When I was young my Dad worked at the local Agricultural School in charge of the dairy. On school holidays or long weekends I got to go and help him out - not just in the dairy but across the whole farm.The day began with rounding up the cows for milking. I loved sitting in front of Dad on the motorbike and seeing the cows eyes reflect in the headlights on the dark winter nights/mornings. Only years later did I realized that I was wind-protection in that position lol :-)
So we milked the cows - and yes I am quite competent in that area - and cleaned down the dairy. Then the calves were fed (ah Dencovit). Then we headed to the chook sheds to collect eggs. These needed to be collected, cleaned, graded and packed.
From there the day could vary - something to do in the orchard, or with the pigs, hay or silage might need to be distributed, fences shifted, sheep tended, maintenance done - but it all ended with a milking at the end of the day.
I might never have lived on a farm as a kid but I still call myself a farm girl. I drive past Friesians whenever I go to work and still can't help but sigh and think pleasant thoughts.
3 comments:
We used to have a strawberry roan cow in my mothers hippy days...you could milk that girl anywhere, and i would brush her with a curry comb while she stood there contentedly.... I herd of freisans is a gorgeous thing...have you noticed we have less dairys..I thought that today coming through the Kempsey flats.....
Love the dairies where you are...something peaceful about a herd waiting to be milked
mmm it sounds lovely. Good memories. I also love farms myself. My dad has worked closely with diary farmers his whole career and i've always enjoyed consuming my diary as well as visiting the animals and watching the milking and so on. Don't know how I would be getting up that early now though haha
My cattle farm experience was my great-uncle's, but his was beef cattle.
The one & only time I went to a dairy farm was on a field-trip in first grade... still remember the bus ride there like it was yesterday... but for whatever reason, I became very ill & passed out right after we arrived there. My grandmother had to come & pick me up, so I missed out on days activities. :(
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