Today I’m going to tell you how I celebrate my birthday living on a dairy farm. First off…..having a birthday at my age is bittersweet. Bitter…because I do not want to be another year older…sweet….because it gives me an excuse to be lazy and not feel guilty. 
On your birthday…you bound out of bed…grab a coffee to go…and race to the barn because you can’t wait to milk those bossy bovines! NOT! On second thought…you throw the alarm against the wall and go back to sleep! Wake up an hour later and quickly grab your “black” coffee before trudging out the door. I’m only smiling because it’s my birthday! 
I looked everywhere for #49 but could not find her. I finally decided she’s dead (not a good sign) and instead I settled on #39. That’s going to be my age from now on. I’m not mentally prepared for the 50’s and that’s that! 
I’m so sorry to my Facebook friends that you have to see this picture again. Candace and I got off the farm for a few hours and had a little girl fun. I bought myself a cake and have been enjoying every bite. 
We had to be back for evening chores because the farmer was busy doing field work and the boys were off at school. So celebration time will continue until we all get our fill. I just want to get this week over with and “mooooove” on. Another year older…………………Carol
Our middle child (Michael) left for college. This is move-in day. He is the work horse behind our operation. So now, we have to step up our game. ….and I thought I was already high-steppin’. Luckily, he comes home on weekends and he helps us get caught up. 
We’ve also been doing a lot of “cattle work”. We had quite a few cows that were missing ear tags, and so we spent one day putting in brand new earrings…..as I like to call them. Fancy cows! We also did a preg-check. That’s when the vet comes out and we check all the cows to see who’s pregnant or open. That was a long day. Help me!
Hay…..so much hay. We finally conquered the beast….but not without long days and late nights. Here we are just finishing up on the biggest field. Woo-hoo! Oh wait….we still need to haul it all home. Ugh!
This was my view for days. Mowing hay….round and round. I sat in the tractor with my ear buds in and my big water jug. I shift into survival mode on days like this. 
Very poor quality picture….but another view from another day. I can mow hay…rake hay…bale hay…haul hay! I admit that I suck at baling. The monitor is always screaming at me and telling me things I don’t understand. So, the big boys usually do that and I’ll stick with what I’m good at.
Late night hauling. We had over 300 bales to haul in. The farm girls did the driving back and forth while Earl loaded the wagons for us. It was 1:30 before we wrapped up that project. Needless to say….I was pooped! 
We’ve also been bombarded with kittens. Two litters have showed up at the barn. Look at those cat eyes. They’re saying….just shoot me now! haha We help her out and feed them warm cows milk.
And there you have it. When I’m not doing the dirty work I’m busy in the yard and flower gardens. I’ve got some monster pumpkins growing out there. Can’t wait to show you………………………….Carol
We have misters running throughout the lot area where the cows are waiting to be milked. They run off of well water and it is nice and cold. They love it!
Doesn’t that look cool?! When the cows first come up to the barn in the afternoon, they are very hot. Cows don’t sweat….they pant! So, within 10 minutes of standing underneath the water, they’ll be chewing their cud. That means they’re feeling comfortable and content. 
They hang out with their friends and do a little herd gossip while they cool off. Sometimes they talk trash about the “milkmaid”….other times they’re mad at Bubba (the bull)….then other times they have a battle between breeds. Jersey versus Holstein! Seriously, they are so much like humans. I can read them like a book………
If you look closely the misters are connected to the PVC pipe above. I am the master of replacing misters. I go through packages of these little dudes every summer. The well water has sediment and they need to be replaced periodically. I stand on my tall step ladder and hope I don’t lose my balance. It is totally safe…..I know what I’m doing. I think?! 
And then we have ice cream. Real ice cream. Made with cows milk. Do I need to say anything else? I believe this particular flavor was “coffee, almond and fudge. Now, go buy a gallon and chill out…..it’s hot! Your favorite Milkmaid………………Carol
This is my life…..on the farm. When the mud gets this deep, a person needs to be very careful. The mud will act as quick sand and suck you right down into the endless abyss and they’ll never find you again. Amen! Thank God for muck boots! 
Yea, I know. I should’ve known better, than to go through this mud hole. It is possible to get the 4-wheeler stuck. Especially when you get 10 inches of rain within a weeks time. Total madness! The farmer pulled me out with the tractor…..I just got a “look” from him….nothing else was said. Haha 
This is what our pasture has looked like for most of the year….and this is the better part. As soon as it starts to dry up…..here comes another rain storm. Our pasture is so rutted up and rough right now. The tractor creates massive ruts and then with 100 plus cows marching through every day….it’s almost impossible to get around.
We finally gave the 4-wheeler a rest and started using our trusty little tractor to go feed my calves. It has served us well over the years and has seen its better days, but still keeps on running. Nothing runs like a Deere……John Deere! I like that green! 
We’re probably the driest right now than we have been in months. The weatherman says there’s more rain on the way. Help! I’ll take that sunshine any day. So will the “big girls”….they’re getting sassy……and so am I………………….Carol
Here are a few random “dairy photos” to let you know what’s happening on the farm. This cute little stinker is only a few days old. We’ve had a handful of babies this last week. As soon as I get a batch weaned…here comes another group of new ones. My work is never done…… 
The “tween” group. They are very naughty….just like human tweens. There’s a lot of “trash talk” happening at the water hole. I know what they’re saying….and it’s not good. They create drama. They push their boundaries every day. 
Big girl wants to give you a gentle reminder to drink milk! She works hard every day to help with supply and demand. She doesn’t care what flavor….white, strawberry, or chocolate. Just drink! 
Our little preemie born just 2 days ago. It’s healthy and very aggressive. It sure is weenie, though. I’ll have to keep a close eye on it. Those little ones sometimes have a rough row to hoe. Alright then……here’s to dairy month. Who’s up for some milk and cookies……………………Carol
This is my basic milkmaid attire. Bad hair…don’t care. There is no makeup in the milk barn. I wear the same clothes day after day. They’re faded from being washed in hot water every night….but the smell still remains. I live in muck boots, and have to buy a new pair about every 6 months. Whenever my feet say “Ouch”. 
Some of my best friends are in the form of “bovines”. So much of the herd is what I have raised from baby on up. They see me every morning and evening…7 days a week. We have bad days and good days. Sometimes we even fight, but we have to get along. 
Then there’s Miss Daisy. Very curious. At least her nose is clean. Have you ever watched a cow clean their nose? Wish I could do that! Especially in the winter time when it’s cold and I have to wipe my nose on my coat sleeve and just keep goin’. Yes, a true milkmaid will do that……. 
I still have a handful of baby calves to feed, but nothing like last winter. Everything is so much easier when the weather warms up. We found this little tyke right after it was born. Mama was mighty proud! 
I clean up once in a great while. At least for special occasions….like Mother’s Day. These are my little “peeps” all grown up now. I am now the smallest person in the family. “Little but mighty” is that what they say? I’m just trying to survive………………Carol
Just look at all the bitterness. That’s snow and ice on the cows. They tolerate the cold weather much better than I do. 
We had a very wet winter and lots of freezing temperatures…mud everywhere and horrible ruts all throughout the pastures. It would rain torrents and then a deep freeze would come. This is only the tip of the iceberg. 
This is what we used on the cows all winter long. You need to protect their “tits” ( every dairyman says that and we don’t think nuthin’ of it ) from frostbite. This stuff works like magic. We didn’t have any problems as long as we put this salve on them every time. We pre-dip with iodine and post with this salve. Keeps the cows happy and the humans from getting kicked. 
Underneath all the heavy layers are Michael and Marshall. We have become experts at layering and staying warm….except for our fingers. My hands get so cold while feeding calves that I’ll dip them into the warm milk to take away the “sting” and then hurry on down the line. By the time I get back to the barn I can’t decide if I want to scream or cry they’re “burning” so bad. Don’t ever tell a milkmaid that you love wintertime……. 
We had just enough snow for one small snowman. They spent all this time building the cute little guy and then after they got done, they took the 4-wheeler….raced straight for him….and squashed him like a bug. Don’t mess with farm kids either. 
An early morning sunrise. One of the few beautiful things about winter. I’m so happy that is behind us and we’re enjoying all the beauty of spring. Ahhhhh…..new life everywhere. I plan to go “hog wild” on the gardening this summer……………………..Carol
Here’s my partial row of calves. As soon as they’re born we put them into their own little hutch. I like to call it their cozy little condo. Every single calf needs to be vaccinated ASAP and then we feed them fresh colostrum to give them a good, healthy start. Without these steps their life can be pretty “dicey”. Calves will pick up bugs very easily and if not caught in time they’ll be dead within 24 hours. Just like human babies……constant care. 
Bedding down hutches is not a favorite job. It’s back breaking work and Marshall says it’s the worst job on the farm. Our winter was extremely wet and muddy which calls for lots and lots of bedding. The dogs think it’s great fun! 
We only had one set of twins. I kept them together for a couple of days so they could “bond”. That’s the “mother instinct” in me. After a few days they go their separate ways. Baby calves do best when they have their own hutch. 
We had all colors this year. Mostly brown, black and red. The red was my favorite. They’re always such cute little stinkers…..and then they grow up. 
I always do the “hat thing” at Christmas time. It takes so. much. patience. They hate that silly thing on their head….but I think it looks so cute. Can you see that look? It’s saying……Oh the disgust and shame! Get that stupid thing off of my head! 
Speaking of shame……little “Dixie chic” was so mad at us for doing this to her. Just look at her face! She is so ticked! Oh my…..Candace and I just laughed and laughed. Too much fun! Well, that’s all for now. More winter pictures coming up next………………..Carol
I want to start out with a little introduction of myself and my “farm crew”. I was born and raised in Ohio on a grain farm. I met my “cowboy” and he brought me out here to the wild, wild West. We started our dairy farm in 1993 on his family farm in Northeastern Oklahoma. This is where we’ve been ever since. I milk cows twice a day, seven days a week. I love the cows, but the work is hard and the stress is real…….so I turn to gardening for therapy and self-care. Gardening heals the heart and soul. 
We have 3 young farmers. We depend heavily on their help around the farm. We have no employees, so this is 100% family owned and operated. We’re just a small little speck compared to all the gigantic dairy farms all over the country. Candace is the oldest at 22…then we have Michael (on the left ) at 18. A senior this year. And the kid…at 16. All hard workers and keep us alive and kicking. 
I try to share on this website a little insight of our life on a dairy farm. We have good days…bad days…and really bad days. The picture is a perfect example of a very bad day. In fact, this has happened to all of us at one time or another. You simply wipe it off and keep on goin’. It happens! 
We have one Brown Swiss cow. She’s a bit on the sassy side, but gets away with it because she’s beautiful. 
Most of our cows are Holstein and Jersey or Jersey crossbreeds. Holsteins are big and bossy and capable of producing lots of milk. Jersey / crossbreeds are smaller, but give excellent butterfat. That helps with your paycheck. Cows are a lot like humans. Some are super friendly and easy to get along with….then others are sassy and a pain in the neck to have around. You just have to learn to deal with all of them. However maddening it may be. So, that gives you an idea of what we are all about. I hope you come back and check up on us every now and then. I write about anything from cows, calves, dogs and cats….to all my gardening and flowers and even some farm food. It’s nice to be back……………..Carol
I have a fairly short row of hutches for now……it’s growing daily. This is where I get my walks in…..all winter long. Raising calves is complicated. There’s so much to do every day. I can easily spend hours and hours working on the whole operation. 
When the north wind is howling and it’s freezing cold……these hutches are nice and cozy. Maybe a calf hutch could be the “timeout” place when the “boys” are naughty. Earl included. Just a thought…….. 
Don’t kid yourself…these calves are the biggest photo bombers. If I wait around long enough I can get some really crazy pictures. This is “Tongue out Tuesday”….but I can’t remember if it actually was on a Tuesday. Does it matter? 
They always like to give me a “pretty please” look to try and get more milk or an ear scratch. Or they start “screaming” at me to make me think that they haven’t been fed yet. They ain’t nobody’s dummy…..smart calves. That’s why I sprinkle a little bit of milk on their nose so I know who’s been fed. Smart Milkmaid! 
And yes, I try to teach them to always keep their nose clean. haha A wet nose is a healthy calf. Watch their eyes. Their breathing. Look for droopy ears. All signs of sickness. It’s called cow lingo. I can have a full on conversation with a cow/calf. My life in a cows world. 
They have attitude just like humans. They hold their head up high and give you that look…..I dare you! It’s pretty cute when they’re little, but when they get to be older…it’s not at all funny. Then it just gets to be annoying. So, that’s my life right now. Cows, calves, cats and dogs. And tons of cow poop. I need a vacation…………………………Carol