Taming The beast

I actually managed to do it last night...

I separated the goat kids from Heidi.

Upon entering the barn this morning, I saw what I had hoped to see: Heidi with an absolutely engorged udder. I chuckled and told her that she looked like a cow. ;) She grumbled and muttered as she hopped onto the milk stand and began eating her breakfast. 

The goat kids started hollering...

Then came the moment... How would Heidi react to someone milking her?

Hehe... She didn't like it. She kicked, so I tied a leg back. She tried to sit down; so I put the milk pail directly beneath her. She sashayed to the side, so I moved with her. Seeing that her efforts were not working, as I continued to stream milk into the pail, she tried a different tactic.

She stopped letting her milk down. 

Dairy animals have the ability to choose to be milked or not. You can have an animal that is so full of milk that it's causing them pain, but if they don't trust you, or if they're stressed, then they can hold their milk back, which leaves you milking desperately but not getting a single drop of milk. And that's what Heidi did. She decided that she was done with me, and I had barely even started! Luckily for me, the goat kids were still calling, and that caused Heidi to let her milk down after a couple minutes; but she still danced and pranced all over the place.

With Capri and Ivy, all I have to do is start singing their favorite song (goats like routine, and they really do have favorite songs!) and POOF! They would let their milk down. I tried singing to Heidi, but she wasn't too keen on my warbling. :-/ I'm not sure how I started what came next, but before I knew it, I somehow found myself reciting Dr. Seuss' book, 'Green Eggs and Ham'! 

"Would you could you, on a train? Would you,could you, on a plane?"

"I would not, could not, on a train, I would not, could not, on a plane! I do not like green eggs and ham, I do not like them, Sam I Am!"

Strangely enough, Heidi seems to like classic literature by Dr. Seuss. ;) She stood still, and listened to the strange words. Alas, I finished reciting the book too soon, and she held her milk back again. I gave up after milking her out halfway; it was a good start for the first milking. Heidi gave me one last withering glare before stalking back into the pen...

Inside, I strained the lovely milk into a jar. I managed to eek out a little over a quart this morning. But I think I could have gotten a full half gallon, had I been able to milk her all the way out. Maybe tomorrow..

Moral of the story? If you have a stubborn dairy animal, try reciting Dr. Seuss. ;)

The Noose Tightens

What's new in the world of raw milk, these days? Lots.

FDA has just passed the law where it is now illegal to transport raw milk across state lines. In Wisconsin, Nevada, Louisiana, Iowa, and Montana, it is illegal for state residents to buy and/or sell raw milk, but there are thousands of people in each state that want it. So they traveled over to the next state to get it, where it is legal to buy and sell this contraband item, and then they smuggled it home. Now, with the new law in action, these ordinary people who just want good, clean milk, are violating the law as they continue to smuggle the embargoed raw milk into their state, and risk heavy penalties if they are caught.

Back in December, a woman living in Minnesota received a letter from the MDA (Minnesota department of Agriculture) stating that they had scheduled an administrative meeting concerning her actions in "assisting the sale of raw milk." What was this woman doing? She was buying raw milk, and local foods for her family, and sharing it freely with friends around her. But the MDA wanted to put a stop to it. Since then, the woman and her family have gone through many days in the courtroom, fighting their case, they have had police officers come to their home with criminal search warrants, and they are still fighting their way through everything. All because she had an affiliation with raw milk.

There are over nine million people in America who drink raw milk. FDA is cracking down on small farms that produce it, and people who buy it. The noose is tightening; slowly. So slow that we don't realize what's been taken from us until it's too late. Right now, selling raw milk in the state of Oregon is legal. But there are still laws that we have to put up with. If you are an unlicensed milk producer (which we are), then you can only sell your raw milk from the farm, you cannot deliver milk, you cannot advertise that you are selling raw milk, and you can have no more than 2 milking cows, nine dairy goats, and nine dairy sheep. As long as I stay within the limits, I can pass beneath the radar of the FDA, and my contraband milk can still be sold. But if I so much as dare try to milk ten dairy goats and sell the milk, then I risk having certain government officials coming to my door, and threatening me with various tactics. Don't believe me? It happens quite frequently across the nation.

As I delve deeper into the political world of food topics, I come to realize just how precious raw milk is becoming in this nation. The government is doing everything in it's power to make raw milk illegal to everyone. A couple states are viciously trying to make it illegal to own your own dairy animals. They are treading unmercifully upon our dwindling freedoms... What is it about this white liquid that causes such a war within the nation? I know the majority of the problem leads down to money. More and more Americans are choosing to buy raw milk directly from the farmer, which means less and less money going to the dairy CAFO's. We've scared the government, and they are retaliating.

 Thankfully, things aren't quite so black as they first seem. There are a lot of activists out there who are making life difficult for the USDA and FDA. Because of their faithfulness to the cause, many states do still allow the buying and selling of raw milk -- for now.

The Bible verse about loving your enemies has really hit home this week, for me. I've been feeling like I've been hit over the head with a two by four as things sink in.

"Love your enemies; bless those who curse you, pray for those who hate you..."


You mean I have to love and pray for the USDA officials!? Double whammy!

I remember reading in Joel Salatin's book 'everything I want to do is illegal', at the very end, Joel simply says how the USDA truly believes that raw milk and homegrown chicken is hazardous. They believe it with every fiber of their being. To have such people who will so doggedly try to extinguish these things is truly amazing. They don't care if you hate them, they don't care what you try to do to them. They want you to stop producing "unclean" food. And they will do whatever it takes to stop you.

Joel's electrifying words that follow are : "God bless 'em".

I recently read through a thread online, concerning raw milk, and of course there was a USDA official on there. It was incredible reading through his comments on the matter. He sincerely, 100% believed that raw milk is poisoning people, and that is was the USDA's job to save the lives of American citizens and abolish the "horrible practice of drinking raw milk". I laughed when I first read it, because it was so unreal. All his "scientific facts" were so goofed up, that it became a little clearer as to why things are the way they are.

As for me, I'll continue to drink my milk raw, and I will continue to provide it for others no matter what.

I gave my goats and my cow each an extra bedtime hug tonight. They deserved it... :)

Milk anyone?

Random Words of Wisdom

These are all pretty random one-liners, by pretty random authors...

"The most absurd and reckless aspirations have sometimes led to extraordinary success."


"Experience is the name so many people give to their mistakes."


"Courage is doing what you're afraid to do. There can be no courage unless you're scared."


"How old would you be, if you didn't know how old you are?"


The only way to be absolutely safe, is to never try anything for the first time."


"A government that is big enough to give you all you want, is big enough to take it all away."


"Why not" is an interesting slogan for life."


"Food is an important part of a balanced diet."


"Anger is only one letter short of danger."


"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are."


"When we lose the right to be different, we lose the privilege to be free."


"It is often easier to fight for principles than to live up to them." 

Plan B

Sooooo, did I really say that I was going to be milking Heidi tomorrow? Just pretend you didn't read that. ;)

 Feeling like a criminal, I dutifully put Beatrix and Bertram into one of the kidding stalls earlier this evening.

And then the wailing began.

You'd have thought that I just chopped their tails off! Those two little whippersnappers wailed, and cried so loudly that they could've doubled as a siren! I steeled myself, and tried to remember that we've gone through this before, and that it was necessary if we wanted milk...

Then they bonked their newly dehorned heads up against the metal barn walls...

The screaming rose to another level, and I caved. They bounced happily out as soon as I opened the door, and they were both smiling smugly as they watched me leave. Ornery ol' goats.

Plan B: I have no idea. Maybe I'll try separating them during the day tomorrow. I need to sell some milk this week, as I only have two bales of hay left, and it's gonna' go fast...

Waiting...

Heidi's blood sample has officially been sent on it's way to Idaho, and now there is nothing more to do in the matter except wait...

The testing will take place on Friday, but we won't get results until Monday most likely, so stay tuned...

As a side note, I start milking Heidi tomorrow; wish me luck! She hasn't been milked in 3-4 years, so it should be interesting!

There Would Only Be One Thing To Do...

At the risk of grossing y'all out, I'm going to go ahead and post the picture...

This is some of Heidi's blood, in a glass vial. It will be sent to Idaho on Monday to be tested for CAE.

For those of you who don't know what CAE is.... It stands for 'Caprine Arthritis Encephalitis', but that's too much of a mouthful for us goat owners, so we just say CAE. Basically, a goat that has CAE will usually get a terrible case of arthritis in its joints, it will begin to waste away and then eventually die. There is no cure for it. Not all animals show symptoms for this disease; some may be carriers but stay healthy their whole lives; which is why we have to test them for it. CAE is only contagious through breeding, blood, or milk. Meaning, I could have a CAE negative herd of goats, but if they were bred to a CAE positive buck, then they too would become positive. Or if a CAE negative goat licked some blood off of a CAE positive goat, then the disease would be shared. And lastly, if you have a CAE positive goat, and you let her kids nurse off of her, then they will be CAE positive. If you take the kids away at birth, and bottlefeed them with a different milk, then they will be fine.

I say all this because, Heidi was tested almost three years ago for CAE and tested negative, but anything could have happened in that span of time; so for all I know she could end up being positive. If she ends up being positive, then something is going to have to happen. You can't (well, you shouldn't) breed a CAE positive goat, because the buck would then contract the disease. And if she can't be bred, then she can't be milked. And if she can't be milked, then she is termed "useless". Most CAE goats are destroyed because no one wants them; the only other use for them is just being a pet. But Heidi is such a big girl, I'm not so sure I could find someone who wanted her just as a pet.

In that little glass vial,  ultimately is Heidi's fate. I knew that there was a chance that she might be CAE positive, when I first bought her. But I took the chance. She was such a shaggy, ugly, bag of bones when I got her... But lately, she has begun blossoming into a lovely dairy doe. She has gained weight, she's starting to look sleek and glossy, and she has such a sweet temperament. I wouldn't dare say that she's become a favorite, would I? ;)

While talking with a friend yesterday (the one who helped me with the dehorning), I had mentioned to her that I didn't know what I would do if Heidi tested positive. She replied that there would only be one thing I could do, if that happened.

Cry.

I'll let y'all know what the verdict is when the testing is finished...

The Fine Print of Farming

I love farming. I really do. But there are days when you find yourself reading the fine print that comes with this lifestyle, and you wish you could take an eraser to it...

Two weeks ago, my cow accidentally kicked me in the leg. Thankfully, I only had a baseball sized bruise to show for it, but was a reminder that my 400 lb. heifer will soon be an 800 lb. cow that might kick a little harder.

Last week, while trimming Ivy's hooves, she slammed the back of her head into my face. Again, nothing too serious, just a lot of blood, a busted and swollen lip, and an inability to talk or smile for 48 hours. Ivy got the silent treatment for a while after that...

These things naturally come with the farming lifestyle. Accidents happen. People and animals get hurt.

Today I had another "fun" day. My two goat kids, Beatrix and Bertram, had been dehorned when they were 7 days old, but both needed to be done again, as the horns were growing back. Along with dehorning them, I also needed to castrate Bertram, and draw some of Heidi's blood so that I could get it tested. Fun, fun, fun. (Not)

Thankfully, I have a friend who is a vet tech, so she came out and helped me get everything done. Drawing Heidi's blood was pretty uneventful, but the dehorning was another matter. I vehemently dislike dehorning, but unfortunately it's just one of those things that has to be done. The kids definitely screamed more than last time; maybe because they're older? Personally, if someone touched me with a 1000 degree iron, (no, that's not a misprint; the iron really is one thousand degrees) I think I would probably scream a good deal louder and longer than the goats did! But we got it done. And we even got poor Bertram castrated. Whew!

When we were done, I looked like I had been in hand to hand combat. One of Bertram horns had bled a little more than usual, and the ornery fellow decided to rub his head vigorously on my shirt and arm, leaving some lovely scarlet streaks hither thither. Thank you Bertram.

All the animals are resting quietly now. Bertram looks quite pathetic, and I feel so bad for him. But, goat kids always spring back to their normal, bouncy self in a few days, so that's a small consolation.

Despite the pitfalls, bruises and blood that come along with the farming life, I still love it. I am willing to endure the bad experiences, because I know that the good ones outweigh them....

Anyone want to learn how to dehorn a goat? I still have lots of babies comin'! ;)