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Lacy Lou

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T O P I C R E V I E W
maryjane	Posted - Oct 22 2014 : 12:25:19 PM My little Lacy Lou, daughter of Samson (mid-size) and Etta Jane (miniature), born 8/15/2014, is stealing hearts right and left. When Karina took these photos, she'd just received a spit bath from her mother. I have Samson and Etta Jane together again hoping for another little Lacy Lou. They make a great team! Lacy Lou is perfect in every way. Even her, uh, teats seem perfect. Hearth throb!!!!! I love her liquid dark chocolate eyes.
25 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First)
farmlife	Posted - Oct 27 2014 : 12:23:02 PM Good to know.
maryjane	Posted - Oct 27 2014 : 08:44:58 AM Keeley, I timed myself yesterday. I was able to completely take apart and clean my NuPulse (including running brushes through all the orifices) and have it loaded in the dishwasher in 16 minutes. That 16 minutes also including straining and then putting 3 gallons of milk into my 4 gallon thermizer. I had all the cleaning done and dishwasher started well before the milk was done (takes about 25 minutes to get that much milk up to 150 degrees), so I ran over to the barn to do a bit more sorting. Came back, put the milk into 1/2 gallon bottles. Put them in our make-shift cooler to bring the milk down to 39 degrees within two hours. Went off again while it cooled. Came back, put the bottles in the fridge. Ashley came at 5:30 am this morning to make it into cheese! The next time I use my EZ Milker, I'll time myself and let you know.
farmlife	Posted - Oct 26 2014 : 09:15:27 AM My husband would say he is the dishwasher at our house, too. I think it is one of those things we share a lot, but if I am cooking I don't feel bad if someone else does the dishes. Let's hope he's still holding up well for it at 70. I'm learning that I feel better about the whole process if I constantly keep my counter clean and don't ever leave dirty dishes until later. Otherwise I find that when I wake up in the morning they are still where I left them. (No dish fairies I guess.) I'm learning to manage my smaller counter space at this house. I traded a bigger kitchen at my old house for a smaller one here with a pantry room. At some point the previous owners turned a small bedroom into a pantry. Every time I go in there it makes me want to sing! So if I have keep my kitchen less cluttered, then I guess that's good for everyone. No complaints!
farmlife	Posted - Oct 26 2014 : 08:49:38 AM Good idea. I already have a friend who says she will do my AIing for free if I'm willing to share A2/A2 milk. I'd still have to buy semen, but that would save me some $ and it won't be a problem to share milk, I'm sure.
NellieBelle	Posted - Oct 26 2014 : 08:47:48 AM My dishwasher has two legs and two arms, 70 years old, holding up pretty good. Ha! Good thing Joe doesn't mind doing dishes because he does them almost every night. I like to do my milking equipment myself. I use exceptionally hot water. Bleach (gloves). It doesn't take all that long. 15-20 minutes and that includes any bottles or bowls I use to get milk put away. The rest of my chores, I guess I don't mind them either. Just something that needs done. I don't have carpet as I have allergies and find wood floors work better for me and just some throw rugs. I guess f I had to pick a chore I didn't like it would be cleaning the shower stall. Grout etc. drives me nutters. But, once it's done I'm :) Oh, and MaryJane, nothing is impossible! I always say, our success is up to us.
Ron	Posted - Oct 26 2014 : 08:31:17 AM Not a fantasy MJ but has always been my goal to do! Lol.. Keeley, all you need to do in twenty years is make friends with families with younger members. We get them that show up once a week, get milk,cream an butter and hang out and offer help. Really nice and fun too!
farmlife	Posted - Oct 26 2014 : 07:56:53 AM It sounds like a wonderful fantasy! Also, the perfect way to buy a cow with as little risk as possible. I'll start saving right now so I can be your first customer 20 years from now. It may take me 20 years to do all the research I need to get done to feel prepared anyway. I'll only be 55 then and all my kids will be gone and I'll be like Ron wondering what to do with all the milk, now that I finally feel ready.
maryjane	Posted - Oct 26 2014 : 07:55:42 AM My dishwasher is an old junker that's ancient (gosh, maybe 20 years old) but clean on the inside. Actually, my laundry room would work also. You just need a system for where everything gets put. If you don't have flies, you could hang everything on hooks around the room, as long as the parts can drip dry onto the floor.
maryjane	Posted - Oct 26 2014 : 07:52:29 AM My long-term, 20 year goal/fantasy is to expand what I'm doing here to the point where people come to pick up a lactating cow 5 months away from calving (confirmed pregnant) and spend 2-3 days training with me/us. If they want a milking machine, they leave with the milking machine of their choice fitted and tested on THEIR cow to include EVERYTHING they'll need. A total "cow kit." Along the way, I'd hire a full-time vet tech to help me as my herd grows. How's that for a fantasy!!!????
farmlife	Posted - Oct 26 2014 : 07:46:50 AM Sounds like a good system. Especially the part where you get someone else to do it for you. I love that part! I think I could do something like that in my laundry room since I already have a sink in there, but we are pressed for space in that room as it is. If I put a dishwasher in it would take out some of my storage for sure. More thinking and saving to do clearly.
maryjane	Posted - Oct 26 2014 : 07:40:38 AM My dishwasher runs on hot water only without the drying cycle and then after it's done, I open it a crack so everything inside air dries. But before I put the parts in, they're all washed by hand. The dishwasher is basically a very cool rack that's isolated from all the other things going on in my kitchen. But the milk can (I actually use two) are put upside down to dry and they're hand washed also. I do it lickety split and sometimes I walk away from the dishes because hubby or son offers to wash them for me.
Ron	Posted - Oct 26 2014 : 07:31:46 AM Elaine says here,here on the no carpets! About the only house work I don't care for is washing silverware! Lol
farmlife	Posted - Oct 26 2014 : 07:28:56 AM Just saying I don't mind doing dishes via dishwasher, but mine is usually busy. I love it when all my dishes are done as well, but it is my least favorite household chore. Give me laundry any day of the week, especially if I can hang it out on the line. There's something so calming to me about doing it that way. Vacuuming isn't my favorite, but I much prefer it to dishes. However, I usually make my kids do the vacuuming. Are you saying that you don't actually use your dishwasher to wash the milk machine, but just put the pieces in there once you have hand washed them so that they dry? So maybe some racks mounted on the wall could do the same thing? It still seems like lots of parts and crevices, though. Plus an added expense. I agree completely with your assessment about calm time with your cow. It is wonderful to have that and also be able to provide a valuable resource to your family as well. I think that's why I'm so worried about making the wrong choice in a cow. I don't want my imagined peace at milking time to turn into a rodeo.
maryjane	Posted - Oct 26 2014 : 06:54:42 AM What you'll discover about milking, whether by hand or machine, is that the time alone with your cow (cows) brings you great solace, especially needed when you're a busy mom. We all know we SHOULD meditate, do yoga, etc. every day. A cow makes you do just that, no matter the weather or the busyness in your life. And the rewards? Milk, cream, butter, good health, cheese, yogurt, mozzarella ... But yeah, if you hate dishes, you don't need more. I hand milked for many years and loved it. But I always like getting dishes done. It's like putting loaves of bread to rise on the counter. Done! But don't ask me to vacuum. I loathe vacuuming. That's why there isn't a single carpet in my home. Sweeping I love, noisy vacuums, no thanks. I'll time myself today to see how long it takes for me to wash my milking machine parts. BTW, I didn't always have the second dishwasher for storing essentially my clean machine. Not at all necessary. Sorry if I conveyed that. I was just showing how I do it presently.
farmlife	Posted - Oct 26 2014 : 06:39:39 AM It is also a chore to do all the dishes associated with the milk machine. Have I mentioned I hate dishes? At this point we aren't set up to have a machine. I question my ability to keep it as clean as it should be and I don't have a second dishwasher. The one I do have runs twice a day as it is. Maybe I'm just not set up for a milk cow and should wait.
Ron	Posted - Oct 26 2014 : 04:52:00 AM Bummer, Mary Jane did mention I think to me a while back here that most of the smaller Jerseys would require a milk machine. I know most here do use the smaller setups with good success. Might be food for thought. I do know it is a chore to hand milk especially over two gallons. And especially two times a day. You might ask Janet and MJ I know they both use a Milker.
farmlife	Posted - Oct 25 2014 : 7:53:41 PM Teats too small to hand milk. They just use her as a nurse cow. quote: Originally posted by Ron Hi Keeley, just came across this. Don't know a thing about it. http://www.bismanonline.com/rolette_nd/for_sale_purebred_jersey_cow_bangs_vaccinated_v
Ron	Posted - Oct 25 2014 : 5:47:02 PM Hi Keeley, just came across this. Don't know a thing about it. http://www.bismanonline.com/rolette_nd/for_sale_purebred_jersey_cow_bangs_vaccinated_v
farmlife	Posted - Oct 25 2014 : 4:08:22 PM I love Wisconsin, MaryJane. In fact it is my favorite state that I've visited in the US with the exception of Montana, of course. However, I don't see us driving to Wisconsin this time of year. It looks like a great operation, though. Ron also gave me the information on Knapps Guernseys in Iowa. I think for now we'll stay focused on cows that are within 8 hours of us. If that doesn't pan out we can always look farther away in the spring.
chives	Posted - Oct 23 2014 : 8:34:55 PM She is just beautiful. Vicki
CloversMum	Posted - Oct 23 2014 : 8:27:00 PM Absolutely love Lacy Lou's eyes...perfect eyeliner too!
Ron	Posted - Oct 23 2014 : 2:34:50 PM Hmmmmmm could be? :)
farmlife	Posted - Oct 23 2014 : 2:12:30 PM If I had cows like MaryJane's I'd be a cow hoarder, too!
Ron	Posted - Oct 23 2014 : 1:57:36 PM You cow hoarder you ! :)
maryjane	Posted - Oct 23 2014 : 1:52:54 PM Keeley, I spoke with these folks about the possibility of a Jersey cow for sale. They have sold some recently because that's where Mike (here on the chatroom) purchased his. http://grasswayorganics.com/ Unfortunately, I won't have any for a while because I haven't been able to part with any yet:) I keep seeing breeding potential (different wonderful traits in all of them) so I keep trying my prowess with cupid's arrow. But at some point ...