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txbikergirl
3197 Posts
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 Posted - Jun 20 2015 : 8:10:37 PM
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ok everyone, another question - would fans be a good idea in the milk parlor or not? we have outdoor fans on our porch that are wall mounted and oscillate and they really help reduce flies/mosquitoes. but i am not sure if that would bother the cow, or if it just blows dust into the milk ;>
any thoughts.
and mj, from the book it looks like you milk from the cow's left side - yes? want to make sure i get the setup right since construction is under way. of course it will be flexible enough and roomy enough to get around all sides as needed, but considering what the normal path of travel would be and such ... attempting to replicate what is in your book with the wall on the cow's right side and the metal gate thing on the cow's left side. |
_(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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NellieBelle
11217 Posts
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Posted - Jun 21 2015 : 03:44:04 AM
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| I run fans for the cows in the summertime when the temps get up there. When milking, I use the Ultimate EZ unit so the milk goes into bottles directly attached to teats, then I pour into small milk buckets and I haven't had a problem with dust or dirt. But the cows definitely appreciate the fans on hot summer days. And I appreciate them when I'm sitting there milking. |
To laugh is human but to moo is bovine. Author Unknown |
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txbikergirl
3197 Posts
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Posted - Jun 21 2015 : 05:35:37 AM
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| thanks for the advice janet, so fans it is! i am trying to be on the cautious side as i never know when my layman ideas that sounds oh so great in my head are gonna be a no no for the cows. |
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
7074 Posts
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Posted - Jun 22 2015 : 05:46:01 AM
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Yes, I milk from the left side and I always hobble Sally's left rear foot to the side rail. Once in a while she shuffles her back foot and I'm not a fan of worrying about a potential shuffle/spilled milk.
With the side rail the measurement it is (make sure you grab the current plans), the cow can either back up and walk the rear of it and out the door or like with Fanci who is so big, I push the side rail all the way open so it's right up against the partition. That way she doesn't have to fit her body around the rear of the side rail before heading out the door.
I could fit two cows in my parlor if they were good at backing up or I could move the side rail over into the middle I guess and have two side rails should I ever see the need to milk a cow from both sides (team milking?). A couple of days ago I was shaving her udder and I had to get part-way underneath her to get to the far side. |
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 - Jun 22 2015 : 7:10:20 PM
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| thanks mj. i have the side rail plans, appreciate those. i was just waiting to have it made until i come home for your place. having most of the big stuff done now means i have a bit of time left for these fine details - want to make sure i know what feels right after really working it for a few days there. |
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 - Jun 23 2015 : 09:10:14 AM
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| I like our side rail as it gives me reassurance of safety ... especially for a newbie like myself. |
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
7074 Posts
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Posted - Jun 23 2015 : 11:00:44 AM
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I loved my side rail today, especially. I felt like everyone was wound up tight after our horse farrier visit yesterday. I'm not going to attempt that again because I think working on their back legs got them all to kicking, something I've avoided at all costs. So this morning when I brought Sally O'Mally and Miss Daisy in to milk them, I was nervous about their back legs (the same legs that got so much use yesterday) so I used the side rail to flank rope them. Then, I put the hobbles on, reversing the process at the end. I was mellow, they were mellow. I will probably flank rope my girls for a couple more days enabling the kicking response to fade from their memory.
Back to the drawing board for hoof trims. The new gal I hired who just came from a 60-cow Jersey raw milk dairy in Washington, says that for her horses she sometimes lets them lap up hard apple cider beforehand and that can lessen the panic response to life on three legs. |
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 - Jul 01 2015 : 5:05:45 PM
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sounds like a little embibing by the livestock calms them down... nothing that us humans don't know 
here's the update on our milking parlor. doesn't look like much yet, but the hard stuff is done. the trusses and purlans are up, and lover boy has started on the roof (roof should be done tomorrow night). the photo doesn't show how generous the 10' x 30' size is... and the supports on the vertical posts come down once the roof is complete.
we got the gas man in finally (can't see all the underground utility stuff that was holding things up), so now all we need is concrete to be poured. the plan is to schedule that next week so it is done in July.
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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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txbikergirl
3197 Posts
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Posted - Jul 01 2015 : 5:13:18 PM
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here are some pics of the area right behind the covered patio/milking parlor. if you walked through it from the same vantage point as the photo above, about a week ago you would have walked into solid woods... now they are cleaned out and get dappled sunlight. this leads to the sorry excuse of a barn we have, but its actually really close (takes me 60 seconds to walk it). with this area clear we can fence it and walk cows easily up to milking parlor, instead of going through backyard..
and it sets the stage for long-term. we'll build a new barn in 7 years or so in a clearing in these woods so we have a more stable structure to last us the rest of our lives. nothing fancy, prob a bit smaller than we have now, but better quality... we do things in baby steps here but the progress is feeling really good.
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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
7074 Posts
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Posted - Jul 01 2015 : 8:06:08 PM
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| Fabulous Cindy! You will not regret any of the prep. All will be lovey dovey this way. |
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 - Jul 02 2015 : 11:40:28 AM
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| You are making great progress, Cindy. Love your set up and hearing about your future plans. Good job! |
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 - Jul 02 2015 : 12:42:23 PM
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| thanks everyone. i think most people think we are off our rocker spending money on this stuff instead of the house itself, but this all pays off in spades and long-term... not to mention the daily fulfillment and life long health benefits. and the best part is we have spent so much less on all this than even a kitchen remodel. just can't justify that type of expense at this point when we can do so much more outside for less $$. |
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 - Jul 03 2015 : 1:56:02 PM
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Cindy,
Guess who I got to see today?! Your Sally O'Mally!
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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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farmlife
1413 Posts
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Posted - Jul 03 2015 : 2:18:42 PM
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| Oh Miss Sally O'Mally is going to love her new digs! |
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txbikergirl
3197 Posts
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Posted - Jul 03 2015 : 5:02:44 PM
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saaaaaaalllllllyyyyyyyyy, come home sssssaaaaaaallllllyyyy!
we are working on your purdy pastures, and barn stall, and milking parlor so you will love your new home.
secretly i have started to worry that she might mourn for MJ and be super sad for a period ... i am sure mj will have ideas on how to help her cope if she does... |
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 - Jul 05 2015 : 2:06:54 PM
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| Sally may be confused at first, but you'll start your routine with her which actually will be similar since you are visiting MaryJane's farm before Sally moves to your farm. I think all your love, routine, and great care will compensate and within a few days she should be settling in nicely. You'll do fine! |
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 Jul 06 2015 10:32:04 AM |
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txbikergirl
3197 Posts
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Posted - Jul 05 2015 : 5:00:59 PM
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| thanks for your words of encouragement charlene. i'm not a worry wort, but when you bring an adopted animal home from a BAD situation then its really easy - because you provide something better quite easily. but when you adopt an animal from an amazing home and family then there is a bit of trepidation to make it just as comfortable and happy for them. i know we'll do it... its just the human in me making things more difficult than they need be. |
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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txbikergirl
3197 Posts
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Posted - Aug 24 2015 : 4:40:39 PM
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| milking parlor update. there is no update. we are waiting on concrete. and apparently august is the WORST time to get a contractor to do anything. so we wait. and wait. and wait. we have five weeks so no one is stressing yet. and everything else is ready for miss sally so nothing else to worry about. |
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 - Aug 25 2015 : 4:40:02 PM
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| We are waiting too for our barn construction to begin. I'm happy that contractors are busy but then I just need one to come and be busy on our barn. If one of us finds an available contractor, we'll have to share and send the contractor to Texas, Idaho, and Iowa to finish several milk parlors/barns! :-) |
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 - Aug 25 2015 : 4:43:14 PM
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what we need to do is borrow one of MJs trailers and hook it to a truck full of construction materials. we will then kidnap a 2-3 person crew of contractors. we will then drive from one job/state to the other, and one of us farm gals will stay in the trailer all day making delicious food to bribe this crew to stay with us to finish each job.
its a thought anyway. |
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 - Aug 25 2015 : 4:50:22 PM
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| I'm right with you, Cindy! |
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
7074 Posts
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Posted - Aug 27 2015 : 12:06:46 AM
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| Count me in. Along the way, we'll take turns pulling into tricky truck stops to show off our backing up skills. |
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 - Aug 27 2015 : 08:28:42 AM
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| Smiling here! Love the vision... |
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 - Aug 27 2015 : 2:37:27 PM
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and we will also impress everyone with our milking skills, because of course SOMEHOW we need to make sure we have also brought along a milk cow! milking at all truck stops.
i guess we double trailer it behind the truck, the shasta and the livestock trailer! |
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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txbikergirl
3197 Posts
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Posted - Aug 27 2015 : 5:29:31 PM
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| UPDATE! final agreement with concrete contractor done and they start work on Monday. will have dirt work and concrete work done next week. the standstill comes to an end... pictures hopefully a week from saturday. |
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)
Milking parlor construction
![Heritage Jersey Organization [logo]](/images/HJO-logo.png){kind=logo}
