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SpringMaiden1
27 Posts
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 Posted - Sep 20 2015 : 11:21:55 PM
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I'm soon to be a new cow owner. Have been looking forward to this for sometime now. I'll be spending a lot of time here since I know nothing. Hubby and I are getting ready to retire and going back to Oklahoma with plans to farmstead. Just purchased a couple of horses, my cow is next (most excited about her and she has an adorable 3 week old heifer). She is in Indiana so that's going to be our first challenge getting her home. Next will be goats and chickens and a garden and bee hives. Don't want to sit around and get old!
Married 39 years
3 children, 2 grandchildren
2 Golden Retrievers
Soapmaker for 15 years
Want to learn how to make cheese |
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NellieBelle
11214 Posts
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Posted - Sep 21 2015 : 03:46:39 AM
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| Welcome SpringMaiden1. So nice to meet you and your lovely family. You have come to the right place when wanting to learn about cows/bulls/calves and cheese making. MaryJane has volumes of information from her experience of raising and having milk cows/bulls/calves herself, as well as others who know and have backgrounds dealing with milk cows. Looks like you are going to be plenty busy with all you are taking on. Hope it all works out wonderfully for you and it's all you ever dreamed of. Enjoy! May I suggest you get MaryJane's book "Milk Cow Kitchen." It's the best when wanting to learn how to make cheese and it has so much information in it about cow/calf care and housing, medical, nutrition etc. You will be so thankful you did. Hope to hear from you often. |
To laugh is human but to moo is bovine. Author Unknown |
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Ron
4666 Posts
Ronnie
Peever
SD
USA
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Posted - Sep 21 2015 : 04:35:52 AM
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| Welcome young woman from The high plains. So glad you found this place...we always need more new tall tales of cow adventure! What do you like to be called? The screen name seems kinda long to type ! |
With a moo moo here and a moo moo there, here a moo, there a moo, everywhere a moo moo. |
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txbikergirl
3197 Posts
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Posted - Sep 21 2015 : 05:19:51 AM
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hello fellow texan! texas farm girl here, north of you in east texas south of tyler. hubby and i have been in texas for ten years, i married my texan 15 years ago when we met out of state, and we bought out little farmstead 3 years ago.
congrats on getting out of houston and going more rural. hubby and i were new to the farmstead lifestyle, but i grew up rural so wasn't a complete stranger to many things. and his dad has a horse ranch in the country so he also has some experience from living there for several years. we too have a cow on the way, our first and also with a lovable heifer, and we leave this saturday to pick her up quite a few states away ;>
i will second the suggestion of buying a copy of maryjanes "milk cow kitchen", you can't go wrong and it even has a significant amounts of recipes including step by step cheesemaking. the book is gorgeous, lots of photos, and you could buy 15 cow books off amazon and still not come even close to the amount of detail and common sense in this one beautiful book.
i also just took a two day class at the "ploughshare institute" outside of waco. it was hands on and amazing, and cost under $300 plus lodging - and that includes all the materials to make the cheeses there. if you have the time or inclination i would suggest reserving a class as it was truly wonderful. i learned a ton of tips and tricks in that course that would have taken me a lot of experience to glean, and i already make my own butter and some soft cheeses (they show all of that in the class too).
looking forward to seeing you around here. everyone is so kind and generous with their knowledge and it has really helped me in getting ready for my cows. |
_(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") |
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maryjane
7072 Posts
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Posted - Sep 21 2015 : 06:09:44 AM
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Welcome SpringMaiden! Both Janet and Ginger are beekeepers so when it comes time for you to expand your farmstead, they can lend you their expertise. Your new cow/calf is a great place to start. Can't wait to hear more. A cow makes a home!!!!
I wanted to point out one of the nifty functionalities of this chatroom.
When you first sit down to catch up, click on Active Topics in the top bar (over to the right next to the Search function). From there you can go over to the left of the screen and click on Active Topics Since and use the pull down bar to pick a time since you've last been on (Last 2 hours, Last 6 hours, Yesterday, Last 2 days, Last week, on and on) and you'll be shown only the activity and conversation since you were last able to check in.
Even though I check in frequently, I don't always have time to post so when I do sit down to answer past questions (or go gaga over a photo of someone's cow, hint, hint), I can easily find it. Hope that makes sense. |
MaryJane Butters, author of Milk Cow Kitchen ~ striving for the stoicism of a cow standing in the rain ~ |
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SpringMaiden1
27 Posts
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Posted - Sep 21 2015 : 08:03:30 AM
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Thank you for the welcome. Thank you for the information on how to navigate the chatroom's latest posts. As you can tell I even need help there. So please, any advise is helpful. Thank you Mary Jane.
Mary Jane, I do have your book. Best book I've ever purchased on help with everything I need and the format is wonderful! Bought that several months ago before I found my cow. Have been looking for this cow for over six months, even before I was ready to buy. She fits all I wanted in a cow. I wanted a registered A2/A2 cow and they are so hard to find. A registered one was harder to find than the A2/A2. So now, knowing very little about cows and never being around them, I'm going to go pick up my first one. Wow!
Txbikergirl, I did take that cheese making class about four years ago. Really enjoyed it. But that was a long time ago and have not had the opportunity to make any cheese so I'll be starting from scratch, again. Mary Janes book is awesome with all the cheese making recipes too. I would really like to know the name of the camera you had installed in your trailer. I want to do the same thing because I'll be so nervous not knowing exactly what's happening back there. The camera would help me relax during our long ride. What state is your cow in? How old is your girl? I was wanting a full-size cow in hopes of selling milk off my farm. Her calf is from a miniature bull. Now trying to figure out how come all these miniatures are so popular. Will be very interested in hearing how your trip goes. I'll be picking my girl up the 2nd week of October. Hopefully it will have cooled down a little to make a more pleasant trip. We have the same type of trailer apparently from your picture.
Do a lot of people in this group sell raw milk off their farm? Oklahoma has pretty relaxed laws about selling raw milk. We can sell 100 gal a month, but I'm a little worried about doing it yet. Half way thinking maybe i should pasteurize or at least have my milk tested monthly. Would love to hear all thoughts about that. I haven't read all the threads and think I saw a thread on that so will be reading everything I find here.
Ron, I need to find out how to put a signature on my posts. I should have at least told everyone my name,
it's Debbie. I'm definitely no Springmaiden! I live in Spring, TX so it came from that.
Emma (my new cow) will be the first of two hopefully. I'm also hoping her calf is A2/A2. She's being tested but tests results are not in. Found the thread about A2/A2 . That was really interesting. Why are miniature's so expensive? Okay, now I'm rambling.
I'm so glad to be here and thank you all for the welcome and I'll be reading everything I can here.
Debbie |
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Ron
4666 Posts
Ronnie
Peever
SD
USA
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Posted - Sep 21 2015 : 08:08:16 AM
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Welcome Debbie...yes I see the mini cows are priced high...I guess supply and demand..of course to each their own for sure!
Again welcome here looking forward to all your cow tales! |
With a moo moo here and a moo moo there, here a moo, there a moo, everywhere a moo moo. |
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CloversMum
3486 Posts
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Posted - Sep 22 2015 : 2:21:40 PM
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Welcome, Debbie! I am learning about cows and my Clover was my first-ever cow, sweet Betsy is my second-ever :-). But I do know about goats when you are at the point of getting goats! Sounds like you are going to have lots of farm animals like we do. It is such fun ... lots of work, but still fun!
We are beginning to sell our Jersey milk to just a few people ... I do everything exactly the way MaryJane describes in her book. I also sell my goat milk. My milk is tested every month with the state of Idaho and my animals are registered under the small herd raw milk exemption so I have a raw milk permit for both my cows and goats. You just need to be careful to save back more than enough for yourself and your family. I did not do that when I sold my eggs and I've needed to cut back my customer base. It is ridiculous when I have to ration my eggs but have a flock of over 50 hens! So, my son is helping me to make sure I don't even come close to doing that with my milk.
I also make soap ... what kind do you make? I make goat milk soaps and have a lot of fun doing it. I look forward to hearing more about you and your experiences. Thanks for introducing yourself!
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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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SpringMaiden1
27 Posts
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Posted - Sep 22 2015 : 3:48:08 PM
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Hi CloverMum, Where do you live? I had goats for a short time til we moved from Tulsa. I took them to Phoenix with me but when we moved to Houston I decided to wait til I got back to Oklahoma. I plan on about 8 goats. I'm curious what everyone sells their cow's milk for. I also need to find out about a raw milk permit.
Don't know if it's required in Oklahoma.
I make goat's milk soaps with essential oils and herbs, about 18 different EO combinations. There is always another one I have to try. My son is putting together a website for me. Have never wanted one before because I always sold everything I made and didn't want to work that hard. I've been selling at a farmers market in Houston for the last 11 years, every single weekend, except when i purposely took off. My business name is The Herbal Goat. I've decided to make a large sign for my farm using my logo but adding,
The Herbal Goat & Jersey Girls. Think that will be fun.
Got to get back to boxing as much up as possible. Making a UHaul trip this weekend to Tulsa. |
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txbikergirl
3197 Posts
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Posted - Sep 22 2015 : 4:15:47 PM
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debbie,
in east texas we pay $12 per gallon for raw milk. they actually don't sell gallon jugs, so they sell it $6 per half-gallon.
before that we paid less per gallon, but the raw milk dairy was not as clean and amazing. this new place is the real deal, so immaculate and just nice to visit and hang out.
i know people come from 2-3 hours away to get the milk from this raw milk dairy, and we are one of them. almost 4 hours roundtrip. and they sell out of milk every single day. no joke. they open at 9am and normally milk is gone by 10am. if not definitely gone by noon and that is when they close.
its a good model for a raw milk dairy if you could ever stop on your way to/from OK. Its waldo way dairy in mineola, they are only open 9a-noon on wed thru sat. |
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 - Sep 22 2015 : 5:39:36 PM
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Debbie,
Another goat milk soaper! Pretty cool. I definitely understand about always wanting to try new combinations of oils and herbs. I have eight goats right now, myself ... six does and two bucks. It is getting close to breeding season around here as Bart and Ernie are quite stinky these days! So far, the does have not noticed but the rest of us ... well, phew!
I live in Idaho, just over a ridge from MaryJane's farm.
Have a good evening!
Charlene |
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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SpringMaiden1
27 Posts
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Posted - Sep 22 2015 : 7:04:01 PM
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Charlene, a gal after my own heart doing everything I enjoy. I almost bought this darling little buck but since he had horns I changed my mind. I'll be getting four kids in Spring but really need at least one milking doe for soap and cheese. Soooo excited about my cow though and her calf. I saw someone had a calf named Elsa on here. I decided that was a great name for mine.
Cindy, thank you for that information. I was actually thinking I would love to come visit you once you get your new cow. I really appreciate the information on the camera. Exactly what I want. I'll check the dairy out. Thanks again. |
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txbikergirl
3197 Posts
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Posted - Sep 23 2015 : 6:43:20 PM
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Debbie come on up to rusk. we'd love to have you visit. we have chickens and a garden and pugs! and a cow and calf to be here in a little over a week.
we are also working on our little milking parlor so you would be able to check that out and see what you think. i have used mary jane's model with a few tweaks for our circumstances - just so happy to have somewhere to milk.
you could always come on up en route to OK if you were headed that way, we are only 3 hours from Spring. you could come up, check everything out for the day and have a nice lunch/dinner with us. it would be fun. |
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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SpringMaiden1
27 Posts
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Posted - Sep 23 2015 : 8:32:13 PM
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| Thank you Cindy. Now to find the time. I'm doing nothing but packing right now. Filling up a Uhaul and headed to Tulsa this Sunday while you are probably driving back with your new cow. I would love to hear how your trip went when you get back. |
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Andrea0509
155 Posts
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Posted - Sep 24 2015 : 5:20:34 PM
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Welcome SpringMaiden! 
I just joined this group as well. Seems like such a great community of fellow cow lovers with so much to share. Wishing you a smooth move and hoping all goes well as you settle in. I'm also new to having a family milk cow and just got our first this summer. Lots to learn but loving it! Will enjoy hearing about your cow adventures once you get her!! |
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txbikergirl
3197 Posts
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Posted - Sep 24 2015 : 6:44:01 PM
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| stay tuned as we'll be posting along the way! |
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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GingerBKelly
274 Posts
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Posted - Sep 28 2015 : 09:22:22 AM
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Welcome SpringMaiden! Your wishes sound a bit like mine (you don't want to sit around and get old) and I'm sure that you won't. Age is simply a state of mind and with a homestead, who has time for sitting around anyway, right?
So, we also have chickens, gardens and beehives, and cows (of course...cows...lol), and grandkids. Grandchildren are the best!
There are so many things to share. I look forward to your stories, post and thoughts. Cheers!
Oh and, I'd like to add....I had a dream last night about making goat milk soap. Isn't that strange? Anyhow, maybe you can help me and teach a few things. I'd like to get started doing this, very soon. |
~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/ |
Edited by - GingerBKelly on Sep 28 2015 09:25:11 AM |
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SpringMaiden1
27 Posts
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Posted - Nov 08 2015 : 11:20:05 AM
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| Ginger, just rereading some old posts and see where I failed to answer yours. I will be more than happy to an answer any and all your questions on making goats milk soaps. You contact email me at theherbalgoat@aol.com with your questions. |
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Hello from Houston to Tulsa OK area soon
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