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Clover? My darling? I’m going shopping. I’m going to get everything I need to milk you. And then you’re going to let me.
We’ll discuss this later. Look! The big city!
Okay, not exactly the big city, but I just came off a farm on a rock road in the middle of nowhere. This is the bigtime! Ripley! The biggest town in the next county over. I hear there is a good farm store here. I need home dairy supplies and–
TACO BELL!!!!!
Come closer, My Beloved. I have not seen you in so long.
Did I mention I live on a farm on a rock road in the middle of nowhere?
OHMYGOD!!! That was so good!!!!!!!! I’m so glad I came here to go to Taco Bell!!!
Oh. Wait. That’s NOT why I came here.
THAT’S why I came here.
And it’s such a fun store! Look, they have all these little toy cows and horses and pigs and…. Where are the goats? All these toy farm animals and no goats. But they have dinosaurs!
If this goat farm thing doesn’t work out, I’m totally doing a dinosaur farm next.
Look, chore boots. Who would buy chore boots? That doesn’t sound fun at all.
If I’m buying any boots, I want these boots.
Except I don’t need any boots. I have some chore boots at home already.
I don’t need any of these, either.
That’s just plain scary.
I could use one of these, though…..
And yep…..
I couldn’t resist. And–score! I got milk filters, too.
I asked the clerk for a small, seamless, stainless, hooded or lidded dairy pail for goats. She said, “We don’t have that.” Who does? She said, “That’s specialized equipment. You should go to Ohio and get that from the Amish people. It’s only two hours and ten minutes to Ohio.” And two hours and ten minutes back……
So, we struck out for Ohio.
NOT REALLY. We went to Charleston. It was only thirty minutes away from Ripley. Though, as far as I know, there are no Amish people in Charleston. There is, however, a Green’s!
Where they have fun stuff like toys for horses. If I ever get a horse, I’m getting them a ball!!!
But look! I found a stainless steel 2-quart pail–small, right for goat size–and I didn’t even have to go to Ohio.
It was in the pet food aisle.
So I came home and said, “Clover?”
And she looked really eager!!!!
Or not…….
But she scampered right up on the milkstand when she saw us put the food in the milkstand tray.
And went right at it.
Now let me just say that, #1, we got her in the milkstand, eating, and I realized that I FORGOT THE MILK PAIL UPSTAIRS. So I ran upstairs to get it and then back down. And that, #2, this first-time milking process (first-time for Clover AND first-time for me) involved FOUR people. 52, who was in charge of handling Clover. Me, in charge of milking. 17′s girlfriend, in charge of photography. And 17, who was in charge of…..
…..leaning on the gate and eating a sandwich. But I’m sure he was enjoying himself. Like, more than the rest of us.
It started out okay…..
I was all studied up. I could even do it two-handed! And, like, I was MAKING MILK COME OUT OF HER MAGIC UDDER!
MILK!!!
OUT OF CLOVER’S UDDER!!!! WHICH I WAS TOUCHING!!!
Then she kicked me.
And kicked me and kicked me and stomped on my hand and tried to sit down on the pail.
Trying to sit during milking, and kicking, isn’t uncommon in a first-freshener (first-time milking goat). Which is why four people were there. I said, “You’re goin’ down, missy!”
Clover said, “I want twenty cookies, every morning!”
I said, “Ten!”
She said, “TWENTY! and I want thirty more logs to play on!”
I said, “Twenty cookies but no more logs! I ALMOST WENT TO OHIO FOR YOU!”
And she said, “I WANT SATELLITE INTERNET IN THE PEN!” And then she kicked me and stomped on my hand again and said, “YOU ARE TOO LAZY TO GO TO OHIO!”
And I said, “OKAY. TWO HUNDRED COOKIES. FIFTY MORE LOGS. SATELLITE INTERNET!!! WHATEVER YOU WANT!!!!!”
She sorta stopped kicking and sorta stopped trying to sit on the milk pail. She had a whole lot more milk in her (a dwarf dairy goat like Clover should be able to give a pint or two a day), but I was tired and she was tired. And I decided we’d had enough for the first time. Besides, I did it!!!
I MILKED HER!!!
LOOK!!!
Then I took it into the house, put it through the strainer and into the carefully sterilized jar I had prepared for my milk fiesta then chilled it.
I am SO makin’ cheese in ten years at this rate……… Anyone know a recipe for a tablespoon of milk? I MILKED HER!!!!!! And–I tasted it. It is the sweetest milk I’ve ever tasted.
She is goin’ down! I WANT MORE!
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That milking pail looked so pretty and shiny and pristine in the store. It looks like that pail took at least one kick also. I hope you bought more than one.
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Congrats on your first milking, and Clover’s too.
My mother has her mother’s cornstick pan. Looks just like the one in the photo …AND we use it. She has a little recipe that just fits the pan. I know it has minced garlic & hot peppers in it … SPICEY Corn Sticks & Sour Cream to dip in!
We use Thai peppers because that’s what we grow. The Thai peppers aren’t ready yet, but I picked a Cayenne and a Jalapeno yesterday … the Thai can’t be far behind.
Yum Yum!
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“My name is Suzanne McMinn. I write books AND milk goats.”
I think it’s quite fetching personally! Who knows maybe before all is said and done with you’ll become the Goat Whisperer or Goat Guru!
Either way I’m crossing my fingers for ya! :-)
7:35
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I guess Coco looked the other way!!! wow thanks for sharing the adventure. i loved the green boots with flowers. old cast iron skillets and muffin tins are really worth a lot. make the best cornbread though – nothing like it. I cant wait for the eggs to come too and for Clover to get use to this milking thing.
M – can you send us the recipe for the corn muffin pan you mentioned – sounds wonderful.
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Enjoyed the milking saga…looking forward to next episode.
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Good thing she’s not a full-sized goat, huh?
BTW, I *SO* want those daisy rubber boots!
-Kim A.
7:51
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Congradulations!
Now you can make like..a Kraft singles worth of cheese!
7:59
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Doesn’t Ripley have a Tractor Supply?? Don’t waist your time going to OH (the Amish). They’re overpriced, and you can usually find what you need locally. I can also give you some more links if you’d like.
At this rate, you’ll be making sour cream, cream cheese and drinking milk by the end of the month. :mrgreen:
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Congratulations on milking Clover. Did you buy more than one pail? Looks like Clover put a pretty dent in that one. So, how did it feel to touch the udder? I was saying to myself “eeewww”. Again, congrats and You Go Girl!
8:28
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Your on TV!!(stationswebsite)!!1oneoneoneUNO
I was checking the headlines and what do I see but a story on YOU!
http://www.wsaz.com/news/headlines/26472974.html
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I begged and pleaded that I could too milk that cow. So she settled me on the milking stool with the bucket between my legs, showed me where to put my hands, and there I was, ready to go. Until she mentioned, casually, that I would do just fine but the cow might kick me. I was OUT OF THERE! So ended my one chance at milking. I think I’m ready to try again if a milk cow (or goat) were to end up in my pasture. Maybe.
PS: Taco Bell in Ripley is the way I celebrated my last birthday. We combined it with a trip to Tractor Supply. My city relatives in California weren’t impressed with my choice for dinner out on my special day. They just don’t understand. In between trips to Ripley I make my own tortillas, enchilada sauce, refried beans – they aren’t Taco Bell but they will do in a pinch.
9:36
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As someone who lived in a small town in the TX panhandle for 20 year I also understand the excitement of going to “town” to eat out. Except for I used to opt for Long John Silvers most the time…mmmm…sadly, there is not one of them where I live now either. Darn it all! Taco Villa too, wish we had one of those here. And a Sonic.
LOL ok now I’m getting hungry.
Course, with all the recipes and stuff you have on here I usually do. :rotfl:
9:37
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You should get a camcorder for events like that, I bet they would be fun to watch later.
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That was priceless!
Next time someone needs to video it!
You made my day!!
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both of the goats hind legs to keep them from kicking, called a “hobble”. Not that I’ve ever used one, but I kow they are out there. I find that alot of things I need for my farm critters, I have to get via mail order. Jeffers Livestock and Hoegger Goat Supply are two good places. Our nearest big town has one stop light, and the town boasts havng the ONLY stoplight in the county! I love rural life and the “big town” at the top of the mountain!
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Oh, that is sooo cute – hey, I would just put that TBSP. of milk, in a recipe you make!
That was cute! What a neat idea to put the food in a tray for her to eat, during the process!
17 looks like you Suzanne! :mrgreen: I see humor in his eyes too!
I love Taco Bell..but we have Taco Bell one day a week at our home – I make bean burritoes and tacos – our Mexican food day! :mrgreen: Eye Yi Yi!!! :mrgreen:
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AND- you have an inch of milk already! I’d mix them with some eggs and have an ommelette to celebrate!
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BTW…Just because it “only” takes you 2 hours and 10 minutes to GET TO Ohio…it would take you another 3-4 hours to GET TO Holmes County – where the Amish live – from the Southeastern part of Ohio you would be entering!! :fryingpan: Seems the guy forgot to tell you THAT little bit of info.
Blessings from Ohio…
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Cece
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I think I will stick to my chickens. Milking looks way too hard!
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Cast iron really does add iron to your food.
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Okay, here’s the dancey dude just for your great success.
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I’m living a bit vicariously through you: I desperately want goats of my own, but hubby’s not in agreement. He reads your adventures and says, “See, this is why we’re not getting goats.” I read your adventures and say “See, this is why we need goats!”
I have hopes that one day I will win, er, prevail!
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I love a man with handsome forearms! :mrgreen:
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:flying:
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I think I might be as excited as I was when you announced the SIM deal. This is so cool.
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I’ve got one of those horse toys for my boy. He mostly just licks it and occasionally chews on it.
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Anyway, miraculously, that milking was the last difficult milking from her. We made our peace…I made a lot of goat milk soap, and we were happy.KathyB.
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The goat cheese is gonna be great. I swear.
- Suzanne, the Farmer’s Wife
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home-made feta cheese, roasted and sliced chicken plus crispy bacon, garden fresh tomatoes, lettuce and “bought” olives…all drizzled with olive oil/vinegar… between 2 slices of grandmother bread…yum!
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Did you ever wonder how many people say that each day now? Mind boggling…
Props to your dad, who is obviously a rockin milker
You bring back such memories. I spent my childhood milking LOTS of goats (thanks mom) and I don’t miss it one bit. Me, I’ll stick to falling off my horse and hitting my head on a rock (yesterday) rather than milk another goat, lol.
But you keep on keeping on girl, you give us a lot of laughs over here in Arizona. We love ya!
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