4 Surprising Reasons to Have a Family Milk Cow
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- čas přidán 5. 07. 2024
- I didn't set out to have a family milk cow or make cheese. It just sorta happened. And now here we are with two milk cows and several makeshift cheese caves. It's a lot of work, yes, but the benefits are worth it. And for the record, for me worth does not equal money.
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CHAPTERS
00:00 Is a milk cow worth it?
00:23 Definition of worth
00:34 Our milk cow origin story
02:10 Reason 1
02:51 Reason 2
03:43 Reason 3
04:28 Reason 4
04:49 Choices: how do we make them?
Disclaimer: This video may contain affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I'll receive a small commission. - Jak na to + styl
Sometimes I don’t know why we do it haha! We have 5 kids under 11 and I’m pregnant again. We have 2 milk cows, one has had mastitis recently and that was very frustrating. I’m struggling with morning sickness and dump more milk to the pigs and chickens then I care to admit. Lately I’ve been like Why the heck do we even do this!?! But when I boil it back to the true answer. I wanted to raise my kids on raw milk. If I wait until they are grown that kind of defeats my initial purpose. The cows force us out to do significant chores everyday, and in reality that is good for us. Without the cows we’d still have other animal chores but they can be done much faster then milking. My girls in particular love to help milk and jump every day to go out and help. I know that is good for them too. The cows produce so much food for us and the other farm animals. It’s truly astonishing. And like you said with instability in the world it’s nice to know I have a significant food source coming in regularly.
Just this morning I was asking myself the same question: Why am I doing this? It felt so overwhelmingly tedious! But then I drank my coffee and got to work and . . . eventually I got over myself.
Jennifer, i get it.. me and my neighbor and our wives are all retired. Children aĺl grown and gone. Grandchildren comes for visits. We were both thinking of selling our farms. Now, we are raising bees, back to raising all kinds of animals and thanks to an unbelievable twist of faith of free shipping container we are splitting the cost and ownership of an epic underground cheesecave/ wine cellar/ cured meat aging/ curing rooms. Above ground we are putting a greenhouse ontop. Mainly for safety. We dont want people driving over it. We got this excited about all of this after discovering your videos. Then Gavin Webber and more. We make meade from honey. It just gives up purpose again.when our children were growing up . We were working jobs, this farm. 4-H , band, football, campouts, and the list goes on. Cheerleaders, pepteam ,track. Basketball. You know you have 5 kids your life is so full so busy. Then you turn around and this once to small house is now way to big.. my son and his girlfriend now wife turn our old tobacco barn into their wedding venue that she now runs fulltime. Who would of thought that the place were we housed tobacco and sick cows or birthing cows and horses would be beautiful enough to get married in. But, yet half my children did. All three of neighbors kids id too.. And, every weekend its bussling down. We discussed selling and moving to town. But, now this place has us busy again. The wife and daughter in law are either cooking and decorating for an upcoming event. Working in the new gardens of sunflowers and others for senior picture days, engagement parties and so on. I tell you looking at that field of sunflowers and that old truck that hasnt ran in decades thats been painted red and pulled ,pushed and towed from one place to other on this farm for pictures just makes me laugh. I walk down memory lane a lot when watching these videos on youtube. One of my sons and several neices and nephews have taken over my parents farm. My 94 year old father is now back up at the crack of dawn just doing things he never did even when he worked the farm when myself and siblings were children. Peace of mind for us kids. He has more grandchildren living out there than he had children. 6 great grandchildren to boot. Its like another world over there. You ever heard of off grind living? Dang old thang ive ever heard of. But, they dont have light bills. They even put those flying saucer looking things on top my house. Re worked the well system. Me and Pops sometimes look up to sky just waiting for the jettsons to fly in for a visit. Its fun watching and learning. Watching food grow in towers instead of rows in the ground. Got me thinking and feeling im in 30'$ again. Wife got me an electric milker for Christmas. You'd think i got a new Cadillac. Ive shown that think to everyone. Now, you go get yourself a milk and cream separator. Its a game changer and your cream yeild will be much higher.
I want to hear more about that epic underground cheese cave!!!
@@josegonzales54195 lol.. I did....I guess we should tell we share grandbaby as well. Life is unexpected.. we were so scared when they started dating. What would happen to our friendship if things didn't work out. Proms, homecoming, birthdays , one wedding and one grand baby later. Here we all still here..
@@josegonzales54195 This made me laugh out loud!
Love your story! I don't think you would have been happy living in town. I know I wouldn't. I'd die if I had to live in a town. I show my hoop house to people - like it's a new Cadillac or something. There is nothing like being outside most of the day and growing the things you eat. Most of the time everything on my plate is something I grew. The bread and jam are home made. All that. I think that's why I'm in my 'golden' years and still riding and training horses, because I do farm work and eat well. And drink well water. No medications for me. If these folks who are on anti-depressants had real satisfying work to do, I think it would help them a lot. That and being outside where there is grass and trees and fresh air. Well, just my opinion. Glad that I grew up in the 60's and 70's on a farm.
Jennifer, you are my people. The idea that value = dollars is something I wrestle with HARD. I feel like my ventures need to add to our wallet or else I’m somehow stealing from my family. I’m not sure how to explain why started our herd of milk goats. I’d been pestering my husband for multiple reasons, and the milk itself was just one reason. Maybe kind of low on the totem pole. We live on 10 acres in a drought stricken high desert. I wanted to put animals on the land to try to make it more fertile. I wanted their poop for my garden. (Truth be told, every garden and almost every tree here have been a humongous failure.) I just love animals. And then there’s the self reliance aspect. We had sheep at the time, and I ended up tasting some of their milk. I was shocked that it tasted like vanilla ice cream. When I told my husband, I was even more shocked that his response was, “Well we should get milk goats then.” 🤯 Of course I jumped on that opportunity. A year and a half later, I’ve learned about so many health benefits of raw milk (specifically goat milk), my health has unimaginably improved, the milk and the animals themselves have been a surprising catalyst for making amazing friends, we’re able to serve our community, and on and on. And of course, I’m super busy making cheese fails!🎉
I feel the same running behind bits of paper on a hamster wheel...Human to human connections and contacts are way more crucial. I do not like gardening myself, sometime I like growing peppers but I def. love my meat. I hope someday I could have 10 acres where I could keep small buffalo/cow herd for my own personal use along with sheep.
However instead of just grass pasture I have forest in my mind comprised of edible trees like mulberry apple pears sweet potatoes that my animals can eat and rejuvenate the soil, a system where the cows eat leaves, grasses, weeds, shrubs and twigs mixture of everything.
epic story of a natural progression towards homesteading as all should endeavor.
sadly not a realistic goal for people in more densely populated countries. :(
It is fun and it is wonderful and I think it connects you to the land and nature in general. This is a skill we all lost many decades ago when all became consumerism and "convenience". In the process, we lost our way, and maybe this is one of the reasons we live in a crazy world these days. I envy you and I am happy for you at the same time, that you have a farm, you are self-sufficient, and finding your purpose in this labor of love. I was always a city girl, and of course, never knew how to do certain things. I retired a few years ago and I don't even know where it came from, but I decided I wanted to make cheese. I started watching CZcams videos, and discovered you, Gavin Webber, and a few other artisan cheese makers, I found a farmer to buy my milk and I started doing it. I love it and my family enjoys the cheese. Thank you for being an inspiration and for all the wonderful things I learned from you.
I have always been a tinkerer and I am also ADD so I am a novice at a great many things that will all come in handy in the event of a zombie apocalypse or something similar. I work wood, I do basic blacksmithing and welding, I garden, I can/preserve food, I cure meat and make cheese. I do some leather work and I can sew my own clothes. I make beer and wine, haven’t done distilling yet but I’m researching it currently. I figure I don’t have land to raise animals yet but if I have enough other skills I will be able to barter for milk and/or meat if I ever need to. Plus I believe that keeping your mind active and challenging yourself can only be good for your cognitive abilities later in life right? It’s like cross training your brain.
Cross-training for your brain --- I love it!
You’re an amazing person! Keep up the great work!
You are such a jewel and inspiration! We own a ranch but have no milk cow…..I asked my husband why don’t I have a milk cow? He said we could certainly get one. Then I thought about my back problem so maybe I’ll get a milk goat. I haven’t decided yet. I could at least get the goat to jump up onto a table so I could milk her! I don’t know but it sure is fun to think of all the possibilities! Thank you for sharing your story. It ‘s awesome and inspiring!
I do it because it provides a product my youngest child and myself can enjoy. And not having to buy milk, butter, yogurt, cheese, cream…that in itself is what keeps me going. In the winter, when it’s -20 degrees F and 40-60 mph wind chills…it is absolutely miserable to milk in. But watching my youngest finally hit growth spurts, that’s what pushes me through.
LOL!!! I've heard about chicken math, but milk cow math .... this is clearly a thing too 🤣
I thought I was the only one who did chicken math! “I only wanted 10 chickens, but if God wants me to have 20, then 40 it is!” 😂
thank God you saved me!I was waiting soooooo long for your next Video.Since I am 75 Years old I don't have much Time left and I have to cram in as much Experience as possible.I am in the mids of making Harzer Cheese/Handkäse for the first Time!Will let you know how it turned out.PS-Thanks again for answering my E-Mail.
You might have more time than me! One never knows... Savor life to the fullest!
I searched "whey ricotta" an hour or two ago and have been riveted to your channel since. I usually go for wonky videos (like Adam Ragusea), but the way you love what you are doing is captivating. I've fallen into hobbies/projects as you have cheesemaking (...maybe not as deep as you). The way you say "I can create that" gets to your wow factor that I love. Thanks for sharing.
Hey Jennifer. I love your story! You and your husband are awesome.
I grew up living in a different rental house every year and a half on average. Usually it was a cheap old homestead on a farm of some sort. Tobacco farm, cattle farm, chicken farm, no better places in the world for children to grow up. My poor parents knew nothing about farming but nevertheless we lived on farms. I dreamed of becoming a farmer one day. I finally acquired some land in 1993 and ended up with horses, chickens, and dogs. And a greenhouse. My dreams had come true. But then my husband left and I nearly lost the place but managed to sell it before it was taken away from me. Fast forward to 2012. My new husband bought us a house in the country on an acre of land. We dug a garden and built the soil with chicken manure I bought from a big box hardware store and shredded leaves and I grew the biggest tomatoes and okra I had ever seen. We caught the bug. He started wanting his own garden so we could try different things and see whose garden turned out the best produce! We planned to get chickens cause he saw how I missed my chickens I’d had. But then he died. All I knew was the dreams we’d had were unfulfilled. Toward fall I started wondering how I was going to make it through the first winter after he died. I decided I was going to go ahead and do all the things we had planned to do together. So I bought some baby chicks. As they got bigger they needed a coop. Then with more chickens they needed a bigger coop. And during all those months I had a reason to get up out of my rocker and get dressed and go see about the chickens. And care for them. And talk to them. And be with them. And I wasn’t alone. I call them my therapy chickens. Sometimes I want more freedom. I think about selling them all or giving them away and being able to leave home for longer periods without worrying about them. Staying in the house all day and not feeling guilty that my birds haven’t had their treats for today. And I think of how much money I’d save since I don’t buy cheap food for them and I don’t sell eggs. But they’re still here, and I’m still here, and my chickens are beautiful and happy and it’s my fault cause I take good care of them. And since I don’t have children or grandchildren they have an elevated place in my life. And I’m offended when someone asks how many chickens I have cause they think it’s ridiculous and why would I need to keep an inventory? I don’t know how many I have but I have as many as I want and that’s all that matters. And I’m not going anywhere cause my chickens saved me from grieving myself to death and gave me a new way of life, and I owe them a home until they die of old age. And they love curds and whey. It helps their eggs and they get so excited when I bring them some. Keep talking and I’m going to figure out how to get a cow. Thank you so much Jennifer.
This is beautiful.
Ha, I‘m not the only weirdo 😂
I work in IT.. and teaching myself crafts like soapmaking, cheesemaking, etc always give me peace of mind for „nuclear bombs start flying and somehow we survive, but the electromagnetic pulse wipes out technology“-situations. anxiety hits different when theres AuDHD hyperfixations are involved. 😬
Thank you Jennifer March for this video, it was spot on to how I feel, you are a huge huge BLESSING! Thank You Again. P.S.I Love and so appreciate your time you put in for your videos. Your awesome!
Love this video, thank you. Really, I had it WRONG for years, trying to grow every vegetable, fruit, nut, mushroom, herb under the sun in dozens of raised beds. You know what I eat now? Beef, bacon, eggs (99%). Yes, I sometimes have a litte veg or fruit, but no need for a garden anymore. SO MUCH WORK!! What I really need is an animal that can eat the grass ... hmm, and then that animal also happens to be delicious and very healthy for me, oh yeah! So I'm going to copy this. BTW - Everyone in my father's small town grew up with a milk cow in the backyard, so normal then.
OMG: I have loved watching your videos and started watching every video from the very beginning. I am almost caught up. This video explains PERFECTLY why we have our milk cow. So many people have cows for different reasons than us so it was nice to hear your explanation and know that we are NOT THE ONLY ONES doing this for reasons other than "preppers" or "extreme anti government (although I can't argue with those reasons) or specific health reasons, etc. it is just something we enjoy and I also am not much of a gardener and much more of an animal person. We also raised our Jersey's calf for meat as well as pigs. We also raise meat chickens and laying hens for eggs. You are my kind of people. :-)
Well hello there! It's always super fun to meet kindred spirits.
We are gearing up to butcher our first Jersey (actually a Jersey-Devon cross) so I have a question for you: how does the flavor of Jersey meat compare to that of a Holstein or Angus? I've heard Jersey meat is really good, but I don't think I've ever tried it.
@jmilkslinger We just did our first steer on January 2nd. He was a Jersey / Brahmen cross. He was grass-fed, but we did feed him. Some grain the last couple of months, but still mostly grass. The best beef we have ever had with wonderful marbling and excellent flavor. So much better than any grocery store beef I have ever had. I am totally going to raise our own steer in the future. We actually have both of our jersey cows in with a bull right now. He is a Normande. Hopefully, they will quicken and we will have two babies in about nine and a half months. It would be great if one was a bull calf that we can steer and the other a heiffer that we can raise and breed for another milk cow. I know everyone is all about grass fed And grass finished, but I wanted some grain in at the end. Just to get some extra flavor from the fat. We still kept him on grass all the way to the end. And that was his majority, but he did get a little bit of grain each day the last two months before butchering.
@@hammshomestead This is helpful! Now I'm excited for fall and fresh beef!
Hi Jennifer. Im 66 years old and i stay in a small fishermans town on the west coast of South Africa. There are a few farms on the outskirts of our town and raw milk is easy to come bye. Ive been making cheese for a few years, its my go to when im feeling depressed. My husband has his afternoon sleep and im in the kitchen making cheese or baking (i should actually have stayed on a farm) Thanks for all you videos. Next weekend im going to do a demonstation at our church. A few ladies are getting together and im showing them how to make mozzarella. Have a blessed day
Greetings from South Africa
Mozzarella demonstrations are so much fun!
Question: does South Africa have a specialty cheese that it's known for?
Oh my goodness, the only one that i know of is a goats cheese called Bokmakiri. Ill find out and let you know
My husband turned 79 today. He has spent the last 2 days shoveling 10 inches of snow out of the 500ft driveway. I attribute that ability to the raw milk and homegrown foods. Only foods we buy are spices and coffee. I am 68 and am in better shape than I was when I was 20. Currently have a herd share. Our Jersey heifer is due to calf in June. Have waited 60 years to have my own milk cow. Health is more important than money. Went to Aldi a few months ago because I was curious about prices. Checked out the cheese. Compared their Leerdammer with mine. It would have cost me 192$ for my wheel. Definitely worth it
Love this! ❤ started a couple years ago will goats and now I got my first milk cow set to deliver next month! ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
Wow! Your video has pushed me over the edge of now getting our own milk cow. We’ve recently been offered a pregnant angus-Holstein who’s in milk for $2000. Steep but she’s lovely 🤷♀️. All tge same reasons. 5 young kids at home… need I say more???
AWESOME videos. From Nova Scotia 🇨🇦
I don't usually harbor regrets, but one thing I do wish we'd done differently: gotten a milk cow while the children were younger!
To be fair, it wasn't on our radar and I'm not sure we were set up for it back then, but still, it would've been lovely to have all that fresh milk when I still had so many children at home...
@@jmilkslinger ♥️
Jennifer plz plz do a couple of vlogs on making cheese at home using small quantities of milk like 1 or 2 litres and yogurt as a culture...or lemon juice or vinegar. This for places where getting rennet n other cultures are difficult to get. Thank you
Thanks Jennifer for your vlogs... request: plz do a vlog on making cheese from small quantities like 1 or 2 litres and using only yogurt or lemon juice or vinegar or a combo of these starters...plz plz...
Noted!
Could you make a video about the wine cabinets repurposed cheese cave, that’s my next step, keeping an eye out for some good used ones, 🙏
Noted!
In the meantime, here's the video about how my husband converted a freezer to a cheese cave:
czcams.com/video/_--A0iZucIg/video.html
TOOOOOTALLY logical!!!
That’s what Spock said. 🖖🏻
I have yet to make cheese (but I do love to garden, LOL!). My husband is a former dairy farmer and we did raise two Jersey bull calves for meat. We got them for free because the sexed semen ..... was not correct! If they had been heifers, they would have been worth about 30K, that is what this young lady sells her heifers for after showing them. I was a bit skeptical about raising a dairy breed for beef, but they are delicious! I really like Jerseys - and being a horse person, mine were halter broke, brushed, etc. I know they lived good lives. LOVE the photo of your daughter jumping bareback - that develops such a good seat! First time here, and subscribed! Edited to add, we've raised pigs, too. But he got mad at me because I was teaching them to lead (ever seen Michael J. Fox in the movie where he is a city doctor and winds up in the country leading a pig around?). Sure, pigs squeal, but I wanted them to load - but he was really mad. Guess who got hurt loading pigs onto the trailer? Him. Pigs are like bulldozers. Teh one pig who needed some nursing and I fooled with him more walked right on and off the trailer. Next time, I'm not listening to him, I'm teaching them to lead. Every animal should know that, especially if they get out! Yes, having lard and stuff in the freezer is very good!
I have not gotten into hogs or cows yet. I do it because I want to know where my food comes from and how it was raised.
I have kept your vids for my own reference on hard drive.
Only way I can figure to reach out to you, your website is down! Yours is the only blog I still follow and have been following for years. Are you coming back online?
Yes! I'm still here and I'm coming back! We were working on migrating the site over the weekend and it's taking longer than expected. Hopefully it won't be much longer now...
I love the reframing of value away from cash value! It’s not all about capitalism. Some things are valuable because they add value to your life. Beautiful articulation of that truth!
selling calves is also a good option. If you can breed with different breed and create a unique breed, perhaps you may name it as a Murch breed :P
Ofcz. However I would choose dual purpose breed so I can raise steers for meat.
Emma was actually bred with a Devon bull (a breed known for it's good beef, from what I've read), so the current plan is to raise her calf Ferdinand for beef.
If you can get a hand on water buffalo they are really great milkers.They are same if not smaller than a cow so they eat less and they are quiet. try it.
Why ? Because the fat percent is 9% with 6% protien so its 3 times, the produce three times less - 13 to 15 liters but the fat and protein percentage is 3 times than that of a cow. You can make a lot of cheese with that smaller quantity of milk. There are a lot of buffalo farms where you can get the water buffalo. They do not mooo and they are pretty quiet, more intelligent and easier to handle.
@@jmilkslinger
WARNING
Watching this is the thin end of the wedge🧀
We're in a similar situation. What country were you considering moving to?
We love Central America, and the Canadian culture/climate calls to me but not my husband. Sweden might be fun.... Italy? (To be clear, we're not seriously looking anywhere --- we are WAY too attached to our family and friends here, not to mention all our children....)
@@jmilkslinger we live in Ontario Canada and have thought about splitting our retirement time between the Caribbean and Canada, but that would require selling our property. We still have a preteen and teen to raise so that's a few years away.
You seem very Canadian to me 😉
You make awesome, natural vidjos
Just sayin'🥰