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| Pregnant Lis. Not near as ominous as she looks. |
Not an easy trip for Keith to make but at least he knew he did the best he could for her those last few weeks.
Since Puppette was meant to replace Holly the cow with the attitude problem, this left us again, without our own milk source. I even had to buy store milk in order to make pancakes for my grandkids last week.
How gross was that? Really gross. If you're a raw milk drinker like we have been for decades I know you feel my lack of good gut bacteria pain. Nothing kills my appetite and desire to cook than using store bought milk which is basically white water devoid of all nutritional benefits.
Enter Lisdoonvarna.
No, not the cool village in County Clare which holds the worlds biggest Matchmaking Festival, which incidentally is going on right now, but Lisdoonvarna the cow named as such by me many years ago just after I returned from visiting said village. For simplicity sake and to avoid folks giving her all their contact information and love interest specifics, we just call her Lis.
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| Lis and new bull calf |
Lis is seven, 15/16 Jersey and 1 teeny part Holstein. One of Keith's favorite cows from our old herd he thought she and I would get along well up here on our new place. He was right. She is super gentle, calm, kind to her pasture mate (the young heifer Mucca), a people lover, and an excellent mother. She recently calved a handsome bull baby.
Dry spell over, we are once again raw milk drinkers.
It's good to be back.
Love a plan when it works out!��
ReplyDeleteWe make plans and the world laughs.
DeleteLove a plan when it works out!��
ReplyDeleteDon't you hate it when you press enter twice?
DeleteBeautiful calf; was his dad Holstein? It looks very green down on the Poor Farm.... dry and beige here; rain arrives tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteWe have no idea who daddy was. The folks who ran our other bigger farm this past year saw no reason to record such trivial events, like breedings, calvings, antibiotic use, so due to his looks it seems his father was a large calico cat.
DeleteMy one girl would literally drink all the milk you could give her, she can't get enough.
ReplyDeleteI can't drink cows milk, I'm fine with yoghurt or cheese but milk and cream upset my stomach.
Good to have your own reliable supply as well. I love knowing where most of out food comes from (although I've a long way to go with the milk!)
Kev, it is still just one step at a time isn't it? I am a serious coffee hound and sadly not too particular about where it comes from as long as it is strong and dark and rich. Gotta go, pot number two calls my name.
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ReplyDeleteI'm saddened to hear of Puppettes ultimate end, but she went knowing she was loved. And now - You have an amiable house cow now and you're drinking raw milk again! Things are sorting out. Calico cat? Maybe you could name the bull calf after his dad - Garfield. Mooo-eow.
ReplyDeleteOh witty one, I do love Garfield. But we learned many moons ago not to name those who will be burger, chops or chicken kiev. Thus, the day Keith forgets MY name I know I'm in deep trouble.
DeleteAhhh - beautiful calf.
ReplyDeleteHe is a real looker and as calm as his mama.
DeleteIt's the least fun aspect of raising livestock, having to decide when its time to end their suffering.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you have a raw milk supply again. I converted to raw, to stop the perpetual cough I developed on store milk. Then legislation changed, and I could no longer buy raw milk without it being tainted with a bittering agent. I now can only drink almond and coconut milk.
With the ups and downs of livestock management, it's worth it all for a raw milk supply.
The legislative ups and downs on raw milk are insane. Alchohol. Legal. Marijuana. Legal more and more. Wholesome milk from a flippin cow? Harder to get then an original Doobie Brothers T-shirt.
DeleteYou crack me up..... smiling over my strong black coffee (we are sisters in coffee love) down here in Melbourne where the spring rain has been coming down for over a week.
ReplyDeleteI crack YOU up? You crack me up. Everyone knows it's Fall.
DeleteI envy you your raw milk, here in the 'dairy state' it's not legal. I have to be content with milk (expensive milk!) from a small dairy that doesn't ultra pasteurize it. If I'm lucky my neighbor will bring me a half gallon jug of fresh raw goat milk. Can't stomach the pasteurized goat milk from the store but his fresh stuff from his Nubians is good. I had thought of a milk goat but given my inability to let any critter leave here in anything other than a natural departure I'm afraid I'd be called the crazy goat lady.
ReplyDeleteWe are now swimming in our own raw milk again. Made cheese and yogurt today, plant to shower in it tonight. If our ridiculous government would stop telling people what they can and can not drink they might have a little time to stop other crimes. real ones.
DeleteIt's just about impossible to get raw milk here unless you own a cow or goats. Most of the 'organic' milk boasts of being only 3% fat and that's called milk? White water more like.
ReplyDeleteThat surprised me when I was in Ireland as so many small farms still exist with cows on wonderful pasture. I say find a farmer, buy your raw milk from him at night and drink your Guinness for breakfast. Enough of all this food intake micromanagement...on both sides of the pond.
DeleteYay for you!!! Do you know i've never had raw milk, I will have to seek some out in our area (clandestinely of course, ha). And that baby is definitely a looker!!!
ReplyDeleteYou must try it 1st man. Mooshine rocks!
DeleteI hate it when I don't have a homestead milk supply. And I'm seriously impressed that you can use all that milk. Even a couple of goats in milk soon crowds everything else out of my fridge. Baby bull is adorable. :)
ReplyDeleteGot your blog from another farmer and would be so grateful to buy some real milk from you. Not sure how to contact you beyond this! Our fam of 10 lives south of Dwight. 630 800 0639 ~ the whitneys
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