Little Ms Milkmaid, pt. 2: The Lick

I took the dogs to with me to go milking this past weekend. It wasn't their first time to see the cows. The introduction esd msfr a couple of weeks ago when I went wild blackberry picking. But everyone is still very much interested in each other. Kody likes to say "Hi" and after that he doesn't really mind them. He is used to large hoofed animals being that he has spent the last ten years running around with me and my horses. But Willow on the other hand is not too sure what to think.

From afar she thinks they are pretty cool but then they come right up to her face and she runs behind me and barks; mind you, she is a 100 lb dog. (Since I am not really a deterrent when the cows are really interested, I keep the fence between me and the interested bovine; at least for now. I still don't quite know how to read them).

This past weekend the milking had been done and the cows were all out in the front pasture. Kody, Willow and I went to check the water. The cows were on the other side of the pasture, so we stepped through the gate to adjust the water hose. All it took was one cow to see us. The next thing I knew I had four bovine headed our way. At first they were slow and ambling, but then one, Mickalyn, picked up her pace. She wasn't running because that would use too much energy and she is making milk, but she was no longer ambling!

Kody and Willow were excited about the approaching friends, so much so they wanted to greet Mickalyn. I had other plans.

Once we got on the other side of the fence the stragglers had picked up their pace and were coming. Mickalyn just barely got stopped before she put her nose down to greet Kody. Since her nose couldn't fit through the gate, Kody stuck his head through. They were cold wet nose to warm wet nose sniffing each other. It was very sweet, then the best thing happened. Mickalyn licked Kody with her long blue tongue!!! I don't know who was more surprised Kody, Willow or me! (Willow was watching her big bro with amazement and awe. She seemed to say, "What are you doing touching that...that...well, that?") Through all of this I was wishing that my camera was handy.

Kody must have understood what Mickalyn was saying because he began to "dance" and started "talking" to her in his "Let's be friends" howl. The whole time we were at the gate, Kody "talked" to the girls.

Juliann, Calf Tan and Begonia came to investigate after they saw that Mickalyn and Kody were hitting it off. They were interested in Willow. Willow wanted to be brave like her bro but she really didn't like when their big noses took up her whole vision. She would sniff then backpedaled to be behind me, then 2 seconds later go back to sniff them again. This went on until I was ready to head home, meaning the water tank was filled.

I can say that the cows, Kody and Willow have been introduced and for the most part are getting along. It will be nice when they don't pay attention to each other. And next time my camera will be at the ready, so tath I can catch any more signs of affection between Mickalyn and Kody. At least I have my memory of "The Lick".

Mickalyn and Kody's first introduction.

Blackberries and Milk

Kody, Willow and I went blackberry picking this weekend! Actually, I went blackberry picking, they just hung around and looked bored.



I found a wonderful thatch of wild blackberries where I have been milking. I picked the perfect afternoon to wrestle with these thorny bushes, it was hot and humid. I just stood still and started sweating. My logic was that the sweat would help the thorns glide effortlessly over my skin. Yeah, didn't quite go as I planned. But on the bright side, I wasn't accompanied by swarming bugs. I will take heat and humidity over bugs any day.



I was able to pick quite a few, at least enough for some homemade blackberry jam. Hopefully next week some more will ripen and I will get to make a cobbler.



We are heading off to the wild blackberry patch. Already their tongues are hanging out in anticipation of sweet blackberries! Or it might have been because it was a hot day.

Sweet, sweet blackberries. At this point, I had to wipe my chin...I was attracting flies. But doesn't this sight just make your mouth water?

I am picking away, minding my own business, talking to Kody and Willow about absolutely nuthin' when I get a call from my mother and my great-Aunt. "Courtney don't forget to get the blackberries in the back, they are the juiciest." Sure, Mom, no problem. We keep talking, and I am reaching towards the back of the bush, getting thorns stuck in me but it is all worth it for the juiciest and sweetest blackberries. Then mom says, "Oh, and watch out for snakes. They like to hang out inside of blackberry bushes." My hand has never moved so fast in it's life! "Snakes!" Forget the juiciest, sweetest blackberries, I am sticking to the ones I can see! Oh and Mom, thanks for sending me blindly into possibly danger. I can feel the love! :)

Can we go yet!?! I want my fan!

What is that coming up the lane?

It's milking time!!! Kody and Willow haven't seen me don my milkmaid hat yet. Kody just wanted to say "HI" to the cows; Willow on the other hand thought they were Monsters from the Abyss.

Mickalyn ready and waiting!

Look at the thick and creamy milk straight out of the cow! Doesn't it look good, minus the dirt specs? Kody sure thought so. I turned my back for one second and he didn't hesitate. I heard him lapping away.

Once I was done milking, it was time to collect the eggs. And since snakes were now on my brain. I lifted every hen that was laying on a nest, up and off. I wasn't sticking my hand under any of them and be surprised by a legless creature. No way! Logic told me that there wouldn't be any snakes because it was warm out, but this girl don't take no chances.

Look at the colorful bounty of eggs!

Little Ms Milkmaid pt 1

I'm learning a new trade skill: milking! It might one day come in handy. Since I have the time I thought I would give it a try. Besides it looks really easy. You just grab the teet, squeeze and pull. Sure...rrrrrright! I found out if you try it that way the cow will either turn around and look at you like you are crazy or kick. I got both!

Luckily my reflexes are pretty quick from working around horses, and for the most part Mickalyn is pretty lazy so her leg didn't go to far. Of course, I could have been imagining her leg kicking up when she was just stepping forward. But it sounds more exciting if I say she kicked. :)

After I got situated on a stool by her back legs, which had my safety sensors humming. I think I remember hearing that sitting near back legs of a hoofed animal wasn't the smartest idea...hmm..must not be true because I have been handed a stool and told to sit.

Having never done this I felt like I was getting a little too personal with Mickalyn, I wasn't too sure how to proceed. Sometimes you just have to jump in with both feet or in this case, both hands. I slowly moved towards the udder, so I wouldn't scare the 1000 lb animal with hooves near my head, and started to squeeze. Nothing came out. What do you mean this isn't how you do it!?! But this is how they do it on the TV! What!?! The TV is wrong!?! Well, I never...

After a little instruction from my milkmaid mentor, Sharon, I was on my way to becoming a bonafide milkmaid...well, sort of. My right hand sorta, kinda figured it out but my left hand was useless. I was seriously thinking about returning it in for a new hand. Maybe another right hand. But since that wasn't an option, at least not until I went home, the left hand was just going to have to figure it out.

Slowly but surely I started to get milk from Mickalyn. The right hand was getting the hang of it, I am so proud of my right hand. This is why I always use it to write with. The left was figuring it out. The contrast was kind of sad. Right: strong steady stream of 100 degree milk like the mighty Mississippi; Left: a trickle of milk like an Oklahoma creek during a drought. Poor Mickalyn, what she has to endure with a new milkmaid.

I was concentrating so hard on getting the finesse of the milking correct that sometimes I would forget to aim the milk. So it would end up on me. More than once, actually more than 5 times I squirted the milk right onto to my pants! Fun! I had warm milk running down my legs. I could already feel myself getting sticky.

Pretty soon, it was apparent that Mickalyn's patience had run out. So Sharon, my lovely milkmaid mentor, stepped in to finish her off. Then we headed off to separate the cream from the milk. A slow process but well worth it when you see the cream you get. Yum!!!

When I got home and walked through the door I was rushed by my four legged crew. Each of them stuck their noses to my legs and followed me everywhere. I felt like I had grown five new appendages and each one was a hindrance that wanted to drag me down so they could like my milk soaked pants. I had to get out of those pants fast, before Jackson and Willow took me down! Next time I am going to aim better!

My goal for my next milking lesson: Get more milk in the bucket then on my pants!

Cows coming in for the evening!


Mickalyn considering her options; get milked or hide?

Rosie wants to come in! Did someone say "Grain"?

Come on gals, freedom is this way!!

Where is the grain!

Calf Tan: "When will I be old enough to be milked?" Calf Tan, darling, I don't think it is as exciting as you think it is.




Separation: The Good Kind

Look at how thick and creamy the cream is! Yum!!!! All I could think about was Dad's homemade Vanilla Ice Cream!

Wild blackberries growing in the paddocks. I just had to pluck this one and eat it. It wasn't quite ready but it was worth it. I can't wait until the rest ripen and I can have blackberry pancakes and make blackberry jam!

Beautiful Cone Flowers!


Chickens and Fresh Eggs