Posted by Bill(Wis) on March 28, 2013 at 06:55:54 from (184.75.123.14):
In Reply to: Re: Picture for Today posted by Texasmark1 on March 28, 2013 at 05:27:56:
I'll jump in on this, if you don't mind, seeing as how I was born and raised on a pretty good sized Wisconsin dairy farm that was started by my grandfather in 1901 and continued through 1967. 66 years of continuous dairy farming in one of those states that has everything dairy cows need and in plentiful amounts. We had the standard stanchion barn with hayloft above. This provided the barn with plenty of insulation because the mows would be full to the rafters at the beginning of winter. We had our cows, Holsteins all, freshen in Sep-Oct, and then milk for ten months. Get up time was 04:45; grab an apple, put on boots and Mackinaw and head for the barn. It never showed lower than -40F on the the big mercury thermometer hanging on the north side of the milkhouse because that's about all the shrink mercury has. When you walk in snow at -40 you will hear the loudest crunches! After grabbing 10 or 12 milk cans from the milkhouse and opening the big storm door and then the inside door of the barn would bring us inside where it was pleasantly warm. With all of those 1300# holsteins standing side by side pumping out body heat, we could remove our coats completely and work in our shirtsleeves. We went to using milking machines in 1914 (Hinman) so I never new hand milking. The first thing we did was feed the holsteins silage with ground feed mix on top. They had completely cleaned their mangers of the big feed of hay from the night before. Then we started milking, three minutes per cow, three machines. Antiseptic warm wash of udders before, antiseptic dip of teat cups between cows, each milking machine dumped of its contents into pail (always stainless steel) and carried to waiting cans utilizing a stainless steel strainer with filter. When milking was completed, milking machines were washed, always cold water first, then hot soapy followed with antiseptic rinse. Full cans of milk were taken to the milkhouse and placed in cooling tank and the cows were fed a big feed of hay and then we headed for the house where breakfast was waiting. After breakfast, back to the barn. Cows were turned out into the yard where they could excercise and we could watch for any in heat. We would clean the barn gutters and, about once per week, the calf and heifer pens on a rotating basis. Manure was hauled out and spread unless the snow was too deep, then it would be dumped in a yard and spread in the spring. After placing fresh bedding (straw) in the cow stalls, the cows would come back in, all in proper order, each one to her own stall. If one got into the wrong stall there would be hell to pay and she'd be set straight by the cow that belonged there. Then, another big feed of hay. Then we massaged their udders with bag balm to prevent chapping and maybe do some udder and flank clipping with the biggest set of hair clippers you've ever seen. By that time, it was about noon and we'd have dinner. In those days, it was breakfast, dinner and supper. All full meals of 2500 or so calories. Then we'd go back out and get the silage down out of the silo for the next two feedings and do something like load the truck with corn and oats and make a run into the feedmill for grinding and mixing. By the time that was done it would be about time to do the feeding and milking all over again. Milked twice per day and twelve hours apart. We had gone to artificial insemination in 1946, so I didn't have very much bull experience. Cows would be bred so as to have one calf per year in Sep-Oct. They milked for ten months and stood dry for two, so that meant we didn't do any milking in August. Starting in June, they'd be turned out to pasture and only brought in for milking and feeding but the barn still needed cleaning every day. Interior of barn was whitewashed once per year so everything inside the barn was white including the floor. I know I forgot a lot of things, but that was what went on most of the time. I wouldn't do it again for anything but I'm glad I got to do it. Now, I grow corn and soybeans and it hardly seems like any work at all. My new tractor steers it self through the fields while I sit and listen to stereo music with the AC on. (;>))
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Today's Featured Article - Talk of the Town: Winterizing Engines - To Drain or Not to Drain? - by Russ Berry. What is this strange attraction I have to equipment and machinery? How did I get this way? I came from the suburbs and own a small horse farm in rural Loudoun County, Virginia. You can call me a "weekend farmer." The local farmers do. Does it bother me? No. I am just happy to have their friendship. At least the word "farmer" is in my title. But what is the attraction? How can I explain the sensation and exhilaration I feel when I turn the key and hear the engine come to life (most
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