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CloversMum
3486 Posts
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 Posted - Feb 05 2016 : 8:05:48 PM
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| It was great to have, especially as we were newbies and I personally had never been around a cow. I also think it reminds me daily how important it is to be careful and wise around our animals. |
Loving life and family on our Idaho farm, Meadowlark Heritage Farm; A few Jersey cows; a few alpacas; a few more goats, and even more ducks and chickens |
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Sydney2015
1156 Posts
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Posted - Feb 05 2016 : 8:10:50 PM
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| For sure, AppleButter also loves to kick(I wouldn't say loves but...). I don't want it take my chances with her. |
A good laugh overcomes more difficulties and dissipates more dark clouds than any other one thing - Laura Ingalls Wilder
I live on a small farm of seventy acres called Green Forest Farm, with 10 horses, a donkey, 5 beef cows, 2 beef heifers, 3 Hereford heifers, around 60 chickens, 8 dogs, my amazing cow, AppleButter, and her little Jersey calf HoneyButter! |
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Andrea0509
155 Posts
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Posted - Feb 05 2016 : 8:53:26 PM
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Thanks ladies! I can't wait to have one to use not only for the daily milking routine, but also for the next several months before she's in milk, as a safe place to use for handling her. I currently don't have any place like that, not even a stall, so this will change everything drastically once it's up! Sydney, I'm feeling the same way with the kicking possibility with Percy. Although she's never kicked me before, she's a bit of a spitfire and having this rail gives me such a peace of mind!
Mary Jane, do you have any suggestions regarding height alterations? |
Hobby farming with my husband & two kids in beautiful Michigan ~ 1 Jersey; Miss Persimmon, 2 Olde English Southdown ewes; Lula & Clementine, and chickens to come Spring 2016. Loving the adventure! |
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maryjane
7074 Posts
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Posted - Feb 07 2016 : 03:21:01 AM
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I wouldn't change the height or length, Andrea. The way is it in the drawings provided work fine for all sizes of cows, which is perfect. Mine also works for bringing in small heifers for training to get them ready and trained for milking. It even worked for my big girl Fanci.
Cindy, I can't remember the circumstances that led to yours being shorter. I remember getting measurements of your stock trailer thinking we might be able to make it work in there but then it wouldn't. If I'm the reason it's shorter, I apologize. |
MaryJane Butters, author of Milk Cow Kitchen ~ striving for the stoicism of a cow standing in the rain ~ |
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txbikergirl
3197 Posts
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Posted - Feb 07 2016 : 11:42:28 AM
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miss mary jane - NO apologies for all your help! you/I discussed shortening it thinking maybe we could improve things - it was a great idea that didn't necessarily do what we thought. it isn't a danger for us, i just wouldn't recommend it for others. we know our gal sally isn't a kicker so i don't think she'll do herself harm - and i am starting all the others off young so think they'll be fine in it too.
i think you are the only one mary jane that would bust your tail doing everything for everyone else then apologize for the one minor thing that wasn't perfect ;> i appreciate you!! you actually ordered, coordinated, picked up and paid for that siderail for me per our discussions - my goodness you did so much for us that we can never thank you enough.
yes andrea, her siderail is perfect and create it as is. i don't even look at it as "safety" from a kicking cow. sally is just about as perfect as she can be, and we are training elsa to be also. but how about that fly or two that gets in when you are milking and bites or annoys them at the imperfect time - and they don't mean to kick, just to get rid of the fly. i am never afraid my girls will kick me, i am concerned about the minor unrelated thing that happens at the wrong time with me in the way... |
_(199x300)_(66x100).jpg?v 93697001) Firefly Hollow Farm , our little farmstead. Farmgirl living in the green piney woods of East Texas on 23 acres with a few jerseys, too many chickens, a pair of pugs and my Texan hubby (aka "lover boy") |
Edited by - txbikergirl on Feb 07 2016 11:46:28 AM |
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CloversMum
3486 Posts
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Posted - Feb 07 2016 : 2:18:21 PM
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| Andrea, when you get your side rail constructed, we'd all love to see pictures. It is so great to see how everyone's set up works. |
Loving life and family on our Idaho farm, Meadowlark Heritage Farm; A few Jersey cows; a few alpacas; a few more goats, and even more ducks and chickens |
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Andrea0509
155 Posts
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Posted - Feb 07 2016 : 9:16:55 PM
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Thanks Mary Jane for the advice on this!
Thanks for the perspective on safety/kicking Cindy. I agree, we definitely have to be aware of what our animals are doing when we work with them. The sweetest cow could easily kick at something like a nasty biting fly, and we need to be alert and on our game even when we think a kick couldn't happen.
Charlene, I will definitely post pictures :) I've loved seeing everyone else's side rails on here. |
Hobby farming with my husband & two kids in beautiful Michigan ~ 1 Jersey; Miss Persimmon, 2 Olde English Southdown ewes; Lula & Clementine, and chickens to come Spring 2016. Loving the adventure! |
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maryjane
7074 Posts
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Posted - Feb 08 2016 : 06:25:22 AM
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Shucky darn, Cindy. Anyway. You are too kind. Do you think you could build the stub wall out where the hinges attach? Bolt more wood to it? Maybe a couple of 4x4s drilled all the way through and then bolted together? Perhaps Wonder Boy, I mean Lover Boy has some ideas.
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MaryJane Butters, author of Milk Cow Kitchen ~ striving for the stoicism of a cow standing in the rain ~ |
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txbikergirl
3197 Posts
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Posted - Feb 08 2016 : 08:47:07 AM
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| if you keep talking lover boy up like this mary jane i may just have to put a cape on the man! we have actually talked about stubbing out that one post, so great minds think alike. once we get the summer kitchen farther along we'll move back to the milking parlor and see what we want to do. |
Firefly Hollow Farm , our little farmstead. Farmgirl living in the green piney woods of East Texas on 23 acres with a few jerseys, too many chickens, a pair of pugs and my Texan hubby (aka "lover boy") |
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CloversMum
3486 Posts
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Posted - Feb 08 2016 : 10:25:03 AM
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| Just make sure the cape coordinates with the stool cover and the rest of the milking parlor! |
Loving life and family on our Idaho farm, Meadowlark Heritage Farm; A few Jersey cows; a few alpacas; a few more goats, and even more ducks and chickens |
Edited by - CloversMum on Feb 08 2016 7:50:52 PM |
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txbikergirl
3197 Posts
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Posted - Feb 08 2016 : 4:25:08 PM
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| he he he. i'm not sure he'll like pink and yellow... but i AM sure he'd look good in tights to go with that cape, all super hero's gotta wear tights! |
Firefly Hollow Farm , our little farmstead. Farmgirl living in the green piney woods of East Texas on 23 acres with a few jerseys, too many chickens, a pair of pugs and my Texan hubby (aka "lover boy") |
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CloversMum
3486 Posts
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Posted - Feb 08 2016 : 7:51:36 PM
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| Cindy, it is so fun to see the love that is between you and your hubby! :) You guys sound like you have a lot of fun together!! Blessings upon blessings... |
Loving life and family on our Idaho farm, Meadowlark Heritage Farm; A few Jersey cows; a few alpacas; a few more goats, and even more ducks and chickens |
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GingerBKelly
274 Posts
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Posted - Oct 27 2016 : 11:18:38 AM
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| Ohhhh....excellent. I just found this post, and the pdf of the side bar. Thank you, Mary Jane. We could really use a side bar. So I see that you had yours made. Nice! Do you know if there is any of these (side rails) on the market, somewhere? |
~Ginger Kelly, Kelly Homestead Apiary, Charlton, MA~.jpg?v 26652890) gingerbkelly@gmail.comWhen a cow laughs, does milk come out her nose? ~Author Unknown
Check us out on FB: https://www.facebook.com/KellyHomesteadApiary/ |
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GingerBKelly
274 Posts
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Posted - Oct 28 2016 : 06:21:53 AM
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| Oh and yes, it's really adorable to see the lovely comments about "lover boy" and Cindy. Your personalities shine and it's so sweet to read about. Yes, a color coordinated cape is an excellent idea. Go for it! |
~Ginger Kelly, Kelly Homestead Apiary, Charlton, MA~gingerbkelly@gmail.comWhen a cow laughs, does milk come out her nose? ~Author Unknown
Check us out on FB: https://www.facebook.com/KellyHomesteadApiary/ |
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maryjane
7074 Posts
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Posted - Oct 28 2016 : 06:26:57 AM
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| I don't know of any on the market, Ginger. |
MaryJane Butters, author of Milk Cow Kitchen ~ striving for the stoicism of a cow standing in the rain ~ |
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![[flourish]](/images/flourish-txt_mobius.png)
Side Rail
![Heritage Jersey Organization [logo]](/images/HJO-logo.png){kind=logo}
