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txbikergirl
3197 Posts
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 Posted - Oct 23 2015 : 5:21:53 PM
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| i am curious to see how your setup is janet once you get it all done. i sure do learn a lot around here, and its interesting to see how everyone tweeks what they have/do to make it fit for them. |
_(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 - Oct 23 2015 : 5:27:08 PM
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| Looks like it may be awhile before I can show much of anything. They were going to start dirt work and it rained, and their loader broke down. So, I'm still hoping they make progress before cold weather sets in, if not it won't be until spring I'm guessing. But my barn is usually dry in the winter. Just bitter cold. And my muscles get a work out carrying everything back and forth. Probably good for me. We all learn from each other and it's fun and exciting. Thanks for sharing all you've done Cindy. |
To laugh is human but to moo is bovine. Author Unknown |
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CloversMum
3486 Posts
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Posted - Oct 26 2015 : 4:22:39 PM
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| This all looks so wonderful, Cindy. I love your set up, all the thought, time and effort that went into it, and mostly, your wonderful smile at the end! |
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 - Jan 16 2016 : 6:17:40 PM
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this is the view from each end of our milking parlor, one of the reasons i am embracing the "open air" concept - i like seeing the wildlife all around as well as the seasons around the farm. you can see miss sally's silhouette to the right in the first photo.
you can see in the top photo we brought a lot of sand and dirt in when we poured the concrete pad, and it hasn't grown much yet.
the bottom photo looks back toward our woods. the area to the left was dense forest before, we cleared it out to make walkable and usable woods.
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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") |
Edited by - txbikergirl on Jan 16 2016 6:19:15 PM |
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txbikergirl
3197 Posts
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Posted - Jan 16 2016 : 6:22:26 PM
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and here's the update to the attached "summer kitchen". we have placed the craigslist stainless counter on it, haven't got the plumbing or electrical hooked up yet but at least it is in place straddling all that conduit. we got the outdoor refrig, now just need to get the outdoor stove/oven. and of course, in the next five years build the fireplace and attached pizza/bread oven...
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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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farmlife
1413 Posts
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Posted - Jan 16 2016 : 7:47:00 PM
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| That all looks incredible, Cindy! I'm jealous. Really your summer kitchen can be most of the year. |
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NellieBelle
11217 Posts
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Posted - Jan 17 2016 : 03:30:14 AM
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| Your goals are coming to fruition. Nice Cindy. It's all coming together. You will hopefully be able to enjoy it for years to come. Thanks for sharing. |
To laugh is human but to moo is bovine. Author Unknown |
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CloversMum
3486 Posts
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Posted - Jan 17 2016 : 2:13:08 PM
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| Woohoo! This looks so good. Isn't it satisfying to see your dreams and goals become reality? You've planned it out very well. 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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Andrea0509
155 Posts
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Posted - Jan 18 2016 : 10:43:40 AM
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| Cindy your Summer kitchen set up is all coming together so beautifully! Loved seeing pictures! |
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 - Jan 18 2016 : 6:43:01 PM
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thanks everyone for the kind comments. the hope is to get it mostly done before memorial day, we are hosting a "grandkids reunion" for my parents - just their grandkids, maybe a few of the parents if they want to come.... my parents wanted a family reunion but didn't really want a large one. all the grandkids are between 29 and 16 now so it is a wonderful variety of ages. and they are ALL grandGIRLS - can't wait for the fun! even our two babies that didn't make it were girls, my parents were destined to be grandparents to girls!
we'll not have the outdoor fireplace or pizza oven done by then, but with working water/gas/electricity and the counters done on the stainless island i will be a happy woman indeed.
we use the term "summer kitchen" as that is the old fashioned term, and it was one of my desires to get cooking and canning out of the house during the hotter times of the year. but keeley is right, given we have mild winters we can use this as a kitchen probably 9-10 months a year. and it was less expensive to do all this than to remodel the kitchen in our house. win-win to me. |
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 - Jan 18 2016 : 7:58:30 PM
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| Love the outdoors Cindy. It will be wonderful. Enjoy and thank you again for sharing. You are an inspiration to us all. |
To laugh is human but to moo is bovine. Author Unknown |
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txbikergirl
3197 Posts
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Posted - Jan 22 2016 : 05:51:37 AM
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so this is my new "milking trolley". Its a little IKEA cart "RASKOG" thats a $29.99 commitment.
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/30216536/
if you don't want IKEA, plow and hearth has a red version, home decorators also has a version, as do several other places on the internet. IKEA comes in a cute turquoise color, a dark gray, or my creamy milk color ;>
this is what it looks like sized to the "most perfect milkmaid chair ever". the cart is perfectly sized for the chair. the intent for me is to keep the cart clean, so i empty it after each milking. you'll see shortly.
here it is in the morning. the EZ Milker fits in it perfectly at the top, i put a new towel down each time just in case anything would drop, it wouldn't contaminate anything below.
i put my clean towels in the middle shelf that i just brought out that morning, and then my clean bottles are in the bottom shelf. they are always capped, i just rinsed them out before coming outside and capped them.
here it is in action:
end of day, with all the filled bottles ready to go into the house to be strained and bottled. i just roll up the tubing on top of the bottles and take it all into the kitchen to clean/sanitize. i keep an extra set of silicone attachment things handy, and those go back into be cleaned as well.
i like a few things about this:
- the milker is now off the floor so kept cleaner; i had it on a stand previously, but anything lower always resulted in some feed getting on it no matter what i did. no longer now that it is higher.
- the tubes to the milk bottles are now suspended off the floor, so no contamination on the ground there. just cleaner. i just loop the tube around the pressure dial and they stay like that.
- i used to put my bottles in the stainless bowl you see in front of the trollery to bring them out, then as i filled them there were capped and put on the ground behind me. now i put the clean bottles into the trolley before milking, then as i fill them they go into the stainless bowl to be carried back inside. i could also just put them back on the trolley shelf.
- the cart is small and lightweight, but not tippy. it rolls GREAT, and has a strong substantial feel to it.
- the shelves aren't solid, they are a perforated metal. so you don't get gunk build up in them - easy clean, wipe down.
- the middle shelf can be repositioned however you want. but the top and bottome shelves are fixed.
i really like this setup now that i have used it a few days. i like that i have one thing to roll around, and that with my rolling milkmaid chair makes it efficient and fun. i am thinking of getting another one to use for grooming/milking supplies that i normally keep in buckets and put by my chair while being used.
credit to our model miss sally o'mally for graciously lending her time to the effort |
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 Jan 22 2016 06:04:14 AM |
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txbikergirl
3197 Posts
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Posted - Jan 22 2016 : 06:06:13 AM
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| i just gotta say, that is one purdy cow! she's so sleek looking. |
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 - Jan 22 2016 : 06:44:51 AM
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Brilliant. I'm getting two of them. I love that I didn't have to look all over the internet, measure to make sure the EZ would fit, etc. I have all my gear on a large white fiberglass tray on the floor and every day I have to clean off some hair and bits of grain pellets. No more! I'm going to love this. Thank you Cindy!! And Sally.
I also have my ice coolers that I use to chill my milk on a trayed, wheeled contraption. I love how easily I wheel the coolers around, over to the freezer to get frozen bottles of water, outside 1x/week to renew the base water. And you know I love my wheeled milking chair. |
MaryJane Butters, author of Milk Cow Kitchen ~ striving for the stoicism of a cow standing in the rain ~ |
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NellieBelle
11217 Posts
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Posted - Jan 22 2016 : 11:03:04 AM
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| Thanks for sharing Cindy! Love how you are making things work for you. Looks good, and yes, that's a lovely looking "purdy" Miss Sally. |
To laugh is human but to moo is bovine. Author Unknown |
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txbikergirl
3197 Posts
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Posted - Jan 22 2016 : 4:43:10 PM
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i will tell you that the milker "just" fits on the top - i have room to easily get my finger in to turn the milker off, but i think lover boy might have a problem. just a warning in case anyone has large hands. there is more room depth wise. it is an easy fit putting it in/out, so i don't want to discourage anyone - and i even have my towel in there bunching up taking up extra space. just didn't want someone with caveman fingers to be upset with me ;>
mary jane, you missed the MOST important thing in the photo chain - aren't those great teats on that super duper purdy cow??!!
here are the IKEA cart dimensions 17 3/4 x 13 3/4 x 30 3/4"
the plow and hearth cart, although similar is smaller at 17¼"W x 11"D x 25"H ... i honestly don't know if the plow and hearth cart would work - that 1/2" in width could make or break getting to the EZ on/off switch. and i think losing 2 3/4" in depth would either be tight or not work... will have to see.
the cart is low enough that i can see the pressure dial on the milker no problem, and i am short. i think even with your chair lowered mary jane you will see it fine. the arrow indicators buck has on the EZ make it simple to eyeball.
mary jane, when you get yours all setup post photos of your newly organized milking parlor. i want to see that chair and trolley in action!
MILKMAIDS RULE! |
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 Jan 22 2016 4:44:10 PM |
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CloversMum
3486 Posts
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Posted - Jan 23 2016 : 10:27:10 AM
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Cindy, you did it again! Love that idea! I'm ordering a couple for our dairy barn ... this is perfect and everything stays so much cleaner. LOVE IT. And that chair is on my Amazon wish list ...
Sally is looking beautiful. |
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 - Jan 23 2016 : 10:27:54 AM
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| Cindy, where did you get all your towels? |
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 - Jan 23 2016 : 5:25:49 PM
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| Nice set of teats on that super-duper purdy Sallygal, Cindy:) |
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 - Jan 24 2016 : 5:54:10 PM
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| hi charlene, i got them from amazon. i am going to start a milking parlor supply thread right now so we can all share any of our stuff in that so it doesn't get lost in the construction part... so look for towel info posted there shortly ;> |
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 - Feb 08 2016 : 4:58:05 PM
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lover boy just made a deal to buy this commercial double oven, six burner stove and griddle for the summer kitchen. used, of course. already on propane which is what we need. we will be headed up to dallas saturday morning after milking miss sally to pick it up.
other than the countertop we now have every piece for the summer kitchen. all paid for. feels good. |
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 - Feb 08 2016 : 5:02:04 PM
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| I'm jealous. What a great find. |
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 : 7:53:56 PM
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| Fantastic find! This looks fabulous!! What fun times and memories you'll be able to have in your outside kitchen and farm at the Firefly Hollow Farm! I think you should plan a HJO cow party down in Texas!! :) |
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 08 2016 : 8:30:32 PM
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| Wow! So great to find everything you want/need for your kitchen! Last year we really started pushing for some landscaping(our yard looks terrible) we finally got some cement last year, also a small rock wall with steps going down it. We just need everything else. Also, we haven't even started planning for our (hopefully) new barn. |
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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txbikergirl
3197 Posts
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Posted - Mar 02 2016 : 4:34:05 PM
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here's the one wall we have built in our milking parlor, lover boy got the shelf up to organize stuff. my goal is "nothing on the floor" if possible, unless it rolls around like the milking trolley carts.
the shelf is another IKEA product, a 4' version of their kitchen shelf. easily hoses down and keeps everything clean. its "grundtal" a stainless steel shelf, but not solid metal - stainless bars that create a shelf so anything can drip dry if needed. the bottom single rail is a separate product called a "grundtal rail" and S hooks; we just screwed them both together using the same screw holes, but they are separate products.
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/30049279/
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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") |
Edited by - txbikergirl on Mar 02 2016 4:34:23 PM |
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![[flourish]](/images/flourish-txt_mobius.png)
Milking parlor construction
![Heritage Jersey Organization [logo]](/images/HJO-logo.png){kind=logo}
