[CarlinsDarlin]

Beautiful cows, KillJoy. Thanks for sharing your experiences. One of these days I may venture into getting a milk cow, too. But for now, my goats keep me busy enough. I honestly don't know how I'd find the time for anothe critter at this point. Even goats produce enough manure (and wasted hay) to make a very big pile over the course of the winter... cleaning out the barn is a never-ending job. And you're right, it does take a lot of work to make butter and cheese... but it's so worth it.

Kathy

[killJOY]

Kathy, our neighbor has goats and loves them, too.

We have a deal whereby when our cattle dry out, we'll get some milk from her goats. I'm looking forward to it!

[Pops]

Thanks KJ, great looking animals.

You cracked me up with your description of where the bag is hung on Elsa! I don't know much about judging cows but a good, high attachment is better than the hangy-downy kind.

[killJOY]

Thanks, Pops.

Here's another pic that really shows that "Devon baggy thing":



When we first got Belle, our farrier couldn't get over the look of her bag! He was damn-near pornographic about it.

[Rhinestones]

Thanks for sharing your experience KJ. That Belle sure is a beautiful momma. I have a Sandy and Holly that look just about like her.
You are right, it's sure a lotta shit to shovel. The rewards of the increased soil fertility it provides are worth the effort though. I can't wait to get the dairy too.

[samhell]

when I was a youngster (nearly 30 years ago) my parents let me get a house cow to provide milk for the family. At first I hand milked [and I still have the forearms to prove it) then after we added one of her daughters to the milking herd, I got a milking machine. these girls were Jerseys and they provided all our milk, butter, yoghurt etc etc,for a family of 8, for many years. It was a lot of fun and a great learning experience. Ive been wanting to get back to the house cow lifestyle for years and I think this year it will happen.
The worst you can say is that you always have to be around to milk. But if you live on the land where else would you rather be?

[CarlinsDarlin]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'T')he worst you can say is that you always have to be around to milk. But if you live on the land where else would you rather be?

[plainjane6476]

I have a 50 cow dairy farm in upstate NY. I just happened upon peak oil about 2 months ago when I was trying to find out what direction the economy was headed to make some decisions about my farm. It led me to peak oil. I admit, when I first read and saw some of the interviews with Matt Simmons, Robert Hirsch, Colin Campbell and others, I couldn't eat or sleep for about 2 weeks. My first instinct was to sell the farm and move to a survival cabin in North Dakota (it was blackest on the earth view at night). Since then, I have come to my senses and started thinking more realistically about what I could do here instead. Diesel fuel, fertilizer and feed are pinching all dairy farmers even though the milk price is good compared to historical prices. So, I'm doing what I can to button up this old drafty farmhouse, servicing the wood boiler, building a greenhouse, root cellar, ordered a biodiesel maker, ordered a cheap 20W solar panel to learn with, and sending my husband to oxen school this fall. Some of my family and friends think I'm going overboard and I tell them- I hope that when it's all said and done, in 5 years, you can tell me I was a real kook! And I really do hope that's how things turn out. But reality tells me, that it's wishful thinking. Imagine that- I am wishing to be called a kook!
Anyhow, I'm going to read some posts from the educated folks on here and try to learn more. I'm really interested in Picken's plan, but I don't know where he's gonna find all that natural gas. I'm going to lease the farm out for ng rights- at least it's a start!

[plainjane6476]

I'd like to add a sig:
and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us. -Gandalf

[Homesteader]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('plainjane6476', 'I')'d like to add a sig:
and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us. -Gandalf

[dunewalker]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('plainjane6476', '.')..sending my husband to oxen school this fall...

[plainjane6476]

you know, it's funny.. there's alot of Amish up here now and I'll bet they have NO IDEA we are facing an energy crisis...

[dunewalker]

I was just kidding you about sending your husband to oxen school, of course. Welcome and a big hug. BTW what do they do in oxen school?

If we were all Amish there would be no impending energy crisis...

[plainjane6476]

It actually looks pretty cool- peak oil or not. You learn how to train and work with draft animals. It's up in New England in the beginning of August. There's also a big draft animal fair here every year in Cortland, NY. They have competitions and you can buy and sell equipment and animals.

[Cashmere]

PJ - Awesome to have you aboard.

You're not going overboard. You are right. Trust your rationale and your gut, both of which are telling you you are right.

[alokin]

I guess you are in a very good position for the future, having a dairy farm. I bet you will have plenty of very cheap farmhands in future which replace all your Diesel.
Maybe there will be no cooled milk truck n future (maybe) and maybe you will make all the yummy raw milk cheese on the farm, and no controller can come out...
Your milk will be lot more valuable but maybe you qill produce less.
Welcome and it's good to have some farmers here!

[plainjane6476]

I'm making a presentation to my local milk co-op next month on PO. I've been thinking we could get a milk tanker full of used grease and several biodiesel makers at various farms. We could produce our own biodiesel all winter and store it up for crop season. We already have a distribution system (milk trucks go to each farm every other day). I have a biodiesel maker coming next week and I'm gonna try to brew my own fuel here before the end of the month.

[Cashmere]

FYI - my opinion is that biodiesel is likely a dead end, much like ethanol.

The problem with biodeisel is that it likely takes way too many FF inputs. Why not just burn the diesel that was used to . . . whatever.

My point is, unless you can use the biodiesel to make more biodiesel, then what you might find is that investments in biodiesel are really just investments in petroleum that is converted to biodiesel.

So please be cautious. My gut on this is that BD will end up going the way of ETOH.

This reminds of the Atkins diet. When I first tried it, I kept trying to find ways to substitute for the things I normally ate. Then, after trying low card bread (about the same thing as saying "low wetness water), I finally decided that, to do that diet, I'd simply have to just eat different foods.

Likewise, we won't find a substitute for oil.

[Consensi]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('plainjane6476', 'I') have a 50 cow dairy farm in upstate NY.................

My first instinct was to sell the farm and move to a survival cabin in North Dakota (it was blackest on the earth view at night). Since then, I have come to my senses and started thinking more realistically about what I could do here instead.

[alpha480v]

Hello and welcome to the forum fellow New Yorker!