Thursday, April 24, 2014

Blech to the Milking! -a farming post!

Today marks 56 milkings so far.
A teeny start.
Can't say I'm loving it yet!

I want to love it!  
I think it will help when I am receiving the sweet reward for my efforts:  raw milk to drink!

Just when I start to love it something interrupts the ease.  
Today Clara is finally feeling better & eating & drinking & getting on the milk stand without my husband's help & being more cooperative.
Of course, as soon as that happens it's time to put Esme & Nahum, (the kids), in the Goat Shed for the first time which takes a surprising amount of wrangling.  This elongated Clara's 'wait for food' time & did not help her mood at all!  On top of that, a few chickens were wandering around which seemed to distract her, (and not in a good way), and Drake, (my male call duck), was biting my boot while I tried to milk.  

Sure enough, she kicked over the milk pail.
Only the 2nd time, (and no tears this time!), but frustrating!

I was immediately reminded of my dear son.  For his birthday last year he received a balloon animal kit.  He found it frustrating but once he got the hang of it he enjoyed it & used up all his balloons.  In his Easter basket this year he received a big bag of new balloons for making animals.  

Today he tried it and found the frustration level to be quite high.  In fact, I came in the kitchen to find the bag of balloons by the trash can and this sign on top!


I was probably not overly sympathetic to his cries of frustration.  
In time, sure enough, he was at it again & he managed some success.  (Never mind that most of his creation became unraveled later in the evening!)




So- I admit it.
Hand milking twice a day isn't as easy as it looks on paper.  Not as rewarding- YET!  I find myself in the throwing-a-fit position a bit too much.  
It's a good experience when things don't pull together too quickly and we really have to work for them.  Helps us appreciate it more in the end!  
I shall keep plugging away!!


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