. They actually line up at the gate and try to all squeeze through at once to be the first milked! If she would raise 2-3 of our calves, she would pay her way and there's a chance I can still bring her around in a couple months when it is less hectic. One thing is for sure--I just can't face milking her again right now. I'm peaceful about it.
I've recieved so many compliments and can't thank you all enough. It is so wonderful to hear good things. Many thanks to all my faithful customers! It helps me keep going even after a week like Jules just put me through!
The kids were just wonderful today. I always love them, and am very proud of this family of ours but I won't lie--sometimes when you have 5 kids and a farm, and a business and deadlines, and basketball games, speech therapy, medical issues---screaming and fighting kids ( and don't kid yourself ALL siblings fight ) just quickly escalates the situation. Today, it was like time slowed down a bit and I felt like I was watching our lives from a distance.
Ida May ( 1) was toddling around in my pink heels and I thought, "Man, she really looks like a little me. I wonder if she'll grow up to feel as connected to growing food as her Momma does."
Ayla (3) and Veda (5) were in the backseat of the van. We stopped and bought some grain for the cows and every time the man brought out another bag, one of them would say, " Hi ! " and he'd say Hi back to them and they'd just burst into peels of laughter. It was so infectious, we were all laughing even the poor man carrying the grain bags! There is nothing so sweet as joyful children.
Jude (8) is such a gentleman, and likes to surprise me by making my bed. I can't tell you how much it means, when I'm exhausted--finishing up whatever cheese I'm currently making-- to go in and see my bed made and ready for me to just crawl in. Heavenly, it is.
Zoie (11) is growing like a weed. I see bits and pieces of Dante and I, but mostly she is herself. It is endlessly fascinating. Watching and being a part of her life. Of all their lives.
The greatest story unfolding, and I switch between just muddling through the day to day, surviving the really heavy stuff we've been going through, and then seeing it all almost outside of my body, good and bad. It's real, and I LOVE it all. I wouldn't change anything. Not even the bad.
I milked at 8:30p.m. A couple hours late, but sometimes this is the sweetest time. I know that the little kids will be sleeping when I come in, and the cows are very restful at this time. Their bellies are full, they exude contentment and it helps me unwind. The night is dark and misty. Gentle rain was falling and felt good on my face. I went about my routine, and the cows watched me fill their mangers and then ambled over to their own spots. Gale watched me, and nodded as I left. I said, " Night, Girl."
Now I'm gonna go collapse into bed and dream sweet dreams.

New Tie Stalls

2010-03-18T14:50:00.003-04:00

I should have at least groomed the cows first! Oh well, I was excited! It is nice to know they have a clean dry place. Silly girls will lay in the mud and muck around the hay feeder if the weather is nice. They just want to be outside all the time now. C'mon green grass GROW! I have a feeling since it seems spring came a month early, that I just might be able to move them out to pasture a whole month earlier as well. If they were back to grazing by April 15th, that would make it only 5 months that they were eating stored feed this year. We managed to stockpile some pasture last Fall and they were grazing exclusively right up to November 15th.
A major plus for me, NO MORE MANURE cleaning as soon as they move out. I spend a lot of time right now just cleaning up poop......I'm sure I could find something else to do! Oh, 2 of my crocus bloomed today and I saw a whole flock of robins! Spring has sprung, yahoo!!!!!!!!

Sweet, Sweet Success

2010-03-17T12:26:00.005-04:00

Let the pics tell you the story. I finally got that machine on her and milked out 3 gallons and she only kicked once! I don't know if she just finally gave in, or if it was a combination of desperate tactics I employed this morning. I remembered this trick from the veterinary hospital I worked at in Idaho. When we would be giving a dog or cat their shots, we would tap them on their head. Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap. This usually distracted them from getting the shot because they were just trying to figure out why we were tapping their head!

So, picture this if you will:

I got Jules locked in the stanchion. I face her head instead of her rear, in order to protect my head, and stand backed into her just like a farrier would with a horse, only facing the wrong direction I guess. But her near hind leg is between both of mine. She really can't get any leverage to kick hard this way because I'm leaning right into her. Then I wash her udder and squirt a few jets of milk out of each quarter. She waves her foot around and kicks once without connecting with anything. Then I hugged my right arm around her barrel and thumped her side steadily while squeezing each inflation with the thunb and forefinger of my left hand and very gently attaching it to each teat. I couldn't believe it.

We got it done.

I was able to go on and take some cute pics of Juliette. She's so shiny and sweet! It's a gorgeous day, and things are looking up!

Update on Jules....

2010-03-16T20:31:00.003-04:00

It is still frustrating. Things are not going well and I am getting a little desperate. Her udder looks beautiful, I just can't tell what her major objection is. I have yet to get her fully milked out. Not even close. I have to stand backwards to put the milker on, so the kicks get the back of me. This is by far the worst cow I've had freshen EVER. All I can do is take a deep breath and get in there. I still think persistence will pay off and we'll get there.
I was scanning the crowd at the basketball game tonight and thinking which random guy can I convince to come over and help me get her fully milked out for a couple nights in a row.
I'm not joking, I'm bruised and battered.
I've definitely earned every dime I made this week!
Hopefully I can get a pic of Juliette up tommorrow. I am happy to announce she is doing wonderful now.
I'm making lots of fromage blanc for the pesto &walnut cheese spread this week. It is so good, the kids almost staged a riot when I said that batch was all sold! I'm making more right now.
I am using the tie stalls now, ready or not. The ground is quite thawed out and I need to keep the cows clean and comfortable. They get out for 3 or 4 hours twice a day and stretch their legs, eat at the round bale, nurse their babies and hang out. It was a disaster at first, but they have pretty much learned their exact spot and I can let them in and they just about go to the right spot each time. I keep forgetting to get 2 more wingnuts so Maddy and Brie can join them.
I think, if I get a moment--I'll start some no knead bread tommorrow. I haven't made that in a while. Homemade bread and cheese, it doesn't get much better than that!

Jules Calved---I need your Help!

2010-03-15T11:05:00.002-04:00

Yesterday afternoon, Jules had little Juliette. Another heifer, I can't believe it! It was a classic calving everything seemed fine. I was frozen and exhausted though, so I went in for a hot shower before going back out to milk and to make sure Juliette had gotten colostrum. This is when the fun began. It has been SO MUCH FUN, that I haven't even gotten a good pic of baby Juliette yet. I am being sarcastic, and can you read the grouchy undertones?
When I go out, I notice first off that Juliette hasn't stood yet, and even worse--her legs are
"frogged" out behind her. Hmmm, that doesn't look good. When I try to help her stand, Jules is getting pretty defensive. Let's not forget she has one horn left, and brandishes it very well.
So, I coax Jules out and put her in the milk stanchion. I figured I'd milk out some colostrum and just feed it to the calf, so I can be assured she has gotten it. First off, she poops, and swishes her long tail in it, repeatedly. I'm thinking ,where are my scissors. Let's give that tail a haircut.
Then, I got my nice warm wash rag in hand and reached out to wash each teat. WHAMMM! First kick. I know it sounds counterintuitive, but in times like this you have got to move in even closer. I snugged right into her side, and just started blindly washing in the direction of her udder! I was washing legs and a belly, udder, teats, my jeans, whatever I could reach while be buffeting by a constant barage of kicks ! I was NOT gonna stop because that was what she wanted, and this isn't a cow spa. Yes, I adore my cows--but I still have a business to run and part of the agreement is that I need the milk! Now, I am a softy, I always let the cows raise their own calf, and I share with them for 3-4 months sometimes longer if they are generous!
I'm thinking Jules, being a heifer, is a bit confused with all her hormones raging and thinks I'm stealing milk from her own calf.
Somehow, I deflected her kicks and actually got the milk machine on and off her last night and the calf fed. I thought that would be the worst of it......Boy was I wrong.
This morning I go out to milk. The kids are all sleeping, Dante's off to work. It's a busy day, and I was looking forward to seeing the new baby. I peak into the stall, and there's Juliette at the opposite end of where I left her, but still with her legs splayed out. This time I immediately got Jules out, lifted the calf, and she took some rocky steps. Well, at least she can walk a little. That's better. I'm gonna put her on the deep bedding pack where she can get better traction.
Then, I call Jules out, and get ready to milk. It's the same old poopy attitude as last night. Maybe worse. So I reach down and start handmilking a teat, I lean right into her. She keeps kicking me off and I keep grabbing that teat and squirting milk all over my pants. I know that she has to learn, that nothing is gonna shake me off--- and then we'll be fine.
I have no idea how, but after about 6 attempts that she kicked off, I get the machine on and she is seemingly settled down, munching grain and getting milked. Then I don't even really know what happened.
I walked over, squatted next to her, and I think I was either gonna check to see if milk was still flowing or release the vacuum, but without even shifting her weight, she cocked her leg up and kicked HARD, missing my face by maybe an inch. Somehow I got my arm in front of my face and she kicked me in the wrist. Oh, that hurt so bad. That's the most painful kick I've ever gotten. It rendered my left arm and hand completely useless. I really thought she broke it. The machine is hanging under her, and she's stepping on it. It's an expensive and crucial piece of my equipment. I fished it out from under with my one good hand, and then let her go. What else could I do?
I couldn't even use my hand for an hour. Bad thing is, she won that round.
I thought I might have to drive myself to the hospital, but the feeling came back. I still have some shooting pains, and it's hard to make a fist but otherwise it's still usable.
I am use to fresh cows and heifers, I'm not afraid of getting kicked. This is nothing new. But she has me kinda shook up. I'm actually nervous to try again tonight. I won't say scared, because I don't want to admit that. But I need a new game plan before tonight.
I also have a cut and large bruise on my thigh from last night, and I got kicked in the knee this morning too. What if I had gotten kicked in the face?The kids were all sleeping in the house, and no one else was home. I work primarily alone with the cows and usually don't give it much thought, until I almost got really hurt. It was really close, I tell you. Too close.
So, I need a little encouragement to get back in there tonight.
Dante would try to help me, but he is seriously allergic. The kind that triggers asthma, so I feel bad about asking him to come help me wrestle with her tonight. Even if he did, he'd need to probably repeat that twice a day for a couple days anyway.
I'm gonna try the old, " glove on a stick " trick, and maybe Dante can screw an eyebolt into a stud in the milk parlor wall, and I can try to tie off one leg. I don't own a kickstop because usually, I can just move slowly and hang on, and when they can't shake me off they just quit it.
Plus, the hormones settle down after a few days.
You know, she was born in the summer and ran with her mother and was just a very skittish but sweet cow. I do think she'll come around, but for now I need to feel safe enough to milk her again.
It might be a rough few days........

Jules is on Deck.....

2010-03-12T15:56:00.003-05:00

She will be the next to calve. Within 2 weeks, probably sooner. Wanna take a guess? She gets all " swishy -tailed " whenever I try to touch her udder. Not a direct windmill-action kick aimed at my head, but she's dancing around and thwapping me with her tail nonetheless. Speaking of which , I got groped by a 3 yr old boy at Ayla's gym class. That was new. I should have guessed what was coming when he sidled up next to me, patted my arm, laid his head on my shoulder and then went for the gold. Frankly, I have 5 kids--6 if you count Dante--( I can write that because he RARELY ever reads the blog! ) so I am pretty used to it. You Moms know what I mean. Your body kinda becomes public property. Newly weaned Ida May has taken to blowing " raspberries " on my chest. Whatever floats your boat, right?

Back to Jules, if she has a heifer she will be named Julia or Juliette. A play on the book/movie " Julie & Julia ". Only this pair will probably be " Jules & Juliette ". I can use the milk. Ellie's bull calf is officially for sale. He is taking ALL her milk. He will be excellent meat for the freezer for someone. We are gonna butcher our bigger bull, Wolfie, after he breeds the cows and is on grass for a bit. He is becoming a jerk, gets all snorty and grouchy if you even look at him these days. Teeny was in heat yesterday, or maybe it was Happy, all I know is it was a DANGEROUS proposition to get in between her an any immovable object! I tried to take some pics of Jules but was scared to turn my back on her! I had to keep my escape route in mind. She just had this love-crazed look in her eyes.....The ram we borrowed for tupping ( remember that is sheep-speak for breeding ) is also a bother now. He uses his horns to dart under the fence and is coating the bottom wire with wool. This is very annoying for Dante, and thus slightly entertaining for me!

Amazingly my business is growing concurrent with the cows freshening. It seems, just as I seem to be short on milk--BOOM! Another calf hits the ground. I couldn't have planned it better, and believe me it wasn't planned! This years calving schedule was all left up to the cows, bulls, and romance under the stars somewhere on the back forty. I would have LOVED to have at least gotten a heads up, but NO---the cows want me to spend weeks scrutinizing their nether regions and discussing it in great detail with anyone who will listen. Zoie lives in fear of what I will let fly, in front of her friends. Of course I use this to my advantage. She had a friend visiting, and we were watering the cows. One of the calves mounted another. This is normal calf behavior, they do it as a dominance thing and just practicing being cows. The little girl looks at me and I can see it coming. " What are they doing? "

" Oh, just playing..." I say. " It looks like they're HUMPING." she says. So I say, " Fine, they're humping." And that was that. When you treat these things as normal everyday facts of life, that's EXACTLY how kids grow up viewing them.

That's one of the great things about being a lady dairy farmer . Not only have I learned every swear imaginable from other farmers, ( when you are dealing with a steaming 20 lb mound of excrement that just came out of the south end of your cow named " Happy ", to call it " poop " or " manure " just doesn't do it justice. It's sh*t. Pure and simple. Call me uncouth, or not lady-like, but I am very feminine, in a not so feminine profession. ) You also get to say things like:

" udder "

" teats "

" vulva"

" springing "

" sliming "

" mucous "

" engorged "

" she's holding out on me! "

" I almost got mounted by a cow today! "

and nobody looks at you weirdly! Okay, they still look at you strange, but you don't give a hoot! I love my job!

Does Muscle Weigh More Than Fat?

2010-03-09T09:17:00.003-05:00

Only I could manage to take up running for an hour, every other day, in hopes of jump starting my weight loss---and GAIN 2 lbs.! Let's hope it's true--muscle weighs more than fat.

The power went out last night. Apparently a scheduled outage but I knew nothing about it. What really stinks, is that I had a bunch of yogurt incubating. The power goes out, shuts off the incubators, the space heater, AND the alarm set for 2 a.m., for me to get up and cap and refrigerate the yogurt. It's ruined. I apologize, in advance, to those who won't get their orders. I started another batch, but I don't think it will be done in time.
Ayla and Ida May were panicking because the night light was out. How do you notice the light is out when you are asleep with your eyes closed? I had to keep find my way to the bathroom by the light of my cell phone!

Kids and Cheese

2010-03-07T09:48:00.003-05:00

I'm happy to report that we had a GREAT time last night. I laughed so hard and really enjoyed myself. Despite a huge setback in the morning, my Mom got sick and couldn't watch our 5 kids, after much brainstorming and many phonecalls we actually came up with some FABULOUS babysitters. They were perfect, the kids had a wonderful time and Ayla was safe and Ida May content. I'm still in a state of shock. I can't believe that they were fine. These lovely ladies were brave enough to take on watching Ayla, and readily learned what was necessary. No one has done that, I didn't think it was possible. Anything is possible, I guess.
It's a beautiful day, the cows are waiting for me. Jules looks REALLY close. She has been hanging around this dead tree that fell in their paddock during our last storm. I'm almost willing to bet, that's where she plans to drop that calf. She stands behind the small fallen tree and thinks I can't see her. It's like an elephant standing behind a telephone pole. She has one horn, and has been using it. The humane dehorning I started last March, was so humane in fact, that it only took off one horn! If she doesn't calve soon, I'm gonna have to take it off anyway. Either she has to be tied up, or her favorite victim does. Gale is the same story, one horn. I hate it.
I think I'm gonna make a Caerphilly cheese today, it'll culture while we are at church.
You can read about Caerphilly here:
http://www.practicallyedible.com/edible.nsf/pages/caerphillycheese

The cream cheese is already started. It is a 2 day process, but I love that recipe best.

I'm gonna start some seeds too! We hung our towels out on the line yesterday, I stood, mesmerized, just looking at those towels waving on the line with the woods in the backdrop, I could hear Ellie softly mooing to her calf, Angus, --who is getting braver than she likes-- and slipping under the fence. Life is good.

A REALLY Big Beaver

2010-03-05T07:32:00.004-05:00

I'm gonna " flashback " to one of our family memories. These are the things that you say you'll never forget, but you always do. This way it will be preserved forever! You can thank me for that later, Mom. This is a pic of Zoie taken on the day in question.

I must warn you, it isn't deep---probably nothing you could learn from, but is a typical outing for my mother and I.

We took all 5 kids for a walk on the trails. We had Ida May and Ayla in the double jogging stroller, and actually did a little jogging. We stopped along the way and ate a few fat juicy rose hips. Enough to stain our teeth orange. Upon walking for about 30 minutes we turned around and started to make our way back. That's when I spotted--THE BEAVER TRACKS.

" Look, you guys! There are beaver tracks! " Wow, that must be a REALLY big beaver! " " Or maybe a whole HERD of beavers! "

By this point we were all scooched down, pointing and gesturing loudly. We even showed another family the tracks we had found. Only Zoie questioned the authenticity of the beaver tracks.

That was when it happened............ My Mom took a step ahead of me, and there--in that exact spot where her athletic shoe had been, split seconds before---- was a perfect impersonation of a beaver track.

There were no herds of REALLY BIG beavers. Just one 5 ft 9in Grandma, wearing size 9 sneakers, that happened to leave a print that looked like a beaver track.

I still laugh thinking about that giant Beaver, because ironically we had been eating rose hips, and our teeth were all orange too. Just like a bunch of beavers.

Blah, Blah, Blah

2010-03-04T10:09:00.002-05:00

I just somehow, mostly pulled off finishing the Thursday orders. It was close. I barely survived and had to meet the truck in my pajamas with my hair looking like Tina Turners's.
It is at times like this, that I really get amused by the strangest things.
I was just pondering some of my favorite words and I think I see a theme developing.
Demented
Deranged
Maladjusted
Oddly enough I use these words on a daily basis. Go figure.
Then Zoie, poor thing, is wiped out by basketball and some cruddy cold that Ida May has given us all twice. She just tried to make herself some cinnamon toast but accidentally put CHILLI POWDER on her toast. I'm still chuckling over that one! I fear the kids may be doomed to inherit some of my dementia.
The janitor at the school asked how we got the dent in the van, and all I could say was, " Which one. " Let's see first I was in a hurry, Happy was calving out in the field and I backed into the lawnmower cart. Then I somehow managed to back up at a fairly good pace right into a 10 ft by 20 ft stack of cement pillars. I was preoccupied, the sheep had just been moved into a new pasture and what can I say, I was excited to see them in that idyllic pasture. Took out the passenger side view mirror and the door with that one. Can I borrow your car? Or better yet, your nice 4-wheel drive truck. THAT would be really fun.

I need your cracker recipes....

2010-03-03T14:10:00.004-05:00

So,I've recovered from my mini breakdown. I hope I don't come across as having multiple personalities! We ( ME, MYSELF, and I,...and Dante ) are having a party this weekend. Only this time it is for adults only. Yes, for the first time ever, all 5 of our children will be babysat overnight and I hope to enjoy some good ole adult company. Sometimes I'll even admit I've been spending too much time with the kids and the cows. When you spend your days cleaning up poop from multiple species, herding children and cows by waving your arms, clapping and yelling, " Move along, little doggie !!! " and just bursting into gales of laughter when someone farts----I think you need a little more adult converstaion!
Upon receiving an invite, one of the other pee-wee basketball parents said, " What's gonna be the entertainment? " I said, " Hopefully not me! " I'm gonna need a few drinks to cope with Ayla being babysat, and I do LOVE to sing and dance. I wouldn't recommend getting frisky while washing your milk machine with dairy detergent and vinegar. I managed to splash this concoction past my new glasses and right in my eye a couple nights ago. This was followed by even more frantic movements and hollering. Honestly, Dante didn't even bat an eye. I think he thought I was just enjoying the music with a little interpretive dance.
Seriously, this is long overdue, and she and I both need this experience. I have to let go a little, and she needs to have that fun sleepover experience. All I can say about Ida May's night away is---Have fun, Mom! You remember what having 1 1/2 yr olds was like right? I would say I'm gonna unplug the phone after 8:00 p.m., but I won't. You might want to! I'm sure I'll be making more than a few obsessive phone calls. Just joking, don't unplug it or you'll get an impropmptu visit as well!
All this chatter, to say--I need your homemade cracker recipes! I'm gonna make a cheese plate with some of my cheeses and want to do homemade crackers to go with it.

Superwoman Syndrome

2010-03-01T11:05:00.003-05:00

Does this sound familiar to anyone? Do you ever feel the need to do and be everything for everyone even at the expense of yourself? A couple of weeks ago, there were two comments made in the same day that kinda made me pause. The first was one I've heard many times, " I don't know how you do it all---the kids, the farm. " I gave my usual response. " Does that seem like a lot?" To me it is simply what I do. Then a couple hours later someone else said, " Jessika is a strong woman." I thought, " Really?" I sure don't feel that way. I feel a bit like I'm always secretly on the verge of " cracking up " or failing, or falling apart, or letting everyone else down.
I really have this sense that if I let my guard down for one minute, it's gonna all spiral out of control and our lives are gonna fall apart.
Just so you know, I'm not talking about daily " good " stress either. I wish all I had to worry about was getting the kids to basketball practice, dinner on the table, the cows milked, the house cleaned.
I'm talking about really " heavy " things like serious financial strain, marital " issues " that make me feel like I'm the one with the responsibility for which way our family continues on, and one child with an incurable disease, and another with a rare speech disability that requires intense therapy. I'm also self-employed and a farmer. My house is also a mess and I haven't been doing very good getting nutritious meals on the table.
I am tired. Tired in a way that a few extra hours of sleep at night or a nap here or there aren't going to help. Tired in a way that makes it hard to get up in the morning but yet, nearly impossible to unwind at night and sleep. I feel like my body just won't move fast enough anymore, and sometimes I can barely think.
My poor cows. It is usually out in the barn that I finally let down my guard and have a good cry. I mean the really ugly ones that come from deep down inside your soul. They are loud and painful, and I wouldn't want anyone but the cows to have to witness emotion like that. The word " raw " is what comes to mind. I'm not writing this to scare off my customers, or get sympathy or attention. I've figured out that I have to spill out some of this " stuff " that builds inside me, every once and again, or it'll be toxic.
I really do feel better already. I just thought maybe someone could relate. Maybe someone has come through times like this and has some sage advice. For now I just has to BELIEVE and have FAITH that it really is gonna be okay someday. That is what I cling to.

More Calves Coming Sooner Than I Thought....

2010-02-28T08:59:00.002-05:00

We brought the bred heifers up to the barn about 10 days ago. I assumed they were probably all bred, they have been in with the bulls since June 2009. I had NO IDEA how far along. So, I did a little training session--put the heifers in the stanchion.
Jules and Maddy are definitely making udders, then I tried to bump them and almost jumped when I felt BIG calves kicking and pushing back against my hands! What? So it seems to me, the calves usually feel like that about a month before calving. Berretta, for reference, is due in May and about to be dried off. I can't bump her calf nearly as easily.
Brie, the 3rd heifer, isn't really building an udder yet. I couldn't bump a calf either. Hopefully she's in fact bred, just due in early May like I thought the others were.
The heifers behaved wonderful in the stanchion. I felt all around their cute little udders. Not a flinch, let alone a kick. I can't belive we might have 3 more little calves in the next 2 months. Yipeeeeeeeeeee!

Cheese Notes

2010-02-25T15:35:00.003-05:00

Or a note from the cheese, actually. This note mysteriously appeared on the " cheese cave " door. Sorry Colby. It didn't do a bit of good. I managed to walk past this note at least a half dozen times around 9:00 a.m. Didn't ring a bell, and I STILL forgot you in your brine bath.

Some cheese with your salt? Anyone?

The Running of The Bulls......and Sheep?

2010-02-23T07:51:00.002-05:00

We got a little unsolicited excitement last night.
To begin with, it was Zoie's REAL birthday. For some reason more often than not we seem to have a thing with dramatic animal escapes occuring on her birthday. Five years ago it was the famous " Pig on The Highway " incident that got me my " Crazy lady with all those kids and animals " status in the neighborhood. I think at that time I actually ONLY had 3 out of the 5 kids, and ONLY 3 pigs and no cows as well. Anyway, " Ginger " a large black sow had escaped her fence, in a snowstorm , on Zoie's 6th B-Day, and could not be coerced to cross the ice and go back in through the gate to her pen.
I called Dante at work and told him. I specifically remember him saying, " She'll be fine. Where's she gonna go?" Well, she went 5 miles down the highway in what became apparently a really fun day for everyone involved but US! And I mean right down the middle of the road. There were about 20 vehicles involved in this slow speed chase. Good samaritans were throwing their lunches out the window to her, one kindly neighbor lured her into his pristine white garage, and shut the door. Only to throw it open again when she started to do some damage. The police were involved, and told us if she crossed into the next town they were gonna have to shoot her. Finally she made her way to a cemetary, where some old time pig farmers on 4-wheelers caught her with a noose around the snout, and put her in their barn. We thought that was the end of it, until she jumped the 5 foot wall of the stall they had her in, and was on the loose again. They quickly rounded her up AGAIN, and this time nailed the doors of their barn shut. A friend of ours, went and retreived her the next day for us. And THAT"S how I became famous.........

So last night we get home about 8:00 pm. The answering machine is blinking, we have 1 new message. A quick listen, it was our neighbor calling while we were gone to tell us we had a few cows out. I was thinking, " That's odd. It was probably the calves " Henrietta " and " Angus ", out for a little Tour De Farm. Boy what a pain in the butt those two are."
I somehow convince Dante to go spread some straw out for the milk cows in the barn, because--" I'm so tired, there's no way I can do it!"
He returns, and peaks in our bedroom and says, " We got everybody all mixed in together. The bulls are up here milling around with the milk cows."
Oh, no. Remember-- I'm simply too tired to go on--- I can't possibly go sort out BULLS in the dark. But then I get this horrid picture in my mind, of the cows thundering around the barnyard in the muck and mud, driven on by the bulls, and my darling Althea getting trampled in the process.
Zoie, Ayla, and I get dressed and head over to the barn to join Dante, who is just leaving on the tractor. He figured he better put a new hay bale in their feeder, as incentive to get them the 1/2 mile back down the road to THEIR fence and barn. While he was gone, I get an idea. We should gather all eight milk cows and three calves, up onto their 12x32 ft bedded " sleeping platform " and lock the door. Then it would be easier to drive the bulls out of the fence and barn.
As we were working, my eyes catch sight of something white whizzing by. The sheep! Of course, they were in with the bulls and came up to the barn too. SWEET. Now we have killer bulls AND bouncing sheep to drive back down the hill. I was actually happy to see the sheep, just not in this context. My ewe and her lamb, came right up for some treats and scratches. Their beau, " Black Beard " ( the borrowed Scottich Black face ram ) was all about panicking and hurtling himself from one length of the barn to the other. Like sooty popcorn actually.
The trap is set, Zoie is secure--I'm sprung and ready to flee, screaming for my life if they run in my direction.( Very helpful in times like this ) It's a dark night, and as is typical of most Jersey bulls, they are very dark colored and can move surprisingly cat-like, when they need to. Dante disappears into the night, armed with a trusty fence post, listening to the hoof beats sloshing around outside, every hair is standing up on my head. I wait.
The bulls whiz by the opening of the barn, but the sheep take the bait and come eat grain from the pan I set out. Next time around, the bulls tear straight down the middle if the barn-- and I scramble out the front doors and pull them closed. Did I mention Ayla is hysterical in the minivan this whole time? Even though I went out to reassure her every couple of minutes, she's wigging out. I keep hearing the doors locking, everytime I walk away. She is NOT the one you want around, while working difficult animals. She likes baby " Moo cows" and to look at cows through the fence but that's pretty much the extent of it.
So now, the bulls and sheep are in the barn. Zoie and Dante are taking FOREVER to come out. Ayla's crying, and I'm pacing outside the van. Somehow Dante and Zoie appear around the side of the barn. Zoie hops in, Dante releases the bulls...and sheep, and we're off! The sheep lead the way in a tight little bunch, bounding down the dark, wooded lane. " Wolfie " the almost 2 year old bull is next, followed by " Brody " our runty little yearling, with an attitude, and we bring up the rear in the minvan. I would have loved to have been on the other end and seen this odd nighttime procession coming down the driveway. In fact, I tried to shoot a quick video, but Dante conveyed in a not so subtle manner, ( insert choice expletives here )that this was not the time nor place for it.A trio of sheep, a couple knot-headed bulls thundering along, all in the glow of our 1 headlight van. Yes, we've got a headlight out again, thank you. Bought a bulb for it yesterday.
They all trotted right in the open gate to the paddock and commenced to munch their hay. The girls and I headed back up to the barn, to release the girls, who were all in a dither, by now. What do I find? Maddy is down again. There is something going on with her. I think she hurt her back during that near- death episode she had. She was cast again, a few weeks ago, and then couldn't get up last night. We ushered all the other cows out, gave her some time and encouragement, and she finally got up. It's like she can rise to a certain height and then it hurts, and she drops again. This has me very worried. I'll probably consult with the vet today over the phone. Phew, and now I need to finish up an order and deliver it by the new, earlier deadline.
Never, and I mean NEVER a dull moment around here. I could use a little boredom, a little of the mundane, dull, lackluster. You know what I mean!

Zoie's 1st Sleepover.....I'm still Sleepy!

2010-02-21T19:38:00.004-05:00

This scary looking creature is called " Wrap your little sister in toilet paper like an Egyptian Mummy." It was a big hit! An even bigger hit when I told them that was their toilet paper for the morning. I had them put it in a gift bag and park it next to our aging toilet.

( Okay, I may or may not have put a shot of Bacardi Rum in my cup of Diet Sprite. Things were getting a bit stressful and I saw no hope of any sleep in sight. )

Zoie invited 4 friends over to help celebrate her 11th Birthday. There was pizza, a movie, games of twister, cake and ice cream. We made " spirit flip-flops " in cheerleader fashion. I believe the idea came from my sister, Erika. Erika and I were cheerleaders all through grammer school and highschool. I'm tempted to make myself a pair, only I know I'll wear them to milk the cows come summer time, and probably get my toe sliced clean off the first time Beretta steps on it. I love Berretta, but I'm surprised I have any functioning toes left! She's got a knack of stepping on my foot and then standing there innocently looking around while I scream obscenities and beat on her large gurgling rumen to no avail. Wouldn't trade her for anything though.

Voila! Spirit Flip-Flops!

Then they decided to tell ghost stories. Dante hid in the doorway in his blazing red and white flannel pajamas and made snarling, howling coyote noises. They were on to him. But I found it immensely amusing! ( Or maybe it was the Bacardi talking ?) But the amusement wore off 20 minutes later when I found out it was almost midnight. I had to make the prerequisite trip to the bathroom and tell them to put a cork in it, or else face the music if they woke up Ida May!

The next morning I had lot's of little visitors in the barn while I forked out manure and milked the cows. The cows headed for the back forty, of course, and would only make a brave beeline for the parlor when they knew it was their turn.Funny, there wasn't any loitering this time? They made their contribution to the milk can, and then scrammed.

Sometimes I think I was probably a family cow in a past life. I can TOTALLY relate.

I think a good time was had by all. Zoie napped on and off like a played out kitten the rest of the day. If you knew her, you'd know she NEVER makes it past 9:00p.m. I was sorely tempted to sleep with Ida May when she fell asleep in my arms that afternoon, but surprisingly I got up and exercised instead. Now I know I must be addled with sleep deprivation!

Miserable Way To Start The Day

2010-02-18T12:41:00.010-05:00

These are the stairs I fell down this morning. Heading out to milk at 6:00 a.m. Welcome back to twice a day milking! Just when I was thinking, " I could really use this quiet, contemplative time of day...." WHAMMMMMMMM! Bump! Bump! Bump!Bump! Down like a sack of potatoes (only wearing pajamas ) slipped on the icy steps, a jumble of flannel, stainless steel, purple muckboots----and wouldn't you know it---the blasted bucket full of piping hot UDDER WASH!

Soaked, stunned, and quite p*ssed off to be truthful. Crumpled in a heap at the bottom of the steps, I considered my options.

1.) There is the obviously sensible one--- get your butt back inside and get changed it's winter!

2.) The grouchy, stubborn, fool-headed way. Ignore the pain and the wet clothing chafing you in areas you shouldn't be chafed, and push on--NAVY SEAL --style.

Guess which one I went with?

Surprisingly, I went back in and got changed. I'm pretty hard-core commando-ish, but give me a break! I hadn't even had any coffee yet.....

Ida May slept ON my head, and every 20 minutes like clockwork would yell, " MOMMA!!!!!!!"

In this really screeching voice directly in my ear, since she was already draped on my head like a hat. I was a bit " edgy" to begin with.

I calmy walked in the house, stripped off my soaking pants and barn coat, and left them in a sodden puddle right by the front door. I tell you I got such satisfaction knowing that Dante would be annoyed to find these soaked articles of clothing, just drip-drip-dripping away! Why shouldn't someone else suffer when your ticked off, am I right?

I made it through the milking fine, but COMPLETELY turned my creamery inside out finishing the orders on time. I was really staring to regret having kicked my workout " up a notch "last night. I made it though. Just as I finished washing the last cheesey utensil and inverted the final clean jar on the rack to dry , I remembered the kids!

Where are they? It's too quiet......

Amazingly this is what I found:

Angels. I didn't pose them, they just did it themselves. Makes you feel like your doing something right afterall.

Five minutes later, Ayla informs me Ida May pooped in her diaper, and says, " It looks just like a cow poop! I looked!

Humility is a good thing too. We need not get big heads over our sucesses! I'm glad God has imposed a system of checks and balances over our lives. Makes you a good person!

Introducing Baby Althea

2010-02-17T08:33:00.003-05:00

The pics are blurry, it was still a bit dark in there. I'm heading out now to milk. A bit nervous to milk Gale. Her udder is big, and she is my reformed kicker. Last night I tried to milk a bit of colostrum out and she kicked me. I didn't have her in the stanchion though. I just need to soften her udder a bit, this first milking anyway. Wish me luck!

Gale Calved!

2010-02-16T20:05:00.002-05:00

Just about 2 hours ago. I'm absolutely frozen and tired but so glad SHE is finally here! Yes, she had a gorgeous VERY long awaited purebred Jersey heifer. They are snuggled in a bed of straw in the barn. The calf was upside down, and as she started coming out all I could see were upside down hooves and the underside of a chin, then she got stuck there and I had to help pull the calf. Then Gale " played dead " absolutely scaring the sh*t out of me, I got so flustered that I stepped in the bucket of udder wash and flailed around on the milk room floor for a bit before getting my act together. I think she's okay, she is very alert and LOVES her baby, but I'm not gonna get much sleep tonight! Not that unusual, but I'm a sissy about going to the barn after dark in the winter. The coyotes could smell blood and were starting to cause a racket, then the dog goes beserk barking and charging off into the woods.
I still can't believe she actually had a heifer! Pics and more tommorrow, I'm heading back out to the barn.

Practical Sheep Dairying, Chapter 12

2010-02-15T17:51:00.003-05:00

Chapter 12:
The Milking Ewe as a Therapy for the Maladjusted and Lonely

Need I say more? I think this is exactly what Zoie was hinting I might be portraying while reading this wonderful book and simultaneously riding 20 miles on a stationary bike, and meeting her new friend's very " normal " mother.

I have not heard a more apt description of yours truly, in quite some time! This has made me laugh so hard, I was doubled over and fell on the ice outside just thinking about it. Every time I pass by a mirror or catch sight of my reflection, I think, " Yup. Maladjusted and Lonely."
Seriously though, she makes a good point about the role animals play in our lives and how valuable that relationship is particularly to children. Animals are commonly used for therapy for a good reason. They know how to LISTEN and comfort just by being near you. Something that is so hard for many of us to master.
How about you? Are you gonna join the ranks of the " maladjusted " with me?

Typo in The Newspaper

2010-02-14T14:20:00.002-05:00

So there was an article in a local paper about one of the local buying clubs that I sell to. It was very good except for one glaring typo in regards to my business of course.
It said that I deliver " Holstein Milk ". Where in the world did that come from! I'm trying not to be too offended, but I take pride in our high-fat milk from JERSEY cows, and in fact the majority of my products are based around CREAM. Sour cream, cream cheese, creme fraiche, pints of cream, cream top yogurt, and raw creamline milk.
Taking a breath and then heading out to milk my tiny, 700-800lb FAWN COLORED, 8.75% butterfat producing HOLSTEINS! LOL!
I really am trying not to panic, but without causing offense to Holstein cow owners, PERSONALLY I wouldn't buy milk if it was touted as being from Holsteins. But that's just a matter of personal taste, it's clear we like our coffee with lot's of Jersey cream in it.

Beautiful Bounty

2010-02-09T14:11:00.003-05:00

This is a pic of today's buying club order. Right now, I sell to 3 different local buying clubs. It's an interesting model. I still prefer selling direct at farmer's markets, but this has been a fabulous way to market my goods in the off season. Each week I email the 3 different coordinators of the buying club my list of available products and they put together an email listing all the participating vendors goods and customers email their orders. The " leaders " compile and organize the orders, organize a day a week that the farmers drop off their goods and then the customers come and pick up their orders. The coordinators are paid a % for their effort,( they do a lot of work ) payable with food. It's interesting, very grassroots.

Here's what I packed this morning:

9 - Half gallons of Creamline Raw Milk

2 - Pints Raw Cream

3 - 16 oz Plain Whole Milk Yogurts

2 - 16 oz Red Raspberry Yogurts

2 - 16 oz Mission Fig Yogurts

2 - 8 oz Red Raspberry Yogurts

1 - 8 oz Mission Fig Yogurt

2 - 16 oz Fromage Blanc w/ Garlic & Herbs in Olive Oil

2 - 8 oz Cranberry Nut Cream Cheese Balls

5- 1/2 lb wedges of Raw Milk Farmhouse Cheddar

One order down. Two more buying club orders due by Noon on Thursday. Today my Aunt said, " I don't know how you do it all ! " And you know what came out of my mouth? " Well I don't spend all day changing diapers anymore. " That went over well. I think it just might be my new tagline.

Practical Sheep Dairying

2010-02-07T16:58:00.004-05:00

Practical Sheep Dairying. The Care and milking of the Dairy Ewe by Olivia Mills.

This is the " Bible " for sheep dairy enthusiasts. I've been wanting to get my hands on a copy for about a year and a half now. Ever since I conceived of the notion to milk a couple sheep in hopes of making sheep's milk cheese. Right now there is 1 used copy available on Amazon for $150.

I requested this book through interlibrary loan, and lo and behold they actually were able to scrounge up a tattered, fragile 1982 edition! Oh, sweet joy!

If anyone ever sees this book for a decent price let me know. It really is good. I've been pacing myself so that I wouldn't read it all in one night.

Naturally, I decide to take it with me to work out. In typical Jessika fashion, I get comfy on the stationary bike and settle in for a good workout and a rousing read. I'm just reading about " tupping " or breeding. ( That's a new name for it ) When Zoie and her friend rush up all in a dither, " Mom, drop the sheep book! Her Mom is coming! " I try to nonchalantly stash my sheep dairy book beside the bike and act normal. I guess it isn't " cool " to meet your daughter's new friend while voraciously reading about " tupping " in a book with an astonished looking sheep on the cover not to mention a pic of the aforementioned sheep's bare udder in all its glory.

By the way, those are my new glasses. Like 'em?

Should I Stop Blogging?

2010-02-06T15:47:00.002-05:00

Sometimes I think I might have to right now. I don't really have much nice to say to be honest. I have no amazing homesteading or cheese related techniques or tutorials to share. My brain is so full of thoughts, that I'm amazed I can even fill my orders or get anywhere on time anymore.
I am classically the type of person who prefers to keep all that less than positive stuff to themselves. I HATE to cry in front of anyone. I also am not very good at pretending. Lately, I'm just feeling like I should probably keep the negativity and the honesty to myself. Things are very hard and very complex right now. I should come right out and address it. I feel like so many of you are good friends but maybe for the sake of my kids, I feel this need to protect them and it won't do for me to blab about it here.
Have any of you other fellow bloggers felt this way? Do you sometimes feel like maybe you've divulged too much information and no one really wants to hear you whine anyway? I'm feeling like that right now. There are always worse things that could be happening, but when it is happening to you it doesn't feel that way.
Perhaps I shouldn't have named the blog after our farm. My intentions were to blog about farming and connect with my customers but now I'm not so sure that was such a good idea.

I think I'm a Soccer Mom Now....

2010-02-05T06:05:00.001-05:00

Here's what one of my days this week looked like:

( We are a homeschooling family, but just recently decided to get the kids involved with the school's sports programs )
Drop Jude off for Gym class
Rush home and start heating the milk for fromage blanc
Pick up Jude, Drop off Veda for speech
Rush home and cool the milk, culture it, and water the cows
Pick up Veda
Feed the kids lunch, start the yogurt, wash some creamery dishes
Drop off Zoie for Gym
Rush home, assemble the milk machines and label the milk jugs
Pick up Zoie
Get a few last minute ingredients for grilled sausages ( our sausage )
Back to the school, switch vehicles with Dante
Work out for 60 minutes. Ride almost 15 miles on the stationary bike ( training for the BIG JDRF ride in July )
Drive back home, milk the cows and clean the barn. Bottle milk, cap and refigerate the bumbleberry yogurts, wash the machines, and set the timer for 1 am to go out and ladle the fromage curds into cheese cloth and hang it to drain for 12 hours.
Dante, Zoie and Jude go to pee-wee basketball.
We also managed to study the American Revolution.

A bit hectic, I admit, but we are having fun! It's all about compromise really. I want to continue homeschooling the kids. Dante has always been lukewarm at best about it, and I think he had really good memories of the social aspect of school and just wanted the kids to share in that.
Here's another small victory for homeschooling. My kids, who have never been in a school or spent much time with large groups of kids had absolutely no problem whatsoever fitting in. Actually they said a lot of the kids said they wished they were homeschooled! Hopefully this will be the best of both worlds.
Another eye-opener this week: CUB SCOUTS.
I know girls, I'm used to the emotions and the inner workings of girls, after all I am just a grown up girl, and have 4 of my own, but boys---let's just say I felt like I had paid money to get into the zoo and observe this species of animal through a plate glass window. For one thing there was tons of twitching, rocking, fiddling movement. There were outbursts and singing of " inappropriate " songs for show and tell. One of the highlights was when a boy was asked to interview his grandfather about what he remembered from when he was in grade school. Apparently , Grandpa shared how a fellow student wasn't allowed to use the bathroom and really needed to, so he pooped in the garbage can during class.
It all went down hill after that. I admit, I kept having to stifle giggles and was feeding off all that energy too! Then as we are leaving, we're informed of a cub scout sleepover in the church. Dante says, " Are you going? " I say, " Oh I can't! I don't think I'd survive."

Two Year Anniversary for Little Ayla

2010-01-30T09:15:00.002-05:00

It is two years today that we almost lost her. Two years today that our lives were changed forever when the ER doc ran bloodwork " STAT!" to find out why she was in respiratory failure and found her BG at 465. Type 1 Diabetes at 19 months old. She was in full DKA and had been for almost 48 hours.
We had already been rushed to this hospital via ambulance, and were awaiting transport via Life Flight Helicopter, but it was January and a nasty storm was going on. Both outside and INSIDE Ayla's body. They couldn't fly, so we waited--I prayed they would make it in time by ambulance.
I'll never forget those first Angels who marched through the corridors of our tiny hospital, in their flight suits, in perfect formation. They surrounded her tiny body on the stretcher--secured airways--got in a better I.V.-- got us on the road to a larger hospital 2 hours away. I couldn't ride with her in the back of the ambulance, so sat in the front passenger seat of that ambulance with a non-stop trail of silent tears streaming down my cheeks.
But SHE made it, WE made it. 5 days in the PICU we were released on Super Bowl Sunday and went home--no idea what we were doing and SCARED to death. I remember we had no idea how to feed her and stopped at a grocery store for sugar free popsicles and string cheese.
So many of you have been here for us through it all. The hypoglycemic seizures, the rocking emotions, my subsequent depression and grieving for the baby and the life we used to have. ( still happening by the way ), and our first JDRF fundraising walk.
Thanks to all the medical professionals, and all the friends and family that have cheered us on, and cried with us as well. I love you guys!
We are CHOOSING to celebrate this day every year instead of mourning it. Sure we've lost a lot, but we've GAINED even more.
Zoie and I are off to pee wee basketball, and then the whole family is taking a trip to " Elmers " and the kids are picking out little $5 presents. We've all worked hard and I think it is often overlooked how much the other children do to help with Ayla, and how much it has changed their lives too. We deserve a pat on the back and a little celebration. Tonight we're gonna go play cards with friends and the kids will form a big troop with the other kids and a good time will be had by all.
I'll edit with a pic later. Time to get out of my long johns and get going!

Divine Intervention?

2010-01-28T12:36:00.004-05:00

This is Madeline. The pic doesn't do her justice, she is an ADORABLE good-natured heifer. Two years old and bred for a late spring calf. She was as good as DEAD this morning, in fact I thought she was.
7:00 a.m. Dante leaves for work, but is back a couple minutes later. Flat tire. So I get dressed, throw the kids in the car and get set to drop him off at work. The field where Madeline and 2 other heifers, the bulls, and our sheep live is a 1/2 mile from our house and the dairy barn, so I don't see these cows unless I'm leaving the house or checking on them. In this case I wouldn't have seen them until we left 5 hours later, to deliver cheese.
While hurrying by, I see legs in the air and then a head curled back, eyes rolled up into her head.
" One of my heifers died! Stop! " I yell, and fly out of the van in my pajamas to go see what the heck happened. Once I reached the gate, I saw an ear flicker and then yelled, " She's ALIVE ! You've got to get the bull back, I'm going in! " So Dante, dressed for work in a button down shirt, tie, and dress shoes, chases off Wolfie, ( In hind-sight a rather ominous sounding name for a Jersey Bull ) and he grabs her by the collar, righting her head and neck into a better position, while I start trying to roll her back up on her brisket. Dante actually dragged her a couple feet,out of a hole she was in, I think. Once she was on her brisket, she lurched and rose to her feet and staggered a few steps.
Whew! That was extremely close. I don't think she had much time left, and definitely would have been dead by the time I found her.
What happened? She had apparently laid down on a mound of hay with a depression like a big bowl behind her. She got her head down hill of her body. This is a big No-No for cows. They will bloat and then suffocate, and I think are even crushed by the weight of their organs and stomach contents when placed in this head downhill position.
Just a terrible fluke. I can't help but keep thinking that this had to have been Divine Intervention. A chain of events that nornally wouldn't have happened ( flat tire necessitating a ride to work ) , but put us at the right place at the right time. Just when she needed us.
Thank You, God! I appreciate the helping hand. Do you like milk and cookies?

Ride for the Cure... Can I do it?

2010-01-25T09:14:00.004-05:00

My Mom called me about this funraising project with JDRF called Ride For the Cure.
www.ride.jdrf.org
She jokingly said she already signed up my 2 sisters and I for this ride. Basically, you raise a minimum donation to even be in the ride, I haven't figured out what that number is quite yet but I think it is thousand ( s ), so would require quite a bit of fundraising, AND it is a ride, not a race, of between 30-100 miles.
Don't laugh, I used to be quite an athlete, and let's face it I am determined to do ANYTHING to help find a cure for my daughter and all the other children and adults living with type 1 diabetes.
I know it would be a monumental physical task, but so is living everyday of your life with type 1 diabetes. I see what Ayla goes through. I'd love to show her anything is possible.
Of course, I would be signing on for the 30 mile stretch. JDRF provides trainers and I think lodging and meals for the riders.
Can I do this? Any cyclists out there? I think the training would also be the perfect opportunity to lose the last 44 lbs I'm determined to lose. My sister, Erika said, " Oh you'll lose 40 lbs alright!"
I must warn you, the more people tell me I CAN'T do it, the more insistant I'll become that I CAN.
I need a training partner. Anyone want to really get in shape? We've got until the middle of July.

Latest Milk Test Results 1/11/10

2010-01-23T15:48:00.002-05:00

I'll just hit the higlights. Both coliform and Standard plate count the same as last month. Low as you can go. SCC up a bit, no doubt due to milking late lactation cows on a once a day schedule 350,000 but still WELL below the standard limits of 750,000 for raw milk. Here's my shameless self-promotion points:

Butter Fat- 8.72
Solids Non-Fat- 10.53

No wonder I'm getting 3.8- 4 lb cheese yields from only 2 gallons of milk! Unreal!

I post my milk test results in order to provide full disclosure to my customers. It's a privilege to be able to legally sell raw milk and I'd like to set a good example and inspire confidence in my abilities to provide delicious, healthy, SAFE milk.

We Have Holes In Our Ears......

2010-01-22T19:08:00.004-05:00

Yesterday, Zoie and I had gift certificates to get our ears pierced. I used to wear earrings but pretty much gave it up 10 years ago when all our little earring pulling babies started coming. I decided to get it done again, and after some intial resrvation Zoie bravely got hers done too.

Dutch Cheese Press

2010-01-21T01:20:00.002-05:00

Does anyone use a dutch cheese press? I really like the looks of this press. Right now I can only make up to a 2 lb cheese at a time. I have a press from Hoeggers, and while I am pleased with it, I'd like an additional press that can press either a larger cheese, 5-10lbs, or maybe I could stack 2 cheese molds and make a couple at once.
I was sleeping, and then had to get up to drain the creme fraiche for tommorrows orders, and I still have 29 minutes left to go for the fig and blk cherry yogurts.
The kids have a cold, I think its about the only one they've had this year. I've been fighting a bad sore throat for the last 2 nights, I'll be surprised if it gets much worse than that. I don't sicken easily. What Mommy has the time to be sick anyway?
Gale's udder was quite a bit bigger tonight. With her other 3 calves, the two heifers were a week or two early, and her 1 bull was 6 days late. She is 12 days out by my calculations. She is in ideal condition and I've been feeding her according to my new milk fever prevention regime and I consider her to be the ultimate test. It would be REALLY nice if the stars would align and somehow make this calf a heifer. Our lovely heifer, Henrietta, is such a tame puppydog that I'm literally tripping over her every milking and have to push her out the gate to clean the stalls because she is planted right in my lap!
Uh-Oh. It's 1:38 am and I just heard Ida May crying. And the yogurt still has 19 minutes.....

Romantic Foods

2010-01-18T19:30:00.002-05:00

What foods do you find romantic? Is it the food or the thought and appreciation of said food being cooked for you? I was thinking about this last night, as I was planning future menus for the buying clubs I serve, and started planning something special for the members for the week of Valentine's Day.
I'll go first. Keep in mind my occupation, LOL, but I find CHEESE incredibly sexy! Especially creamy, full fat cheese. Okay, you're probably a little afraid of me now, but don't worry--I'm harmless. One of my New Year's Resolutions this year was to speak more of what I feel, and apologize less. Forewarned is forearmed.
I also think there is something rather attractive about smoked and fermented foods, think smoked salmon and salami.
There you have it. Let's have some fun! Plus, I'm hoping to incorporate some of these ideas into a savory cheese spread or decadent dessert cheese.
Guys, why don't you pipe in too? Justin........let's here from you too. By the way, we had a good time Saturday night. Let us know about future kid approved gatherings.

Useful Do-It-Yourself Testing for Cattle and Sheep

2010-01-17T17:09:00.005-05:00

I'm a do-it-yourself type person, and if you are too, and you happen to have livestock you might appreciate these links. Especially when you are small scale, it's nice to not have to call the vet out to do EVERYTHING for you. But , if you need to have the vet out anyway, its also convenient to whip out a couple of red top blood collection tubes, and have him pull some blood for you, then you can send it in on your own.
The first test, Biotracking, I've used about a dozen times and been very pleased with the results.
It's a blood pregnancy test for cattle, goats, sheep, elk, horses, bison, and deer. Although I can't imagine strolling outside to take a casual blood sample from my family bison or elk. People do ranch those animals and I'm sure its nice to know if they are with child too.
The gist of it is, you draw 2cc of blood put it in a red top blood collection tube, and mail it-regular post-- no need for ice or overnight shipping to either Biotracking or an affiliate lab near you, and it takes 27 hours from laboratory set up to reporting. You can be notified by telephone, mail, or email. I always have them email me. It's like Christmas, finding out if your cow or sheep is pregnant. Then if she isn't pregnant, it's like getting a lump of coal in your stocking.
The cost of the test is $2.40 per test for cattle, and $7.50 per test for sheep and goats, plus shipping. Last time I sent 4 samples off to Pennsylvania, and it cost me $3-$4. Very fast affordable, and frankly kinda fun! For an additional $3.65 you can have your cow tested for BVD and for $4.00 your goat tested for CAE. Get that all out of the way, and then keep that herd closed!
www.biotracking.com

The second test, is one you hopefully will rarely--if ever--need but so important to know its out there nonetheless. This is a DNA test through Veterinary Genetics Laboratory,to look for the Y chromosome in your little heifer calf. Why would you look for the Y in an X? If that little cupcake was born a twin to a bull calf there is a high possibility that she is infertile. Cattle twins share blood supply and the male hormones will circulate through your heifer and usually makes her infertile. She is then called a freemartin. In about 10% of cases, however, the heifer is still fertile. When you think about the value of a cow ( you can't buy a good milk cow for much less than $1,000. Well maybe you can now because the market is shot, think in terms of 4-5 gallons of milk a day for 10 months each year at $5-6 per gallon and you get the idea of her worth.) spending $50 to have a definitive answer is worth it. It's a shame to just assume something and possibly butcher a good heifer. I can think of 2 would be cases off the top of my head where the heifers were breedable. It's a good thing their owners checked.

You'll need 8-10cc blood in a purple top tube. They can test cattle, alpaca, goats, sheep and llamas. Cost is $50.
www.vgl.ucdavis.edu/Freemartin_Form.pdf

Lastly, a pregnancy test that is performed on a milk sample. Preg-O-Vet. Of course you could only use this on lactating cows, you'd still need to blood check heifers. This is amazing if truly as accurate as claimed. I'm waiting to hear some more actual reviews of it first, before I try it.
You can test as early as 20 days post breeding, and will get immediate results up to 15 minutes maximum.
Minimum order of 12 kits for $66.
I'm excited to try this one out. Talk about having a low cost, no skill tool at your disposal! I'm not needle phobic, but the first time I drew blood on the cows I really had to work up the courage and then could barely get the sample because I was literally shaking so hard in my purple muck boots!
www.knsbiotech.com/index.html

Artificial Pancreas Project

2010-01-16T09:09:00.003-05:00

If you have been following us, then you know that this is BIG news, if not--you may be wondering what an artificial pancreas has to do with a farm and creamery. A quick introduction:
We have a 3 year old daughter, Ayla, with type 1 diabetes--diagnosed at 19 months old. I frequently document our journey on this rocky road. To say it is difficult and plain old heartbreaking, doesn't even do it justice.
The buzz in the insulin dependent diabetes world this week is this talk of a partnership between JDRF ( Juvenile Diabetes Research Fund ), Animas Corp ( makers of Ayla's insulin pump )and Dexcom ( continuos glucose monitor ) to develop a first generation " artificial pancreas ".
The short of it is, this technology would allow us to affix one medical device to her little body, that would be automated to check her blood sugars in real time, and then administer insulin or shut down, depending on what the reading indicates her actual blood sugars to be. It would act more like a pancreas.
You can read more about it, here:

http://takeaction.jdrf.org/site/News2?news_iv_ctrl=-1&page=NewsArticle&id=5335&autologin=true

We had an EXCELLENT visit to Ayla's Endocrinologist yesterday. This is her first clinical visit, complete with an A1c ( measures her average blood sugars for the past 3 months ), since going on an insulin pump in October. They reccommend an A1C for a child her age to be between 7.5 and 8.5. Prior to the pump hers was 8.9, and her diabetes was not well controlled at all. Plotted on a graph there were many sharp peaks and valleys. Lots of highs and dangerous lows. This can almost be worse for her body than just having elevated BG's. Ideally you want a flat line, like a person without diabetes would have.

Can I get a drumroll please.................................Ayla's A1C yesterday was 8.0! And her plotted graph was almost a flat line! Her doctor actually said and I quote, " This is a success story! " I said, " We're a success? That is something I rarely hear and even scarcer actually feel. Thank you!" I feel such heavy responsibility to do well for her because she has this disease, with all too real possibilities of bad complications. I need to know we are doing all we can for her future.

Yipeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

Scottish Blackface Ram and Ramblings

2010-01-13T09:13:00.004-05:00

Say Hello to " Black Beard ". That's him IN the hay feeder, and Uvi, our ewe below him. Osoka the ewe lamb from this year, is wedged between a couple bovine on the other side of the feeder.The kids named him. He is our Scottish Blackface Ram on loan from The Craven Family. Wonderful people that they are, very supportive of my dreams for a farmstead sheep dairy, to go along with my farmstead Jersey Cow dairy. They picked out a milky ewe from their flock of " island sheep " last May and she came with what I thought was a wether lamb, but just recently discovered is a ewe lamb! I'm not working with dairy sheep genetics, yet, but what I've got is a couple of sheep very hardy to our environment, with a higher proclivity to milkiness, and the the goal is just to get the ewe bred and in milk again. I will probably try to get a ram with dairy genetics for breeding next year. " Uvi " is completely tame, and I did milk her for a bit this year. That's half the battle right there! I've been dreaming of real sheeps milk feta, romano, and some combination milk cheeses of cow/sheep.

My mind never rests. This can be a blessing and torture at times when the thoughts are less than pleasant. It's just how I am. I am always planning for tommorrow, I need to be thinking ahead. These days my thoughts focus on the children first, Ayla's diabetes, Veda's Apraxia of Speech, Ida May growing before my eyes, Zoie and Jude homeschooling and becoming involved with girl scouts and boy scouts. My relationship with Dante. My business, which is hibernating a bit with this slow time of year, but my FAVORITE cow, Gale, is due to calve February 2nd. That's gonna mean a LOT more milk and a return to twice a day milking. I've enjoyed my sabbatical to once-a-day, but will enjoy having more milk to work with too. Right now, I don't have enough of an abundance to make hard cheese like I'd like to. I'm hoping to get some plans for a larger hardwood cheese press to my Grandfather, which would allow me to get a bigger cheese mold and then use an entire milking for a batch of hard cheese.

I'm scouring the seed catalogs and looking for flower seed in particular. Trying to plan my market cut flower garden, which then also brings me to bees. I've been wanting a couple hives for a couple years now, it seems to be a good time for it, so I check a couple books out of the library on bees and beekeeping.

I know that these things will cause some people to say, " You are doing too much! " Whats funny is that they are mostly seasonal, each taking their turn, and peaking during the season of peak daylight. That makes sense to me. I like to be doing something, and if it involves raising food for our kids and can be done with our kids than I don't see the harm. Sometimes I feel like some people would find it more acceptable to be working away from our home all day with the kids in school or daycare instead of homeschooling and homesteading and having my own business. What hurts the most is when the people closest to me feel that way.

It was our 13th wedding anniversary yesterday, and no one acknowledged it. Granted, Dante and I are having some serious issues right now, I'm not one to pretend everythings okay when it isn't, but I'm also not gonna act like the past 13 years never existed either.

Kind of a weird, scattered post, eh? It reflects how my thoughts are arranged in my head right now.

Goodbyes Don't Come Easy

2010-01-04T14:06:00.005-05:00

Today we said our final Goodbye to Zoie's beloved cat M&M. He and his brother, Skittles, were born on Halloween in 2008. Zoie had just lost her very first love, Blueberry the Cat, to some hungry predator and was absolutely DEVASTATED. The only thing worse than experiencing intense emotional pain yourself, is to witness someone you love, hurting like that. That first night she cried herself to sleep, and then had nightmares, which is highly unusual for her. I heard about these kittens, and thought Skittles and M&M would be just the fix Zoie needed. A couple little mewling kittens that needed her too. It was love at first sight, even when a few days later they both came down with the cat flu, requiring much doctoring and many $$$ that first winter. The whole family really fell for these 2 little kittens, that were dubbed " The Cellar Cats " as they spent most of that first winter curled up in a box by the wood furnace.
Spring came and turned into summer. Skittles and M&M grew into fine little felines, and soon went to the vet for neutering. M&M was kind of a wise guy and liked to pick on the other cats, except for his brother. He had this thing where, sometimes while getting in close to give him a kiss, he'd suddenly give you a quick " bitch slap " across the face! He did this to other cats and us as well. My favorite memory is when Dante, who wasn't exactly affectionate with the cats, due mostly to his allergies to them, one night snuck M&M up to my room, where Zoie was lounging on my bed, and as he bent down to kiss him, M&M frowned and threw him a quick "bitch slap". What made it so funny, was that Dante didn't know about M&M's love/hate reaction to affection!
Starting as soon as we brought M&M back from his neutering, we noticed he didn't recover quite as well as the other two cats that were also neutered that day. He seemed to lose a little condition. Two months later, we found him hiding in the cellar, listless and burning up with fever.
Took him to the vet, they thought he had been in a fight ( not unlikely ) and had an abcess brewing. He received a long acting antibiotic and we went home. Two weeks later, he spiked a fever again, and to my horror, Zoie came screaming in to the house one afternoon yelling, " M&M's bleeding in his eyes!" He was bleeding within the iris of each eye. Our regular vet couldn't see him, but we got him in with the vet we used when I was a kid. As I feared it wasn't good news, but it wasn't hopeless. He tested negative for both FeLV and FIP, but the vet still suspected the " dry " form of FIP. He went on some high-powered antibiotics, two rounds, and I honestly thought he had it beat.
Zoie and I, but mostly Zoie, have nursed him around the clock the last 4 months. Zoie saved every dollar she could earn, and then spent it on special cat food, cat brushes, and toys.She's even already spent her Christmas money on cat food, and never once complained that she didn't have any money left but instead found more ways to earn some more.
And M&M gave his thanks back too, his temperament softened these few months and he became an absolute love bug. Couldn't get enough petting or loving. I thought he had it beat, right up to a week ago. Then one night Zoie said, she didn't think he could see, that he was going blind, and his head was tilted to the side. Then he quickly went downhill during the 4 days of stormy weather. We kept him comfortable in a laundry basket in my room.
She has cleaned litter boxes, given medicine ( not easy with a cat ), brushed and clipped mats, and now the last few days cleaned up his pee, and washed his fur. She knelt by his bed in my room and hand fed him the choicest cat food, and fed him water with an eye dropper until he refused it all yesterday and I knew, as soon as we got plowed out today, we were gonna take him to the vet and be there with him, and help him leave this earthly world behind. He was suffering and we needed to end that for him.
The strangest thing happened, that affirmed for me we were making the right decision. Right before the vet called back to tell us they could get us in today, I noticed the cats outside were just sitting, very stoic, outside my bedroom window looking in. They never do this, and as far as I know, had no way of knowing M&M was in there, but they did and they were saying their goodbyes too.

Zoie picked out a special urn, and even though I really can't afford it, I'm gonna order it for his ashes. I'm so proud of her and truly heartbroken that the kitten I got her to ease her grief over losing Blueberry, is now gone too. She said losing M&M was so much worse than Blueberry because we tried so hard to save him, and in the end it was just a drawn out goodbye.

If any of you would like to offer Zoie your condolences and any words of wisdom, she is feeling pretty low and absolutely crushed right now. She reads the blog and will see your comments. I have run out of things to say, and ways to explain why sad things happen to good people. All I can offer now is my Love and a share a good cry with her.

Digging Out After The 4 Day Storm

2010-01-03T09:34:00.004-05:00

Ida May, 16 months old braving the snow. Just thrilled to be allowed out!

A good old snowball fight. I got pelted with one or two until I claimed immunity for being outside in my velour Christmas jammies. I'm just the photographer, I'll get my kicks milking and cleaning the barn, where the cows stood and dumped for 20 hours straight because THEY sure weren't gonna brave the storm just for a bathroom break!

Veda and Ayla, in matching hats, proved to be the real diehards. They outlasted their older siblings by far in dedication to snowy fun.

Ida May getting pooped out, and Cinder--the giant dog--eating snow.

Ida May and Skittles the cat making their way back home.

Zoie in HER Christmas jammies checking out the snow. Skittles peeking behind her. She had cat treats in her pocket, I think.

This is the view out the door of the creamery. Can't wait to get out there!

And finally, this white amorphous creature si what our minivan looked like before we started digging out. And now it is snowing hard again.....

First Seed Catalogs are Here !

2009-12-28T18:19:00.004-05:00

I can't believe it! Fedco seeds http://www.fedcoseeds.com/ , and Johnny's Selected Seeds http://www.johnnyseeds.com/ arrived today. These are both Maine companies, but certainly both at least nationally renowned for their good quality and organic seeds and supplies. We're getting a little snow tonight, major drop in temps tommorrow and I am dreaming of starting seeds and planning next year's garden! I also want to expand on all the perennial flower gardens I started last year, and hopefully start a cut flower garden to take to farmer's market next year as well.

What are some of your favorite sources for organic/ heirloom/ rare seeds? Any cool varieties, or favorites? Yipeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

She Finally Asked Me The Question I've Been Dreading....

2009-12-27T11:29:00.002-05:00

" Mommy, can you please make my diabetes go away?" 3 year old Ayla pleaded with me. I've been waiting for the day, when Ayla realizes that she is stuck with this horrid disease for life. A life sentence. I could tell her blood sugar was high, and needed to check her and give more insulin, and all she wanted was an apple.
" I don't want to be checked!! " " I HATE my stupid diabetes!" " Mommy, can you please make it go away? I don't want diabetes anymore. I'll be really good."
Let me tell you, I was speechless. I wanted so much to say, " Come on, grab your coat. We're gonna go get rid of your diabetes!" I could picture everyone getting dressed and giving each other " high fives " and then driving to the cliff's edge at Quoddy Head, and throwing Ayla's diabetes off into the Atlantic Ocean and setting it free. Freeing ourselves from the hold it has on our lives. On Ayla's Life.
Darn it. I'm crying and I can't even eat my yummy turkey sandwich, or enjoy the fact that I'm home all alone and could take a bath or something.
We received so much kindness and generosity this Christmas that I can't digest it, I feel guilty to have received so much. We are so Blessed. I sincerely Thank You, all of You!
I'm just having a moment.
There's a song that says something like, " How many times can I break till I shattter ".
Well, I'm an eternal optimist, so I won't stay down long but sometimes its just too much.

The Omnivore's Dilemma * Young Readers Edition *

2009-12-19T12:21:00.007-05:00

This young readers edition of the famous The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan is brilliant in my opinion. What a great idea to make such an important message available to younger generations. I think my kids, and probably other kids raised on farms and families that frequently purchase food directly from farmers, have a better understanding and grasp of environmental issues and where our food comes, but it is even a wonderful teaching tool for us as well. The librarian at our Lubec Memorial Library pointed it out to me on a recent trip there, so I checked it out, thinking I'd probably be the one to read it and share some parts out loud, but before I even realized it, Zoie ( 10 years old ), had spotted it, ( the purple cover and cute food face may have helped )and was curled up on the couch reading it. She then got up, of her own volition, and went out in the kitchen to check for hidden sources of corn in the house and even told Jude ( 8 years old ) that there is corn in cover of that National Geographic Magazine. It's true. Then we talked about how there is corn in Ayla's glucose tablets as well. I think this book would make an excellent gift to the young reader (s ) in your life and would make an excellent addition to your homeschooling curriculum. I can think of so many projects that we can do just from this book alone.

Now, just for the cuteness factor, here's a gratuitous pic of 4 month old " Henrietta The Naughty Heifer ". She is sporting her new blue halter. That halter FREAKED out the rest of the cattle for some reason and they seemed to scorn her for a day. Do you see that cow's mouth " laughing " at her in the left hand corner of the pic?

And finally a pic of Dear Ayla, caught in a sweet moment. I tell you, those are few and far between these days! The terrible twos are nothing. I firmly believe three year olds are about as trying as you can get! She has been quite the precocious little tyrant lately, and I'm pretty sure all four of her siblings currently carry " the mark of Ayla's wrath " as we speak. It is tough. She has a serious health issue, gets a lot of attention as a result, there is a certain amount of guilt related to having to inflict things like multiple finger pricks daily, site changes every 2-3 days, more attention drawn to every last thing she eats. This is a whole new can of worms for this seasoned Mother of five. Every single decision we make has an impact doesn't it? There's a reason they call it " Mindful Parenting ". At the end of the day, when she falls asleep, I do a quick finger check, making sure she is safe for the moment--and sit back and stare and count her breaths. I'm so intensely thankful for all my children. In good times and even bad, I've never loved like this.

Things that Make You Go--Hmmmmm...........

2009-12-17T12:57:00.003-05:00

Like why does this cat, " Gooseberry ", choose to hunker up in a strawberry pot on a nice balmy day of oh---8 degrees---when she could be snuggled up with her five pals in a recliner in her cat house ?( yes, we have an 8 x 10 ft cat house, and yes---we have a recliner in there that we snagged from the side of the road for free this summer. )

Or why, as I backed the van up, loaded with 3 milk machines and all my milking paraphenalia, --because it was exactly 0.5 degrees out when I went out to milk--- did I see a whole pineapple frozen and perfectly preserved, perched on a snowbank. It isn't every day, one sees TROPICAL FRUIT strewn about when its only a 1/2 degree above zero in Maine.

Why, oh, why-- do my dear children derive so much grand enjoyment out of flushing the toilet when they know its plugged with too much toilet paper, and causing it to overflow all over the bathroom floor and then leak through the floor and spill into the cellar basement? I was out in the creamery when they rushed, in group formation, out to tell me it was overflowing. Their cheeks were rosy red with glee, flushed with excitement, as they tore back and forth giving me updates and claiming they couldn't find any towels and that they had NO IDEA that would happen. Yeah, right.

Why do babies , specifically Ida May, seemingly survive, unscathed, after numerous nasty experiences that prove she is our fifth child after all. Like getting into the coffee can filled with rancid, greasy, pan drippings, lard, drained hamburger grease etc. and sampling it while smearing it here and there. Or fishing in our trusty OLD toilet, at every given opportunity. Once again, her siblings whooped and hollered and feigned mock disqust and horror, with their eyes all a glow! Having the time of their lives!

One last one. I peaked my head out of the milk parlor in the barn this morning, and what did I see? Henrietta the cow, Cinder our giant 150 lb dog, and 2 lowly chickens all gathered around a pan of grain, sharing it in perfect harmony. Why was the dog eating dairy cow grain? I don't even wanna think about what THAT might produce!

Milk Test Results 11/30/09

2009-12-10T17:26:00.002-05:00

Here's the results from our latest milk test, sampled by Maine Department of Agriculture Milk Quality Laboratory.

Test -Our Results
Antibiotics- NF ( none found )
Butter Fat 6.3%
Coliform <1epcc ( this is the lowest you can get )
Solids Non-Fat 9.2 ( this is high and very good for cheese!)
Standard Plate Count <2500epac ( this is the lowest you can get )

For some reason they didn't do the SCC. That's a shame I like seeing how their somatic cells are.
Overall the cows are producing very high fat milk that is also high in solids for cheesemaking and yields more cheese per gallon of milk than lower component milk. The standard plate count is an overview of all bacteria and reflects the health of our cows udders and also how clean our equipment is. Seeing as how it was as low as it can go, we're doing a good job! I'm very happy!

We have a New Baby !

2009-12-08T12:39:00.006-05:00

Meet " Angus ". He was born in the snow behind the barn on Sunday morning. Angus is a bull calf out of " Ellie " and is 3/4 Jersey 1/4 Angus. Such a stinkin cutie, it's a shame he's not a she. If you look closely he has a white tail switch just like his Mom.

Going for the " good stuff "! They are so blissfully HAPPY, I could never take a calf away from its Mama. Even though they eventually become a handful, it's worth it to let our cows raise their own calves.

When will Ellie Calve?

2009-12-01T12:53:00.006-05:00

Anyone care to guess? Three words to describe Ellie--- Beefy, Furry, and OPINIONATED!
Love her anyway!

Wreaths are Ready

2009-11-30T16:48:00.002-05:00

This is a balsam, cedar, and pine wreath that I made last night, with a gorgeous hand-tied bow.
They are ready and available. We also made the traditional balsam wreaths as well. My Mom and I made 50 on Friday, while watching and feeding 5 kids 3 meals, and still managed to milk the cows twice! Then we made another 12 yesterday afternoon.

Here's the days action in the cow barn:

This morning the cows staged a rather clever ploy to get back out to pasture. I knew it was going to rain and thought it would be kinder to leave them in the barn, so leaving Jude ( 8 years old ) in charge, I continued on cleaning and fluffing their beds. " Gale " was in the entryway of the barn finishing her grain, while " Ellie ", " Berretta ", " Teeny ", and " Happy " stood around chewing cud and watching me work. I glanced up just in time to see Gale turn the corner out of the barnyard and steam headlong down the hill. " Jude! Get her!" I yell, and then as if on cue, the other cows file out of an unlocked gate and join her in a steady brigade down the road. Jude grabs a leaf rake, and the cows just deflect his efforts as he crumples in the ditch defeated.
I growl some choice words, unload the milk I had just loaded, toss little kids--like a bunch of grain bags-- into the truck, and ROAR down the hill! Crossing the brook, I see the cows are just reaching the open pasture gate and calmly walking through it, single file. Well, at least they went straight to pasture and not to the neighbors's house! Sure enough, " Ellie " will find some corner way out back and decide to have her long awaited calf there. Never a dull moment!
When I gathered the cows tonight, even though Ellie has bagged up even more, she didn't have the calf, and I'm going to pretend that she is just REALLY wide, but not pregnant. We'll see what that does for me. Usually it goes like this:
As soon as my own baby is snuggled safely in my bed, I steal out to the barn at unpleasant hours, for nights in a row, get thoroughly exhausted, and then finally when I give up and forget about it, a sweet little calf will just " appear " one morning when I go out to milk! Must be that darling little calf fairy!
Tommorrow we are in for some major excitement! The long awaited timber bridge is going to be built over May's Brook! Hopefully our driveway won't wash out every time it rains, AND how cool is your very own bridge! I'll take pics as it progresses.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-26T07:58:00.002-05:00

I'm making an apple pie right now, we're going to have dinner at my parents house at 12:30pm.
Had to do a load of laundry and find pants without holes in the knees for Zoie and Jude. How do they rip the knees out of every pair of pants? I'm hoping maybe Ellie will calve today. I'd be so thankful! Speaking of which, here are some things I'm thankful this year.

* God *
* My Family *
* My Friends Near and Far *
* Our Health *
* My hardworking cows, and the meat animals who have given us Food *
* Hay for the Moo Cows in a very bad Hay year *
* Freedom *
* Wisdom to make smart decisions *
* Patience ( thankful for whatever bit I'm clinging to!)*
* Pink Insulin Pumps with Remotes *
* Good Customers, who make it all feel worth it *

These others are much less grandiose, but I'm thankful nonetheless.
* Boots that don't leak.*
* New hairstyle and glasses *
* Pumpkin Lattes *
* Great Book Recommendations *
* Warm fire to tend to, and snuggle up to with a good book *

I always try to see what good is there and I am truly thankful for everything. I guess I'm even thankful for the bad, because it could always be worse. I'm also thankful for difficult decisions that in the end may turn out to be a Blessing in Disquise. Thank you everyone! There are a couple of special ladies in particular, and of course my parents and children who are especially near to my heart this Holiday season. Love you Guys!

How to Get Good Results with OAD Milking

2009-11-24T15:55:00.004-05:00

Ayla and Berretta this summer. Boy, I wish we were still in sundresses and the cows were that sleek! Now they look like a tame version of a wooly mammoth. Ayla would dress exactly like that even now if I let her. Anyway..................
I've mentioned before my new revelation this year---- minerals are monumentally important, and you really have to feed these cows. I have always had free choice access to pasture and hay 24/7 but in trying to conform my cows to a grassfed regime, I unwittingly underfed them. They have been bred to produce a good amount of very high quality milk, and they need proper feed.
All my heifers have been raised essentually grassfed and we now have 3 that are bred to coincide with spring grass growth, so we'll see how this generation does, but my original girls that came right out of a dairy need good groceries.
I'm a big fan of OAD ( Once A Day) milking for a couple of reasons. I did milk twice a day from May through November, and had my breeding goals worked out, we would have been drying off at Christmas, but alas, sometimes things do not work out. I am not a fan of combining winter with milking, with mucking stalls, with dragging ones children through snowbanks to the barn, and thawing out little frozen fingers in the bucket of udder wash water. I spend a lot of time outside in winter just getting all the animals fed, watered, barn cleaned etc. that it just gets to be a bit much with twice a day milking added in. I also do not believe in going against Nature, and trying to push production at a time when it should be waning and the animals bodies should be putting their food toward body maintenance as opposed to production.
Typically when you go to once a day, you really sacrifice production. Usually, not only am I fine with that, its usually the goal. But this year, I'd like to keep a moderate supply. I have cheese to make and loyal milk and cream customers. Production loss can be a decrease of 1/3 - 1/2 total production.
Here's my lightbulb moment. What if I continue to feed them their grain twice a day but only milk once a day? Amazingly, there is barely a drop in production, and the cows are looking really good. I'm talking only about 10% reduction. I can't believe I didn't think of that before. Probably everyone else figured that out, but I used to think, if you milk once a day--you feed their grain only once a day. Now, If you have a really fresh cow, only 2 months or less into lactation, you'll need to milk twice a day or sharemilk with a calf or two. I've already done that, and those 6 month old calves have just been weaned and sold. If I find a couple more healthy calves, I'll probably foster them on and sharemilk with those, and after a 12 hour seperations still milk the cows once a day. It's my solution for those frigid, short days of winter.

Products for Sale this Winter

2009-11-22T15:04:00.003-05:00

There have been some changes, and for now we won't be attending our usual farmer's markets in Belfast and Camden. Milk customers please email me, and if we get a large enough order together, we can deliver every other week. I need to remain close to home right now, but bless their little hearts the " girls" are still milking like champs, so I will be making a trip to Machias every wednesday, coolers in tow. Let me know what you need. We also have some ground beef, and soppressata from our Berkshire pigs available.
For the first time, I'm also making Balsam wreaths for sale. You can get a wreath on the farm, and I'll also be selling decorated wreaths on the " dike " in Machias where the farmers markets are held. Thank you for your continued business!

I'm Halfway There......

2009-11-21T13:44:00.002-05:00

As of today, I've officially lost 47lbs! That is half way toward my weightloss goal of 94lbs. I started this journey on Father's Day, and would like to reach my goal by Father's day 2010. Not sure if I'll make it by that point or not but I'm grateful for the progress so far! I do a whole lot more running, than I've done in years. Even if its just after the kids and cows.
I was gonna take a pic to preserve the milestone, but I need a shower and time to make wreaths anyway. Maybe I'll edit with a pic tommorrow.

Steel Magnolias

2009-11-20T20:00:00.003-05:00

Just watched this movie. First time since having a daughter of my own with type 1 diabetes. In hindsight, it wasn't a great idea. Have you ever noticed how you are more inclined to watch a sad movie when you are feelin really sad yourself? Why is that? Maybe we, stoic type, feel its okay to cry over a stinking movie--even if we are reluctant to let go in real life. In case you forgot, in the movie " Steel Magnolias " Julia Roberts playing " Shelby " dies after she is in a diabetic coma presumably due to severe hypoglycemia, leaving behind a baby and her Mother. Her mother has a wonderful circle of friends.......I could picture myself there. God, I hope I never have to.
The kids barred rock pullet, Lena, laid her first egg today! Proof that life will go on, and Ellie looks so very close to calving. I would love to wake and find a heifer calf! I could use the distraction of fresh cow antics right now! If it is in fact a she, she will be named Elinor. If it is to be a he, he will be called Stu. As in future beef stew.
I came across a couple books by Maine author, Elisabeth Pollack that I adore! The first is called " The Rowan Tree Crop" and book two is " The Gathering ". Check them out, you won't be sorry. I also found out that I might be getting a couple more sheep. I really like my sheep,and would love to have my very first lambing season in the Spring. I'm getting ready to have a Hazelnut latte. I haven't been sleeping good, and thought, why not? I plan to finish my book tonight anyway.

All I want for Christmas.....

2009-11-18T20:38:00.003-05:00

Is a cure for diabetes. Or maybe just a break from these really scary lows we've been dealing with. The new trend is for her to have no symptoms and then suddenly say she feels weak and before you can even pull out the meter she is toppling over.
Happened again today. I hesitate to even write about this, because it scares my Mom and I'm afraid she'll never take a turn watching Ayla. As much as I believe Dante and I are the best ones to care for Ayla, I have literally had absolutely no relief from her care and I know for my sanity, I really need to step back somehow. Dante can watch her during the day, but it would be amazing for both of us to go somewhere together sometime. It is hard enough and could really take a toll on our marriage. We need to find someway to have " our " time.
It made me so mad, because we are clearly really good candidates for some technology that could be lifesaving for Ayla, BUT we can't get it because it isn't covered. I'm talking about a Continuous Glucose Monitoring System. There are a few different models on the market. Basically she would wear a sensor, that would measure her BG and display it on a monitor screen. From what I've gathered the actual number may lag behind what she really is, but the value in this technology is more about the PREDICTIVE numbers and trends. You get not just a number, like a snapshot, but a number with an arrow that is either level, or pointing up or down predicting what direction she is going in. A BG reading of 120 can be very deceiving with a standard meter. She could be 120 but rapidly dropping, without us having any idea, we could put her to bed, and be awakened 30 minutes later with her seizing and fighting for her life. We've had that exact thing happen twice. You can also set alarms with one of these CGMS, that will sound an alarm if it predicts your going to go low or high. This would be HUGE for me at night. You can see how important this could be for us, and how much it could improve our whole family's quality of life. A lot of times we feel like we are walking around with a loaded gun.
She does have a pump now, and it is gonna be wonderful but we have been having serious lows and are still fine tuning settings. It doesn't help that she is having a growth spurt that makes her numbers unstable as well.
Anyway, I was brought to tears today because I want this technology for her and can't have it simply because we don't make enough money. I think I'm gonna try to fight this and write some letters as soon as I figure out just who to send it too. Even if we could buy the darn device, which I believe is in the $800-$1000 range, the cost of the sensors are prohibitive for us to maintain and you have to insert a new sensor every seven days, give or take a few days.
I'm just thankful we have Ayla, and all our children. I can't imagine life without them. Things can always be worse and am truly thankful. Everything happens for a reason.

Making Balsam Wreaths

2009-11-17T11:57:00.008-05:00

It's a Maine tradition, and another one of the many seasonal sidelines us " downeastas'" rely on to make money. I wish I had got my act together a little sooner and made more out of this season. It's also a traditional, much like Grandma's egg and butter money, way for the ladies to make some Christmas money.

Here's a finished balsam christmas wreath. All it is lacking is some decoration. We plan to offer a choice of 3 different hand-tied bows, and then you can pick one up at one of the Farmer's Markets we attend. To get to this point, we have to start somewhere.

First you need to set off into the woods and find yourselves some Fir trees. Don't forget to get permission from landowners first, however on this day we need go no further than our yard just out the front door. This is called " tipping " because you are gathering the tips of fir branches to make your wreaths.

Here, Jude and I are breaking off tips. Notice my standard issue flame orange knit hat. Ironically hunting season always concurs with tipping. the lengths we go to for a little Christmas cheer!

Then you take your tips and slide them on a sturdy branch.

Here is our workshop in our cellar. I've got my wire hoops, wreath wire, stack of tips, hot coffee with Happy's cream, and a black and white snowy T.V. that only picks up one canadian station. Kinda fun catching up on the latest in Canda, especially when they move on to " World news" and talk of the United States.
Dante tried his hand at making wreaths and a local woman told him his was good enough for the " shitter " door. I think that meant there is room for improvement.
He's back to clearing fenceline and cleaning up scrap metal from one of the pastures. Much relieved, I'm sure to be doing that instead.
Stay tuned for part 2.
Decorating!

Seven Things about Kreativ Bloggers

2009-11-10T13:07:00.010-05:00

Many thanks to Kirstin, over at It's Not You It's Brie, for passing along this award. In turn, I am to list seven things about me you probably don't know, and implore seven others, worthy of this honor, to do the same.
Here we go. Some random info about me you probably wish you never knew!

* I sometimes milk the cows in red high heels. They appreciate the effort IMMENSELY.

* I'm scared of the dark and the boogeyman. Always have been, probably at this point always will be.

* I watch The Real World on MTV, because its REAL, right? wink, wink. Now THAT is embarassing to admit!

* I can't make pancakes without burning them. Not sure what the prob is there. I've been called a fairly good cook........

* Our last 3 daughters were all born at home, in our log cabin. Over 30lbs of chubby cuteness, and a few hours of HARD work.

* I was a vegetarian for 15 years. Obviously NOT for the last 5 years.

* I fear I might turn orange if I don't lay off this crazy carrot addiction. I catch myself checking out the whites of my eyes to make sure there isn't an orange hue to them.

That was fun! Part 2. Now I pass it on to you!
I'd like to know 7 things about:

Tammy at T. Cupp Miniatures and Family Cows

Liz at Lucky Lizard Ranch

Nita at Throwback at Trapper Creek

Selden at Fairhope Farm

Swamp Creek Farm

Tabitha at life at home

Northview Diary

Here's an extra:
I don't know how to make the titles of your blogs link directly to your blog. Anyone care or have the patience, LOL, to enlighten me?

Right Gear for the Job

2009-11-05T18:08:00.003-05:00

It's getting blustery, and cold and tonight when I first braced myself against the wind entering the barnyard, I thought, " Here we go."
Wouldn't it be nice to be really outfitted properly for working outside? My feet were pretty warm in my pink Smartwool socks and my purple Muckboots. I donned the customary flame orange knit hat for hunting season, but the wind just whipped through my Levi's and my Purple fleece Hoodie needs to be retired until Spring I'm afraid.
I did a search on Google for women's work pants. I was thinking some bib overalls like Carhartts would be perfect. I could layer my long johns' underneath, and take off my coat during the actual milking. I found a good site.

http://www.constructiongear.com/

Got any recommendations? Any favorites that make your life that much sweeter while your sweating it out against the odds? I'd love some ideas.

Ramblings

2009-11-04T18:46:00.003-05:00

These little vintage Victorian girls remind me so very much of our own little Veda and Ayla. When I look at them I can't help but think they need to be Girl Scouts or Brownies. I'll have to try to find out if there is a local chapter.
I was late to milk tonight. Got delayed picking up a round bale of hay at my parents house. While there I helped my Mom dig up her Dahlias'. A good job done. My brother actually loaded the 5ft round bale on the truck and was none too pleased about the lack of a strap to tie it down with. I will admit that it was rolling and rocking a bit, but I'm no stranger to transporting these. I already planned to stop at the feed store a buy a few bales of shavings to wedge in between the bale and the cab. Then the bale was satisfactorily stationary. Next time I'll try to bring a strap, just to allay any fears. Honestly between my parents, and my poor brother I think they wonder how I find my way home at all! Yes, I have a terrible track record with the van and inanimate objects on the farm, but I also can do what needs to be done in a complete emergency and have managed to keep everyone alive so far.
I'll take it as a sign of love.
Speaking of love, I have had a terrible time catching Teeny in heat. Time is running out before the girls and the bull are sperated over winter. I really need to get Teeny and Happy bred back. Last night I thought it was a little odd when Teeny veered off the road and walked the fenceline where our bull, Wolfie, was. While milking her she was antsy, and then started in with an incessant, hoarse mooing. Goodness. I hollered at her to put a cork in it, but I guess she couldn't hear me past the din of the milk machine.Yeah, right. Final straw, as we were returning the cows to pasture, Wolfie was just suddenly there at the gate. He is never waiting there. The really frustrating catch is, Wolfie will nurse her. He is 20 months old. So I have to choose, try to get her bred----or have milk. I can't have both like I should be able to. It annoys me to have to make deals like that.
I made potato sausage soup tonight. Ida May adored the milky both. Little rivulets of broth ran down her chin. Bliss.

Hypoglycemic Unawareness

2009-11-03T19:36:00.003-05:00

Basically, Ayla has had a lot of lows lately and now shows very little or NO symptoms of going low. She used to get cranky, sweaty, white as a sheet, stumble or simply walk up to me and say, " I think I'm low, I need a gluca tab."
She has had 2 seizures due to severe hypoglycemia in the past. To say it scared the - bleep - out of me is the understatement of the year!
This afternoon, I decided to check her BG because we were getting ready to leave on a car ride and I knew she would be falling asleep. I must of pricked her poor little pink fingers 3 or 4 times but couldn't get enough blood out for a test. HMMMMMMMMMM. First clue.
Finally, I get a good sample, meter beeps with the result. 38. This is VERY BAD and SERIOUS! I start yelling for someone to come help me, and get out a roll of glucatabs, but I know I'm gonna need bigger guns than this and don't want to leave her to go get the juice in the kitchen. Now what is really scary, is that she didn't feel anything, like she normally would have. Just as Dante and Zoie, simultaneously bust through the door, Ayla looks up at me, smiles while chewing her fruit punch glucatab, and then just keels over backwards. Eyes rolled back,falls straight back onto the hearth. That snapped her awake, but now she is crying because obviously her little head really hurt. She still hasn't gotten any carbs in her, and I'm start to panic about an impending seizure and feeling like I need to give her glucagon because precious time is wasting. Dante saved the day with a bottle of lovely juice, which she only gets if low, so she was very eager to sip.
I'm trying to talk myself down and not worry about her head. With the looming threat of H1N1 the thought of going to the doctors office or hospital is something we have to carefully weigh. She did get a nice egg, but it went down with a cold pack. Her head really hurts if you touch it but she has seemed perfectly fine the rest of the time. She didn't black out from hitting her head, no vomiting, pupils look fine, didn't get sleepy, speech isn't slurred or anything. She has done all her normal stuff ever since.
My brain doesn't react normally to even minor injuries or illness anymore. It's like I immediately go into overdrive and don't have a clue what is overeacting and what is normal. We have 5 kids, I really think if we hadn't gone through all we've gone through with Ayla, we'd be " letting them juggle knives" so to speak. I've always been really laid back, but not anymore when it comes to my kids.
Welcome to the club I never asked to join. Parents of a child with type 1 diabetes.

And now to lighten the mood, I have a warning about baby carrots. I have been popping these babies like crazy, they really help me keep in check with my diet and I thought , " Hey if they help my vision, night or day, that can only be a GOOD thing." So I share my little diet tip with my Mom, and she tells me to be careful. My uncle used to eat a lot of carrots until he turned ORANGE!!!!!!!!!! Huh? Too much beta carotene. Seems like you'd really have to eat a lot of carrots to actually have your skin and the whites of your eyes turn orange. But I digress, everything in moderation.

Firewood and Family Memories

2009-11-02T15:16:00.000-05:00

Our Waterford woodstove. About the only thing I enjoy about winter is sidling up next to this old boy and warming my bones up. There is hardly any better comfort. BUT if we want to enjoy this............

We have to endure this.Dante is barely visible there in between the piles of split and unsplit wood.In all honesty I don't mind doing the wood. Dante would say that's probably because he's done 90% of it himself this year!

We like to break them in young. Even Ida May gets to help load firewood in the wheelbarrow.

Trusty wheelbarrow loaded with wood. I fill them, and Dante stacks them.

The Three Stooges. Larry, Moe and Curly. I'll let you decide who's who. Don't they look just a tiny bit guilty? A little too smiley?

Timeless fun. Rolling a tire down a hill.

Ida May doing what Ida May's do best. Looking absolutely adorable! Nature's design, to make sure you still love them even when they keep you up all night and are teething.

Veda looking pretty, and pretending to help.

Big Guy splitting the wood. Usually I covet that job but not this year. The logs were HUGE! I've already bounced back from one tweak to the back, don't need another just yet. Gotta save that brawn for shoveling cow poop. My Mom loves putting in the wood. I didn't much cotton to the idea as a kid, too many spiders, and my Dad, frustrated with 3 daughters and only 1 son to help him, used to get a little worked up. Must be a Dad thing, cause I thought of my Mom today, while straightening out my back and breathing in the good Fall air. and realized I was smiling. The kids were rosy cheeked running around and Ida May plopped herself in a puddle soaking herself through. I was a little sad to head in the house.

Happy Halloween!

2009-10-31T15:16:00.000-04:00

Our brave little Trick or Treaters. I actually have lost a little zest for the occasion since Ayla was diagnosed type 1 diabetic. You can probably imagine the fun in taking a 3 year old diabetic around all that candy! I am determined to never limit her in anyway. Even though that requires extra effort and moving beyond my comfort zone, I want her to know she can do ANYTHING!

The old lady was my Mom, Jude is the Skeleton, Ayla the Pirate, Veda the Princess.

This is 3 year old Ayla, beneath a " 3 Stooges " mask. She was actually a little pirate, but had a good time with this mask while we got ready.

Here is the very Angelic baby, Ida May. Having a mini pre-trick-or-treat melt down. It became a much bigger one by the end!

Every Party has a Pooper......

2009-10-29T17:46:00.003-04:00

.......And this week that pooper is me! I apologize but there will be no cheese this week. There will however still be plenty of milk, cream, and yogurt. I am feeling a little underappreciated, and am frankly a bit overwhelmed. Ayla started on her insulin pump on Tuesday and that has not been without much trial and tribulation, and a new pump getting sent overnight to us. I actually had a pretty bad case of mastitis myself, for the first time of nursing 5 different kids. Fever, chills, EXTREME tenderness. No wonder cows kick when they have mastitis.
The icing on the cake is that today I backed into some cement blocks and took the side mirror off the van and scratched up the passenger door. Can you say distracted driver? I was in a hurry to milk the cows, checking on the sheep, Ayla was having a low blood sugar episode, Ida May was teething and crying and honestly I completely forgot those blocks were there.
I only play a superhero on T.V. In reality, I'm but a mere human. I'm tired. Rundown. Just plain had too many things on my mind. I'm really sad about the van, telling Dante felt exactly like being a teenager with a new driver's license and having to work up the courage to tell Mom and Pop that you just ran over a mailbox and said mailbox is implanted in the windshield.
I should probably sell a heifer to pay for the damage and my new glasses at the same time, which I still haven't gotten because there are always things that need the money more. I think glasses just got bumped up the priority list. Sigh.
Told you it was a pity party.

Zoie Pic

2009-10-21T15:16:00.006-04:00

My Mom took this pic of Zoie yesterday. We took a nice walk/jog on this gorgeous trail, and Zoie got in a some much needed birding and tracking. The little girls picked and ate rose hips much of the way, Ayla's cheeks turning a tangerine orange.

I am soaking up any rays of sunshine I can get before winter. Lovely

It's Raining Kids and Cows out There!

2009-10-21T15:16:00.003-04:00

Rainy days and nights. Gotta love it, or at least tolerate it. Ayla and Veda looked like little half drowned kittens at last nights milking. I left the milk cows up in the barn, even though the tie stall renovation still wasn't ready. I just fed them their hay in the center aisle.

Ayla's pump is on, we are pumping saline right now, while we learn about the pump. We go live with insulin on Wednesday. It is gonna be an amazing advance forward once we learn all the ins and outs.

Zoie and I were under seige one night last week while trying to milk. This is where my sissy, girly side comes out. Bet you thought I didn't have a girly side! It was so bad, we took a cheesy video to document but I can't get it to load. Basically, we were 2 hours late to milk because we had been in Bangor at Ayla's pump class THEN we got a flat tire on the Honda. I get why they call the spare tire a " donut ". Actually I swear it is the same tire that is on my trusty wheelbarrow. How is that REALLY gonna get us 2 hours east back home? We made it, and immediately grabbed all the milking paraphenalia and headed out to the barn. As I snapped the lights on a bat swooped toward some moths gathered near the lightbulbs. Cool, I thought. I've got no beef with bats, but you all know I have some issues regarding moths. As the milking progressed I quickly noticed that there was actually a bit more bat swooping a flittering than I was comfortable with. The final straw, I emerge from the parlor, leading Berretta, and there are 3 bats dive bombing moths and there in front of my face about 12 inches away, one pauses in the air, snatches a moths, drops it grabs it again and in the process buzzes my head. My hair was flapping in the wind from its frantic wings! That's enough.

I screamed and took cover in the van parked out front of the barn. Now what?

It reminded me of when I was a kid, and had to go shut the chickens but was afraid of the dark.

If you keep walking, and even though your heart is beating out of your chest, senses in overdrive Its doable as long as you don't RUN! As soon as I would give into my fears, of whatever I thought was out there, and started running, man, then I could hear things running behind snarling and slobbering, hunting me down. Of course there was nothing behind me, but my imagination would get the better of me.

I guess it's just payback for terrorizing Dante about bats all these years. A month ago, Zoie and I were returning the cows to pasture at dusk, and saw bats just pouring out of the building that Yoda pig is in. It was exactly like those Nat. Geographic documentaries where the bats just pour out of the caves at dusk to go hunt insects. Well, maybe we embellished those details a little and the bats caught wind of it..............

Cheese Pics

2009-10-17T11:34:00.004-04:00

I cut into these 2 cheeses today, my Mom is coming up and I wanted to make a small cheese plate and give her some to take home to my Dad.

On the top we have a 4 month old Cheddar, and the bottom is a 2 month old Swiss type cheese. It really wasn't ready but I wanted to check on the eye formation and texture.

We are gonna plant bulbs with the kids. My first year fully embracing flowers, I cannot miss out on planting bulbs! Plus, I am NOT a cold weather friend, so knowing that I can look forward to those little flowers coming up, heralding Spring. I can't wait! We've got multiple colors and varieties of Tulips, Muscari, Daffodils, Iris, Crocus, Giant Blue Allium, Grecian Wind Flowers and some more out in the barn.

Speaking of the barn, remodeling has begun. The cows were not impressed when they showed up at the barn and saw an unfamiliar black Honda, and heard hammers pounding in THEIR barn. Of course they lifted tail, and decorated the driveway. Then stood rooted to the spot. Then preceded to run willynilly like they had NO IDEA where the gate to the paddock was. Of course its in the same spot its always been. Cows are like kids, they like to make you look bad in front of company because they know they CAN! I fumbled through the milking looking like I'd never done it before with all the cows going the wrong direction, Henrietta wouldn't come in for her milk, then Ayla practiced milking with the nipple bucket and squirted half on the ground. Our two little pullets, Blossom and Lena, flocked over and thought they had found paradise.

The pulsator on the Surge milker is really struggling I have to hold its hand and really encourage it, to get through a milking. I ordered a rebuild kit and all new rubber, so "Surge" should be pleased with his makeover too. Now where's my makeover?

Cow News

2009-10-15T08:50:00.002-04:00

On an exciting note, we got the results of the blood pregnancy tests we did on Teeny and Berretta and Berretta is bred, due in May, and Teeny is open. I knew Teeny was, I haven't put her with the bull because she is hard to catch in heat but last night I put her in with him, and will every night for the next 21 days. This time Berretta is bred to a nice NZ Jersey, can't wait for that calf.
We are doing some major remodeling in the barn. Changing over from a couple box stalls, to a row of wooden tie stalls for the cows this winter. One wall is already down, and if we can get our supplies in time, construction will start this Saturday. Not a moment too soon, Old Man Winter is at the back steps. I figure that if we get prepared for winter now, maybe winter will hold off for a month or so. There is still so much grass out there.......

Oh, My Aching Back!

2009-10-13T08:30:00.002-04:00

This is not good at all. Yesterday, while out milking, I decided to clean out some of the deep bedding pack from the sheep/calf pen. I had the right tool for the job, my multi-tined heavy duty manure fork. It makes quick work of the job. As I lifted one big forkful something kinda, " let go" in my lower back. Followed by an electric shock sensation. Oh, Boy. I've been down this road before. It was definitely painful at the time but I pushed on. Probably foolishly so. The icing on the cake was loading 25 T-posts into the van. They are kinda heavy when in bundles, and awkward to carry and load.
Then I carried 2 really full milk cans up the steps into the creamery. They each weighed about 50lbs.
You know how sometimes you don't really notice how bad you are hurt, or how sick you are until you slow down in the evening? Well, that's how it was. During the night rolling over became impossible. Dante left early this morning, so he didn't even know the extent to which I was hurt. He'll be gone all day picking up beef from the butcher.
Today, it is sharp pain and numbness shooting down my lower back and both legs. I've had this exact pain before. 2 years ago exactly. Dante and I were moving round bales without a tractor, stupid, definitely. The thing that worries me is that at that time, I went to our family doctor, he folded me up like a pretzel, pounced on me a couple times ( much to my kids delight ). But it took months, and many setbacks, to go away.
I rummaged around in the cupboard and found some tylenol3, hopefully that will help me get through milking. It's raining and muddy out. Perfect.
Anyone got some good advice for back pain?

Broken Glasses = More $$$

2009-10-10T09:05:00.003-04:00

I don't think I can coax along my faithful glasses anymore. They've been good to me....suffered TONS of abuse as you can imagine with the farm and 5 kids. They no longer make these frames so the last time they broke my sister fixed them with some kind of shrink wrap. Yesterday, they snapped on the bridge of the nose. In a panic I did a hasty duct tape job. They barely stayed on my face long enough to get to the optometrist, where they were confirmed DOA.
The thing that really stinks is that we live so far from anywhere, which normally is a good thing except in circumstances like this. It has been 3 yrs since my last eye exam so I HAVE to have an exam, plus buy new glasses. It is not cheap, and I feel it's pretty urgent. I can't see to drive and get a headache if I'm not wearing them for very long. For a very temp fix we wrapped yarn around the bridge and then superglued that. Not too comfy or stylish.
I wondered why everyone was smiling and staring at me in Rite Aid yesterday. Funny thing is--I thought it must be because of the 44lbs I've lost. Finally, I thought, people are starting to notice I've lost weight. It wasn't until this morning that I realized it was the stinking glasses!
One last cute story:
Milking cows this morning, Ayla is splashing in a rather brown and dubious looking puddle. It was situated a bit downhill of the cow paddock. It no doubt had some nice cow poop in it. I said, " Ayla get out of the puddle, you don't have your boots on!"
She says, " But Henrietta's in it." Well, Henrietta is a COW!

Ayla's Insulin Pump Arrives!

2009-10-06T19:55:00.004-04:00

Here's Ayla, hamming it up for the camera wearing her pink Animas Ping pump. That's my hand holding the remote, looking for a mute or pause button. For the kid, not the pump that is! Wouldn't that be a neat feature! I have been busily reading and cramming as much info as I can to prepare for her pump. Now we have it, and now we have to wait for an appointment to go get trained. In the meantime I've read " Pumping Insulin" and just interlibrary loaned " Think Like Pancreas "

We clipped Ayla's pump on her pocket and clapped and cheered while she tore around the house at " super speed ". She looked like a very industrious little toddler with a pager or cell phone on. It was really cute! Then she walked back up to me and said, " I want this thing off of me." I was thinking in my head, uh-oh, once we put this thing on for real is she gonna leave it alone? I guess we'll see soon enough. In the meantime, I will be scouring the manual and watching the informational CD that came with the pump. If only she could be up and running by Halloween.

Last Halloween was the first since diagnosis, try taking a 2 year old type 1 diabetic, trick or treating and then trying to control what she ate but still let her be a kid. I was so worn out I came home and had a glass of wine!

Do you remember that song from the 90's I think it was, or maybe late 80's that went , " Pump, pump it up, pump it up , while your feet are thumping." Something like that. Now I can't get that out of my head! I stand by my warning to be careful what you're singing out in the barn. I have been busted so many times belting out really embarassing ballads, or singing my own renditions such as " I kissed a cow, and I liked it!" Only to turn around and see a tourist clapping, and then ask about buying sausage. Well, yesterday I got caught by the milk inspector in an early unannounced inspection, singing the " pump, pump it up...." song a little too enthusiastically while adding some choice dance moves for the cows added enjoyment. He got a good chuckle, and I passed my inspection.

At the bottom of my copy were the words.............

" Good Job!" and a hand drawn smiley face.

The Cows Coming

2009-10-04T18:11:00.002-04:00

The cows were on their way up for milking in this pic. Notice the large black bulk of our Berkshire Boar, Jean Louis in the background. I am gonna miss this routine once the cows move up permanently for the winter. Our trees are turning their gorgeous Fall colors now. If only I was prepared for winter! I've spent the last 2 days making Colby and Havarti cheese. I combined the recipes from 2 different cheesemaking books to come up with my method. I really like the way these cheeses come out. For Christmas I dream of a large Kadova cheese mold! No more messing around with bunching up cheesecloth. Now I should spend the next 2 days out in the barn, staring at it. Willing it to make haste and get ready for winter. Time to polish off the muckboots, I'll be shoveling poop again sooner than I am ready for. I am really nervous about hay. I've got to ask my Dad if he has enough for us too. We still have so much grazing left it is wondeful! I hope the weather holds out so we can take advatage of all the green.

The Milk Mobile

2009-09-30T18:17:00.003-04:00

This is what we affectionately call it. Since our truck is in the shop, again, Dante needed a way to transport the milk, whey, and clabber that is for the pigs, the 1/2 mile down our driveway. It sure wasn't gonna be in the back of my little Honda! Have you ever tried to drive with an open 5 gallon bucket of clabbered milk? Well if you have, I trust you wouldn't do it again! We usually just fill the buckets 1/2 full and drive slowly with them on the back of the truck. But it is still a messy prospect at best. I don't know what cracks me up more about the lawn mower a.k.a. " milk mobile" Every time you shut it off it backfires LOUDLY a couple times like a gunshot. Cinder, our dog, is terrified of guns, and jumps on us, crawls under the car, you know the drill, pretty much wigs out. Problem is he weighs almost 150lbs! Veda, 5, and Ayla, 3, think it is wildly entertaining and can't wait for Dante to cut the engine, so they can cover their ears and run off screaming when it backfires.
Yesterday, it was really idling funny, and kept revving up and down. We all stood around, not quite knowing what would happen when he shut it off this time. Surprisingly it didn't backfire. We all went back to our business, I resumed milking Happy, when Zoie walks up and says in that nonchalant way of hers, " Um, why is the lawnmower smoking, with flames shooting out the front?" " What? It really is on fire!" I yell, running to turn on the garden hose which Dante already has and is spraying it down. It stood there smoldering for a few minutes, and then we fired it up again 20 minutes later, and took the pigs their milk.
The only thing that possibly brings a bigger smile to my face, is the thought of Dante's serious, deadpan expression as he trevails the 1 mile roundtrip journey. He is all business. When our eyes meet,as we pass on the road, he going one way on a temperamental lawnmower, and I going the other way, with 4 cows---I just stare back with an equally expressionless look, until I pass him. Then it's all smiles!

Productive Day in the Creamery

2009-09-27T15:45:00.002-04:00

I'm standing at the counter, out in the creamery right now typing on my laptop. Cream is churning next to me, making butter. I can tell just by the sounds the churn makes when the butter is ready to break. I have a headache, but that's usually an aftereffect of a day spent busily working with my eyes and hands. So much of crafting dairy products is an art as well as science. I don't have great eye sight and when I'm concentrating I think I must squint. Thus the headache.
Let's see, this morning after milking I set 2.5 gallons to rise cream, made fromage blanc, several jars of sour cream, 6 more pints of cultured buttermilk. Some fresh bag cheese, skimmed cream from last night's milking, a gallon and put it in the churn to ripen on the counter a few hours before churning. Yum, I just stopped it and gave Ayla a big spoonful of whipped cream! Oh, I also made 5 strawberry and 5 plum yogurts. Almost ready to take out of the incubator.
Dante is my hero! He extended the pen attached to the barn a little, and made it so there is a gate to the pen right outside the parlor door. So the flow of cow traffic is so much smoother. Now we let 1 cow out to be milked through the traditional gate in the barn. She walks right into the parlor, gets milked, and then exits through the new entrance outside the barn right into the paddock where there is a water trough and hay to munch on. No more pile ups at the gate where I used to have to try to cram the already milked cow against the flow of eager unmilked cows waiting at the gate, trying to push their way out while I tried to push one in. It was a struggle to say the least but not anymore!
Such small gifts mean so much. Tt doesn't hurt to make SOMETHING easier in our lives does it?
We have butter, time to go wash and work all the buttermilk out. I'll pack it in glass jars after milking. Maybe Dante will wash the churn for me.

Got Buttermilk?

2009-09-26T15:14:00.002-04:00

We do. I just bottled 8 pints that I cultured from our whole raw milk. Traditionally buttermilk is the liquid that remains after churning butter from cream. Not only does it make the best buttermilk biscuits and pancakes, you can also just drink it straight up. I really like the acidic taste. Similar to kefir.

Here's a great article one farm's family legacy of buttermilk. Check out the recipe for Buttermilk Poundcake. Yum!

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/26/magazine/26food-t-000.html?_r=1

Knitting Revisited

2009-09-24T15:01:00.002-04:00

It's that time of year. Days are cooler, shorter. We are upping the ante to get everything done before snow flies. I need my barn in order first.
Naturally, my thoughts turn to how exactly am I going to survive another winter. It's no secret, I'm not a fan of 6-7 months of winter but that is what you get when you live where we do. This year I am as determined as ever to not just SURVIVE winter, but find a way to THRIVE this winter. I want to knit. Little blankets and booties for Ida May, and matching hats and mittens for all the kids. Maybe some socks for Dante. ( not out of wool for him though ). I always revisit knitting every winter, as the cold forces us to spend more time inside but this year I want to get farther.
We also have a beginner flock of 2 sheep, that will be shorn in the spring. I'd like to think I could move onto learning how to spin next winter. I found a few blogs that I'll be checking out more thoroughly once my barn is cleaned and prepped for winter.
www.crazyauntpurl.com
www.yarnharlot.ca

Happy 8th Birthday, Jude!

2009-09-23T15:28:00.002-04:00

Eight years ago, 5:42p.m. in Boise, ID. Jude Anthony was born during a thunderstorm. He came out, pretty annoyed by the business of being born, and yanked his newborn fist away from the nurse's hand. Instantly soothed once he heard our voices, he is just as equally passionate and kind today. Loves his many sisters, even though they frustrate him to no end, especially baby Ida May. He calls her " My May " as in his.
Jude is THE lego afficiando, every year the theme varies a bit, Bionicles, Mars Mission, and this year it is " Power Miners " . His B-day party was on Sunday, he worked around the clock and built all 5 sets he got in just under 24 hours! Zoie's gift was to give him the day off from helping with the cows. Usually Jude takes the a.m. milking with me, and Zoie does the p.m.
Love you, Bud!

The Things Kids Say.......

2009-09-21T20:40:00.001-04:00

Or should I say the things 3 year old Ayla says. Her latest.... we are taking the cows back out to the pasture and she says to me, " I feel sick Momma." I say, " You do? " and then she says, " Maybe I got RABIES " and then proceeds to growl and pounce on me like the rabid little squirrel she is!
Now if you are really delicate and completely apalled by the thought of a 3 year old swearing, DON"T READ ANY FURTHER!!!!!!!!!
For the record this is the first time she has ever used a bad word and it better be the last too, it's a doozy. All I can say is that she has probably spent too much time around farmers' lately, and-well, we all know how tough farming has been......
So one day a couple weeks ago I am getting ready to give her a shot of insulin and I ask her where she wants it, the arm, leg, or bum.
Don't say I didn't warn you....
She says in this little animated voice,
" Right in my little a**hole! "
I was completely floored, blown away, SPEECHLESS! I can't remember the last time I was completely speechless! I had to laugh just a little and then did my duty, and told her that is NOT acceptable language for a little lady. And what would her Polly Pockets think?
She hasn't uttered anymore obscenities.
Thank goodness, we were the only ones around and not at Thanksgiving dinner or anything.

"Common Cause" Hypothesis for Autoimmune Disease

2009-09-19T13:36:00.005-04:00

I had heard the words autoimmune disease or disorder before 2/08 but it didn't impact me until I had a child diagnosed in a very dramatic way with type 1 diabetes.
Autoimmune Disease-disease in which the body's immune system, which normally fights infections and viruses, is misdirected and attacks the body's normal healthy tissues, through inflammation ( swelling ).
Examples of autoimmune diseases are:
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Type 1 Diabetes
Multiple Sclerosis
Inflammatory Bowel disease
Lupus
Autoimmune Thyroid Disease
Allergies
Asthma
What causes autoimmunity disorders?
The cause is unknown, but there is growing evidence of the " Common Cause " Hypothesis.
As in , several autoimmune diseases could have one common factor, trigger, cause that manifests in a variety of diseases that all have autoimmunity in common. Now I have to tell you that I didn't personally know that this was a legitimate hypothesis but it was MY personal, gut feeling. Naturally when someone you love is diagnosed with a devastating disease you look for answers and a reason why. I have a cousin with type 1 diabetes, he has it on his mother's side but she is not my blood relative, so Ayla's diagnosis seemed to come out of left field until,I slowly started doing more and more research on autoimmunity and came up with the conclusion, that while there isn't a strong family history of type 1 diabetes, there is significant history of autoimmune diseases.
My maternal grandmother had Rheumatoid Arthritis. My Paternal grandmother, my aunt, and my older sister have hypothyroidism. Dante and our son, Jude, have allergies. Dante also has extrinsic asthma. ( triggered by exposure to allergens ).I don't know much about Dante's family's medical history but I do know most of his siblings have allergies of differing severity's.
While these diseases are different, affecting different body systems what they share in common is that " over reaction of the immune system" that causes it to destroy healthy tissue or over react to harmless stimuli in the case of allergies.
Large genetic studies repeatedly find that autoimmune diseases can be linked to the same region of a chromosome as genes involved in training the immune system to recognize " self " tissue. Can you see how a defect in this region could be the " common cause " for many different disorders?
Maybe it is a genetic predisposition and then some environmental trigger sets it off? I have noticed when reading accounts of diagnosis of type 1 in children it seemed to have followed a bout with the flu or some other virus. Not the case with Ayla, she has always been extremely healthy. I don't even remember her having so much as a cold even though she had 3 other siblings who definitely exposed her to every illness they had. Trust me we don't match the theory that a highly sterile environment causes allergies and a poor immune system either. Our house is NOT sparkling clean, Ayla was born here and has grown up on a farm. My sister swears she came down with hypothyroidism after battling mononucleosis.
A couple months ago, I heard the phrase , " You are what your Grandma ate " meaning that some of the disorders we are plagued with could even be linked back a couple generations to what your parents and grandparents ate. Their good nutrition or lack thereof. So if that's true eat your veggies now, and take your cod liver oil, your children's unborn children will thank you! Cod liver oil is rich in Vit A+D, and is a known natural antiinflammatory. All our kids have taken it on and off over the years, but we now take it religiously.

You can read more about the "Common Cause" Hypothesis here:
http://www.cureautoimmunity.org/common-cause-of-autoimmune-diseases/

What we feed our Dairy Cows

2009-09-18T07:02:00.003-04:00

This is always such a hot topic. Something I'm constantly tweaking and learning about. My ideal would probably be to have completely grassfed dairy cows, but I've finally gotten it through my head that this is NOT the climate to try to do that in.
First the forage component of their diet. This is big. We are actually understocked with our cows per acre, but it does allow us to stockpile a little grass so our cows get out and graze a few weeks earlier in the beginning of the season and for at least a month longer than others surrounding us, but even so we are looking at May through October as being completely on pasture and needing no hay supplementation. The cows still have some grazing in November but also transition onto hay, and then December through beginning of May they are completely on Hay. We don't have access to alfafa hay, but my Dad grows a pretty good grass hay with plenty of clover in it. We use 5 ft rounds in a ring feeder so they pretty much have constant access to hay. Last winter the barn doors froze open so I couldn't close them and it was a HARSH stormy winter. The cows ripped through our hay supply, eating enough to keep warm. This year I am hoping to build an oldfashioned tie stall set up for our 8 Jersey girls, and I want to put them in at night so I can shut the barn, and help keep them warmer, hopefully use their hay more efficiently. They would be in a tie stall at night, and loose during the day. We'll feed them hay in their tie stalls. During the day they will have a run-in section of the barn and unlimited access to the round bale. This is what I'm hoping for. It will also make my morning manure clean up easier as well by having it all in a neat line behind the cows. Also we always have issues with the cows bossing the heifers and this way, I'll be able to make sure they get enough to eat.
Concentrates:
This is typically the grain portion of their diet. I will admit that I don't think I did service to my cows trying to conform my current cows to a grassfed ideal in the past. This year is different and I have truly fed them what they needed. First off, I have picked the majority of my cows based on whether or not they would be good graziers and low maintanence. These are typically the shorter statured Jerseys, with wide faces, more substance to their bones, " easy keepers " and ones describes as " piggy" with big rumens/barrels. These have been, in my experience traits that have made them the kind of cow I'm looking for. I will admit though, that I'm guilty of choosing a few for sentimental reasons and because they were so pretty!
This years plan has been to feed them what they needed, if it means 10-12lbs of grain a day then so be it. Teeny last year peaked around 5-6 gallons as a 3 year old, this year peaked at 8 gallons/day and has been hard to keep in condition. I don't think I caught on quick enough, she dropped weight, making that much milk and now is gaining, shiny looks lovely! What I learned through her is that it is necessary for those high producers to add fat to their diet, as well as energy. I knew she had enough protein through her 16% grain, and all that green grass. Sources of energy I have used are her grain, molasses- which is also mineral rich-. For fat I added black oil sunflower seeds or BOSS for short. I'm pretty encouraged with the results thus far, shiny coat, steady weight gain. As the protein in the grass has dropped, I've also added some alfalfa pellets to their grain. Incidentally, I've also noticed that alfalfa increases the creamline too! Probably adds some vit A too, although it is dried and pelleted not sure about that content.
Minerals:
As I mentioned in my milk fever post, I've had a mineral reawakening! I've provided free choice minerals off and on for years but got serious about it in regards to milk fever prevention. Now I use dry cow minerals while they are dry and haven't had a case of milk fever since. If you google Vit E supplementation and reduction of mastitis, you'll see a correlation there as well. Also I think its a good idea to supplement vit E in the winter as there is obviously less in dry stored feed versus frsh green grass. Deficincy in vit E can show up as reduced shelf life for your milk, an off taste, fertility issues in your cow. Plus several more. So we feed minerals free choice, and dry cow in their ration before calving, free choice kelp, salt, and vit E . I found a bag of powdered vit E at the feed store for $25. It must be at least 25lbs.
So these are my current thoughts. Currently they are grazing to their hearts content, eating 16% dairy feed with alfalfa pellets and boss added, as well as minerals, kelp and vit E.
This is subject to change and differs a little for each cow, but this is the best they have ever looked,shiny, smooth coats, good color,good flesh and I get compliments on their beauty and condition frequently! I love my cows!