Cow Milking 101

Good morning class. Today our lesson is on the basics of cow milking.

Our farm milks 120 holsteins (black and white cows). We milk at 6:00AM and 5:00PM each day, seven days a week, and holidays too. The cows wait in a holding pen until a door opens to our milking parlor, at which time 8 cows are let in at a time.They file in to the stalls and have their udders and teats washed, sanitized, and dried before the milking machine is placed on them. It takes about 5 minutes to milk each cow. While this is happening, another 8 cows are brought in to fill the other side of the milking parlor. When the first 8 cows are finished, the milking machine is automatically removed and the person milking will again sanitize the teats. A door opens at the opposite end of the parlor, and out they go. Fifteen more rotations of this procedure, and we're done!

A cow can produce about 90 cups of milk each day. When the milk leaves the cow it is a warm 101 degrees. Sanitized pipelines carry the milk straight from the cow and milking machine to our bulk tank which holds 1,000 gallons, and cools the milk to 40 degrees. Our milk is picked up by a milk hauler (refrigerated tanker truck) every other day, and delivered to a local milk plant. The milk is never touched by human hands throughout this entire process. This helps to ensure that you can enjoy a wholesome, delicious dairy food. Our milk is in your grocery store within 2 days of leaving our farm.

Class, are there any questions? 

Your homework today is to enjoy a glass of cold milk. Class dismissed.

60 Promising Princesses

This is a fun, exciting and nail-biting weekend for 60 young ladies from Minnesota! May 18-20 is the Dairy Princess Promotion Workshop in St. Joseph, MN. It is a weekend devoted to skill-building to share the message of dairy farmers commitment to providing safe, high-quality milk and dairy products, including taking good care of our cows and the land. 

But how are these 60 young women chosen to attend this workshop? Each of them are from a dairy farm family, or they or their parents or guardian are employed by a dairy farm. They are selected as their county's Dairy Princesses, and then move on to the May Event in St. Joseph. This is also where the 12 finalists are selected  for the Minnesota dairy industry's goodwill ambassador, Princess Kay of the Milky Way. Candidates are judged on a written application, a short speech, a professional interview, and a mock media interview.  

After a busy summer of June Dairy Month promotions, parades, and County Fairs, the 12 finalists come together again in August for more judging. Our 59th Princess Kay of the Milky Way is then crowned the night before the Minnesota State Fair. Exhausting? You bet! Worth it? Absolutely!

Our Princess, Sara

 Seven years ago, my daughter Sara was one of the 12 finalists named at the May Promotion Event. I remember sitting at the banquet listening to the clues about the next finalist before her name was revealed.  I thought, wow, she sounds like a well-rounded, busy gal." Ladies and gentlemen, from Dakota County, Sara." Yes, like a good mom I cried, and cried. I always knew she was worthy of representing the Dairy Industry, but now everyone knew.

You can learn the names of this years lucky finalists by going to Princess Kay's Facebook page or on Twitter by using the hashtag #MNPrincessKay. Finalists will also be posted at Midwest Dairy.

Mother's Day Thoughts

"Were you born in a barn?"  "Chew with your mouth closed. You look like a cow chewing her cud!"  "No use crying over spilt milk." These are some of the words of wisdom my mom shared with me as I was growing up. These pearls of wisdom all seemed to have a "rural" flavor, which seemed appropriate coming from my mom who lived on a farm most of her life. Where does she come up with this stuff? 
Now fast-forward to 2002. My son Michael presented me with a Mothers Day gift, Momisms by Cathy Hamilton. I see my Mom's words-to-live-by, right before my eyes. It was then that I realized that all Mom's eventually speak the same language. " I hope someday you have children just like you." " Don't talk with your mouth full." And, "Always wear clean underwear, in case you get in an accident."

" You can pick your friends, but you can't pick your relatives." Not to worry Mom. I would have picked you anyway, Momisms, and all. Love you, Mom!

What's In A Name?

"I'm going to write a blog!" I announce to anyone that will listen. I have always had this deep-down desire to write. This will be easy, I say to myself. Now what shall I name it? I want to go with something farm-related. I have lived on a farm all my life, after all. Holy Cow, Milk It For All It's Worth, 'Til The Cows Come Home... all great titles. Apparently so, because they have already been chosen by other bloggers. Sigh... I have it, the perfect title,  Cow Tales And Other Tails. Taken! Sigh... My daughter, Sara suggested "Chicken Coop to Cow Poop" since I grew up on a farm which not only included dairy, but also 6,000 chickens. Not quite the persona I am going for Sara. Sigh... My son Michael, obviously the more practical one, suggested "The Milky Way, the Udder One." Taken, sort of. Copyright issues? Maybe? Jail time or a stiff fine? No thanks. Sigh...

Last week, while helping my husband John with our evening routine of milking cows, it came to me, "My Barnyard View; news, moos, and reviews." I want to blog about how I see the world, on and off the farm. I want to blog about news affecting farmers and the consumers that we satisfy with our delicious dairy products. I want to review recipes, books, you name it, I might write about it. It's my point of view from "My Barnyard View." Happy sigh!