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CloversMum
3486 Posts
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 Posted - Feb 07 2016 : 2:24:16 PM
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Different colored carts for different tasks makes great sense. I'm holding off for a bit ... or at least until the cow/goat barn is actually started. Vinyl covers for the carts sound ideal ... anyone willing to share how they are planning on making a cover? Dimensions and patterns?
Our y connector seems to be working well ... but I have a back up and will order another one as a back up.
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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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maryjane
7072 Posts
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Posted - Feb 07 2016 : 7:30:31 PM
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| I'm thinking a vinyl cover for the rolling chair Cindy sourced. The carts are too lovely to cover. |
MaryJane Butters, author of Milk Cow Kitchen ~ striving for the stoicism of a cow standing in the rain ~ |
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CloversMum
3486 Posts
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Posted - Feb 08 2016 : 10:09:49 AM
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| I'm thinking that a covere over the rolling carts that coordinated with the slipcover for the rolling seat would be darling as well as functional as it would keep dust and dust off the cart when I wasn't using it. |
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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maryjane
7072 Posts
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Posted - Feb 08 2016 : 2:07:27 PM
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The old tray-on-the-floor routine is about to be replaced with Cindy's stout/sturdy rolling tray. Final photos to follow. (I want like hundreds of these things--very well built.)
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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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CloversMum
3486 Posts
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Posted - Feb 08 2016 : 3:50:49 PM
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| Ooh, the teal is really pretty. That is the color that I picked and put in the IKEA shopping cart ... I like it. |
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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txbikergirl
3197 Posts
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Posted - Feb 08 2016 : 4:29:50 PM
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bated breath in east texas waiting for the next photo update ;> this is so much fun, seriously - i LOVE this stuff!
mary jane and charlene, i was thinking maybe just a "mini" slipcover for the cart - just over the top shelf to cover the milk machine and then i could leave it in there. and with a ruffle around the bottom of the slipcover.
one of the reasons i chose this cart was that i knew it could be used for a million things if it didn't work for the milking parlor. i am now getting one for my sewing machine also as i don't have a fixed location, i sew on the dining table due to lack of room... also because growing up mom and i always sewed at the dining table, so it just feels right to me ;> now i'll just wheel the little cart around with the sewing machine and accessories so it is handy dandy. |
_(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 - Feb 08 2016 : 4:49:27 PM
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Happiness in teal.
Next up, something ca-ute for the chair.
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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 : 5:06:58 PM
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LOVE IT! and mary jane, one of the oil cloth buntings like i have would look perfect in there!
don't you like how you can hang things on the side of the shelving, like you did the teat dip cup? i have a few stainless steel flatside buckets with hooks and am going to hang one or two of those on the one i set up for grooming stuff. |
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 08 2016 5:09:37 PM |
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Andrea0509
155 Posts
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Posted - Feb 08 2016 : 6:42:29 PM
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Love the pop of color the teal adds to the parlour! I may have to order the teal to match this little teal milk can I painted a few years ago...didn't have a cow yet but was sure dreaming of one ;) Love that we can make our work spaces fun! .jpg?v 46910907) |
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
7072 Posts
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Posted - Feb 09 2016 : 05:49:42 AM
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| Andrea, I absolutely love the way your painted milk can turned out and of course I love the color. I just may have to come up with something similar for my parlor. I like putting fresh flowers on the counter in the summer. If you can't have a cow, at least you can decorate accordingly. |
MaryJane Butters, author of Milk Cow Kitchen ~ striving for the stoicism of a cow standing in the rain ~ |
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CloversMum
3486 Posts
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Posted - Feb 10 2016 : 09:07:19 AM
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| Andrea, cute milking can! And the yellow blooms are wonderful with the teal color, they remind me of forsythia blooms. Someday I'd love a long forsythia hedge ... it is such an encouraging sight in the early spring. |
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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CloversMum
3486 Posts
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Posted - Feb 10 2016 : 09:09:07 AM
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| MaryJane, do you have any oilcloth in your fabric line? |
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 13 2016 : 6:31:54 PM
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I'm part of a family milk cow group on Facebook. I've been seeing some negative comments regarding the ultimwte EZ, and people warning not to use this style of milker. I research big decisions like this verrrry thoroughly and figured I should do a little more investigating, even though I'm still fairly convinced that it's a good milking system. :)
In searching, I came across this post:
http://familycow.proboards.com/thread/74249/milking-machines-research-straight-vacuum
And this one:
http://familycow.proboards.com/thread/74313/ultimate-ez-electric-milker
Lots of opinions in those posts but what do you all take from it? Thanks! :)
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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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txbikergirl
3197 Posts
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Posted - Feb 13 2016 : 6:58:11 PM
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andrea there has been discussion on here about that before, and i think it comes down to what you want to do. lots of old timers are stuck on only what they think is best, and after reading a lot of it i did see that some wouldn't even be open minded if presented with proof that vacumn systems were as healthy.
so many of the milkers are vacumn systems, so people do get their facts mixed up as sometimes they'll refer to one as good even though it too is vaccumn and they are dissing vaccumn systems. did you just see how many times i spelled that word differently? i don't even have it in me to double check it now, my keyboard is giving me fits. ;>
also, i noticed a lot of people didn't test for mastitis with CMT or something regularly, they also didn't seem as focused on nutrition and natural health solutions... and if you don't watch the health then you'll get mastitis regardless of the milking solution you use. so when i see people making outright blanket statements i start researching all their other posts to see if they are logical in their thought process and have proof to back it up, etc. and if they have similar "back to basic" leanings as i do.
so take this for what it is worth from someone that is milking their first cow. i too so completely over researched this topic, as well as all others, to ensure i was doing the right thing. so you are in good company. the reality is that there are a few fanatics on the FMC board that are against this particular milker and keep putting it down.
after researching it, using it, talking with buck (owner/creator) and reading about amish dairies using it i just really loved it. i will be honest in that i value mary jane's opinion, but that is because i respect her and her mind and research works the way mine does a lot - but i would NOT have purchased this system on her word alone (no offense dear MJ !) as to me her opinion helped solidify mine but didn't bend it or push it in any direction.
in the end, do what feels right to you. to me it is a lot like our children. some mothers are over protective and won't do things that we feel are okay - and it isn't that we are right and they are wrong, its that we all have different view points - and were there isn't solid evidence to prove either one we just have to go with a well researched gut feeling ;>
fyi, i am so NOT machine oriented. i thought i would milk by hand. i hate cleaning machines. this machine is that good that it changed my mind. it just is basic and common sense, and doesn't seem hard on the teats at all. and i spend time each morning pre/post milking checking the udder and teats out and making sure they are healthy and happy as i would hand milk if i had to.
my limited knowledge opinion... you know how some kids get ear infections all the time, can't go swimming , no matter what anyone does it just happens? there are cows like that too with mastitis. so that just complicates this whole discussion as would a cow have gotten mastitis anyway without using any machine? there are just so many variables that it makes me think twice about it.
best of luck to you, i know it is agonizing seeing contrary info. sometimes the internet is a devil as well as a blessing! |
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 13 2016 7:04:40 PM |
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txbikergirl
3197 Posts
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Posted - Feb 13 2016 : 7:02:24 PM
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final thoughts andrea, as it is saturday night and i can stay up all night if i want!
- call buck at udderly ez and ask him about it. yes, he has his views - but this man is so totally down to earth and kind and has decades of experience, so ask him how this started and what he thinks is valid or not.
- and i am wondering if he can find someone in your area to go see it in action. if you lived closer i would invite you over ! because his system is mild and simple, that might make you at least feel better.
not that either of these might push you in this direction, but you c ould feel as though you really researched it fully and settled your mind. |
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 - Feb 13 2016 : 7:08:57 PM
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Hi Andrea,
Either the links have changed or I'm doing something wrong. The last two links in the Debbie Lincoln post covers all things machine, not vacuum specifically, or at all. And the first two links don't seem of much use. If I persist will I find something? |
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 13 2016 : 7:19:45 PM
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andrea, another thought is to consider that all this research is focused on commercial dairies. milkers attached and people walk away, potentially milking nonstop even when udder is empty - repeating this overmilking process several times a day. and these commercial cows don't have the more natural feed and health programs we have. and they aren't cleaned/groomed the way we do it. i drink my milk raw, i spend a lot of time making sure the udder/teats are super clean and that the health of the cow is perfect.
when milking i sit there watching the milk flow into the bottles nonstop. once it slows i make sure to take it off when the milk isn't flowing, and move to another teat . i strip by hand at the end of each milking to ensure that i don't just sit there and abuse those poor teats with the machine milking.
i haven't seen any research yet taking into account nonstop attention during milking with modern machines and super nutrion based cow raising. that to me would be important and relevant. |
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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Andrea0509
155 Posts
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Posted - Feb 13 2016 : 8:21:05 PM
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Hi Mary Jane,
I didn't spend much time looking at what Debbie included on her post; I was mostly taken aback by just scrolling down through the page below her post and reading all of the comments from people who were warning not to purchase a this style of milker.
My first thought after reading through those pages was, I need to see what everyone on HJO thinks on the topic! I value everyone's opinions on here so much and know it's a place where newbies like myself can post silly questions like these and not feel embarrassed for doing so ;) You guys are wonderful :)
Cindy,
Thank you so much for the thorough explanation! I truly am in good company as I research through all of this. So many good points in your post...thank you, thank you, thank you! I'm happy to say my gut feeling is still in favor of this wonderful little milking machine. :) |
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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txbikergirl
3197 Posts
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Posted - Feb 13 2016 : 8:32:14 PM
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andrea what i do like here as opposed to some other boards is that being a smaller community we do really get a feel for where someone is coming from, so it gives us a base point when they start talking about something they are researching. some forums are so huge, or if we are just searching old posts from people we don't interact with, we don't have a good reference point to assist in the judgement of that person's statements .
also, everyone here can be opinionated but they aren't nasty. and rather than just tell us we are outright wrong, they are polite and mature enough to hold their tongues at times and let us figure it out ourselves ;> which isn't contrary to their helpful and giving nature here, its just that they realize there is still a lot unknown in the dairy cow world (especially doing it small time with a more natural approach like most of us are). again the analogy about raising children and many ways to do it comes to mind .
ok, i will go to bed now. this keyboard is killing me. i do look forward to hearing where you end up with this, and regardless of where that is what your final thoughts on it that made you go in that direction. that is how we all learn ongoing... |
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 13 2016 8:32:59 PM |
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maryjane
7072 Posts
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Posted - Feb 13 2016 : 9:12:11 PM
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Cindy, if you're still up, check this out. While I was sewing tonight, I watched this on and off on PBS about a dairy farmer. Watch the trailer. Artful. Well done.
http://lastbarndance.com/
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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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farmlife
1413 Posts
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Posted - Feb 14 2016 : 04:44:42 AM
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| So beautiful, MaryJane. That man is passionate about what he does and it shows! |
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txbikergirl
3197 Posts
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Posted - Feb 14 2016 : 09:49:11 AM
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i was in the tub with a goblet of milk by the time you posted this last night ;>
this looks wonderful mary jane, we'll have to stream it on PBS tonight. thanks for sharing. lover boy and i LOVE to watch farming and cow movies/videos on the boob tube, but after a while it is hard to find anything we haven't seen before. this will be a treat! |
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 - Feb 14 2016 : 10:11:51 AM
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You'll love the footage where he's hired by an Indian couple who are building a house in the suburbs to bring a cow to poop and pee in their new house in order to bless it. Once there, the cow gets shy so he's rubbing her back-end to get her to pee and he says, "Usually, she's the pee-pee queen."
I remembered last night that when I gave birth to Meg in 1979, human breast pumps were less sophisticated (and cheaper) than they are now (at least what I had access to were) and mine was vacuum. I might even have it in my attic still. It worked on the same principal as the EZ non-electric pump. I sealed it around my nipple and then I pumped a ball with my hand until the vacuum pressure got my milk to flowing into a glass vessel. I never had any problems. Of course, I didn't use it every day but it wasn't painful like one of the women on the other chatroom said who thought it was painful for a cow who added that it would ruin cow teats, "No teats, no cow," she said. I still have mine. And I'm an older cow by all measures. |
MaryJane Butters, author of Milk Cow Kitchen ~ striving for the stoicism of a cow standing in the rain ~ |
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maryjane
7072 Posts
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Posted - Feb 14 2016 : 10:36:38 AM
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| One more thought regarding vacuum pumping. I'm perfectly willing to discover that it's harmful. It won't be the first time the learning curve threw a curve ball my way. I make a concerted effort to separate my ego from my goal of discovery and my quest to learn all I can about the health and well-being of my cows. But I'm not prone to knowledge and conclusions that are the result of a pile-on. The woman who started the conversation against it cited sources but the sources aren't there, that I could find. But truly, I'm open to the idea, Andrea. I wonder if we can find someone who truly used it for some amount of time and can demonstrate XYZ damage. For me, I know that when I used a pulsation milker for years on my cows, I struggled to come to terms with the fact that you couldn't SEE what was going on and it was difficult to stop milking a particular teat once it quit giving milk. What I've loved about the EZ is how much more in control of their teat health I am. I think. I'm willing to be wrong. |
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 14 2016 : 3:01:19 PM
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i am sooooo willing to be wrong. of course as a newbie, it is all a learning curve anyway and being wrong is part of the regular game! but i will change what i am doing at any time if it is truly harming my girls.
isn't that what makes life interesting and challenging? doing our best and throwing our heart and soul into something in the best way we can - and then tweaking it as we go, and finding years down the line that maybe we were right in some ways and clueless in a few others... it is sooo like parenting!
but i will be the first to admit i don't take someone attacking buck and his product lightly (meaning people on the family cow board, not andrea's questions). its not that i am the defender of the underdog, i think when someone is doing such a great job and truly helping people that i don't appreciate a lot of hot air spewing against them when there isn't much to back it up. a thousand people yelling fire doesn't make a spark. |
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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![[flourish]](/images/flourish-txt_mobius.png)
Udderly EZ "Ultimate EZ Milker"
![Heritage Jersey Organization [logo]](/images/HJO-logo.png){kind=logo}
