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Family milk cow

Red Robin

Well-known member
Anyone here still milk for personal use? The kids are wanting a cow. I'm not too crazy about the idea but from a money prospective I guess a cow would get close to breaking even. I don't mind raw milk if it's cold and the cow hasn't been grazing onions or bitterweed. I just have a sneaking suspicion who'd be left to do the milking in a few weeks. We go through 4 or 5 gallons per week I guess.
 

jigs

Well-known member
my wife grew up with a milk cow. and after we were married, we lived a few miles from her folks. we had two kids and she was getting the milk from her folks. things were great.
then we moved 3 hours away from them, and in a few months here comes her dad with the milk cow!!!
so I milked for a few weeks, and told her that if SHE wanted raw milk then SHE was going to do the milking.
for 4 years, she hardly missed a beat. ( I did take over when she was too pregnant to do it, and for a month or so after the birth of #3)
then one day, the cow died. I think I had one tear, so life got back to normal.
now 4 years later she has bought a Jersey heifer, that will be bred this spring..... I suppose this one will out live me!

it is hard to beat the benifits of the raw milk, but it is a hassle at times.....
 

kolanuraven

Well-known member
Can you sell the butter from ' raw' milk nowadays like 'Grandma' used to?

If you can ,without someone pitching a fit...that'd offset a bit of the feed costs. Maybe even sell some buttermilk.

Get ya some layin' hens to go with it....and you're in business!!
 

Red Robin

Well-known member
kolanuraven said:
Can you sell the butter from ' raw' milk nowadays like 'Grandma' used to?

If you can ,without someone pitching a fit...that'd offset a bit of the feed costs. Maybe even sell some buttermilk.

Get ya some layin' hens to go with it....and you're in business!!
Both our parents have chickens and give us eggs in volume. Lots of angle food cakes. :lol:
 

Silver

Well-known member
I milked a cow for several years as a kid and swore I'd never do it as an adult. So guess what?? No milk cow here! :lol:
There are some advantages to being a grown-up.
 

the_jersey_lilly_2000

Well-known member
I grew up drinkin raw milk too.....MAN was a bowl of PostToasties sooooo much better with it. I Miss it.....alot........but not enuff to get a milk cow.

And the answer is Yes you can sell butter, milk, eggs etc......at the farmers markets.
 

Denny

Well-known member
I've got a Guernsey milk cow here and a self propelled milking machine that will milk the cow several times per day.I've never mastered the art of milking,my way is to go to the store and purchase it in a jug.
 

Ranchy

Well-known member
We have one.............she's an old bat! I hate that cow, and she isn't overly fond of me, either. H's first ex gave her to him........she's half Holstein & half Brown Swiss. Not a bad looker, but she's got the disposition of a rattlesnake.

I can't do milk or most milk products, so it doesn't affect me one way or the other. The guys like and drink lots of milk, though, so it makes sense for them, I guess. I'm not sure the savings in milk money offsets the feed and agrivation, though.
 

kolanuraven

Well-known member
Ranchy said:
We have one.............she's an old bat! I hate that cow, and she isn't overly fond of me, either. H's first ex gave her to him........she's half Holstein & half Brown Swiss. Not a bad looker, but she's got the disposition of a rattlesnake.

I can't do milk or most milk products, so it doesn't affect me one way or the other. The guys like and drink lots of milk, though, so it makes sense for them, I guess. I'm not sure the savings in milk money offsets the feed and agrivation, though.


Sounds like that cow is the revenge of the first "X"!!!! :lol: :lol: :lol:




I'd make a pair of shoes outta that hussy!! ( the cow I mean!! :wink: )
 

OldDog/NewTricks

Well-known member
kolanuraven said:
Can you sell the butter from ' raw' milk nowadays like 'Grandma' used to?

If you can ,without someone pitching a fit...that'd offset a bit of the feed costs. Maybe even sell some buttermilk.

Get ya some layin' hens to go with it....and you're in business!!

V_Key had Goats as 4H Project _ illegal to sell the MILK _ Not a illegal Dairy so she took DONATIONS

She started making "simple" Goat Cheese = 1.5 lbs per Goat per day @ $10. to $12 per pound Donations
 
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