Milking

I think of it lots. I miss it. All of it. I miss the companionship with my cow. I miss the barn smell. I miss the quiet work. I miss the milk. Physically I am really seeing the loss of milk here. Grocery bill has grown. I have on several occasions looked into buying a cow. But the ones I see have problems. Too old. Dry quarters. Part Holstein. Tendency toward mastitis.  Unknown mutt breed. Etc. 

  My friend Tabitha said it well here : http://omelay.blogspot.com/2009/11/dreaming-of-milk.html

" Milking is intertwined with our hearts, like our chickens and pigs and garden and home. Being without it has been necessary and humbling. We needed this break so, so badly. Sometimes I am certain I can wait no longer and I must find a cow to milk. Other times I feel so afraid of how quickly we will be doing it again. Our journey has been largely positive but the negative experiences stick with me. What if? We can only do our best. Who would have thought this would be such an emotional thing, just milking a cow."

   The whole post was good. But this part. This part I could have written. 

   My goat is going to kid soonish. She is getting large. This time she should give twins if she follows her pattern. I'll milk her from the start. And bottle feed them her colostrum then switch them to milk replacer. Any buck kids  will go to auction with a grown buck i already need to get rid of. I need real milk again. And driving to find it doesn't get done. So looks like I'll be keeping 2 goats. And any nannys she has. 

    I don't want to be a goat milker again. But milk is worth it. And knowing fully how they are fed. Is worth it. In a year. We will have milk again. Full jersey cow milk. And I can't wait. But yet I can. Cause I'm terrified.