Has arrived but is still in it’s box for the moment. Can you spot the spelling mistake?
We need to wait until the wound is past the cracking scab stage. Sorry to be so graphic. But the bra will push the teat sideways and I cannot risk it being pushed in the wrong direction and kinking the unprotected milk canal that I have worked so hard to keep open. She needs a little more mending first. It is risky but necessary.
However so far so good. Both quarters tested clean yesterday. No mastitis. I did a little happy dance in the the milking parlour (I only Ever dance when no-one is looking!) and now Daisy goes down to Once A Day milking. So (just quietly) Daisy is taking chicken steps forward. Now please go and knock on some wood! 
Timatanga Moana is back on the diet chain. She can eat this little pig,. Nothing can be left unattended. She is such a Pig.
I know this is an ungainly shot of our beautiful Queenie Wineti with her calf feeding. But I just loved the shadow of the tail.
After Sheila’s walk I gave her the last of the honey mead from the barrel. It was not terribly much. But certainly enough for her. She had to have a wee lie down for a while.
A long while.
Mr Pink sharing the warmth.
Good morning.
On Monday our first Woofer will be coming to stay and help out on the farm. As they are not paying guests – the woofers, who are often young people looking to learn more about farm life, and who work for room and board, will be staying in The Tall Teenagers room, leaving the beautiful Coupe for any Farm Stay people who may wish to come and visit in August and September.
The young man who is due on Monday is going to help me build the new chook house and maybe even make some inroads into lining the rat house as a winter pig house. With lots of fencing and gardening and chores. We will see how it goes.
Good morning. I have been looking at this company, thinking maybe I will set up an outside farrowing operation. So should Poppy and Tima get pregnant next spring they can have their piglets outside which is healthier. Yet still close to the house to be safe. The main concern with this will be the fencing. What do you think?
I hope you all have lovely day.
Your friend on the farmy
celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
72 responses to “The Cow Bra”
I knocked on wood for you, read the side of my skull! 😉
I don’t think you are a wooden head Grnnymar darlin’.. but the more knocking the better I think!. c
Can pigs become diabetic? Just wondering since Sheila needed a long nap after the mead. I need one too after mead!
We have used that hut for feeder pigs for many years, but we have never farrowed. I like the rail in the one photo. We never had a front closure on ours, but just built up the straw and scrap hay in there. It never got ammonia smelling probably because of the open front. They are nice and sturdy!
If you area has any brown swiss (they are tall cows) or the sweet, gentle Jersey cow (they are smaller cows) I would vote for one of those for your farm. More than likely you will be able to find Holstein cows…since more HUGE/Giant dairies use that breed. Holstein’s produce more milk than cream, the other two produce lots of cream (butter fat). Sometimes Dairies sell they cross-bred calves (male and female)
Usually the dairy breeds a first year Holstein heifer to a meat type or butter fat type cow–striving for a small calf for a first time momma. It is THOSE calves that the huge commercial dairy will sell —either at the dairy or the local auction. My first cow was one of these calves. (I had several bulls from the dairy, which we made into steers for meat production.)
From my first cow I bred her with the milk producing bull (artificially) that I wanted, keeping this up until I had a purebred of my choice.
Just a thought…
Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
Yes, I do have Aunty Del for the future, so i would be needing a bred heifer. That will cost a LOT of money. Lots to think about..
You can get a bottle baby and raise her yourself for a lot less money.
Just a thought.
Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
Yes.. that is aunty del, I am thinking about the next two years without milk.. c
I could do with one of those bra.s. I have often thought how uncomfortable it must be for cows and goats to be so low-slung. I see the goats most mornings and it looks very difficult have boobies banging against your legs as you walk. Good luck to Daisy with her new support wear.
Having worked behind a bar, I’ve seen Sheila’s kind before. They hoist a few drinks and, before long, you find them slumped over sound asleep. 🙂
I no nothing about pigs and farrow huts but if this will help the little piggies avoid being stepped on, I’m all for them. Hope you’re having a great day, Celi.
Mmmmm a soused sow, WOW. Brown Swiss or Jerseys are so beautiful (not that Daisy isn’t) but small for a family farm. Guernseys give lots of cream, but have huge udders, too. I still think that dairy goats are a good option and goat cheese is wonderful. Nowadays, goat meat is becoming popular. So there would be another source of income. So many choices, eh?
I can’t even sell my pasture raised chickens around here, I am very sure i will not be able to sell goat meat, plus I do not like it myself. Nor am I fond of goats milk. I am happy to have another cow. I do like cows milk. And you are right too, there are many choices. c
I am sure you will make a great decision about a milk cow when you weigh all the pros and cons about which breeds. How exciting to research this all. Of course when you go to get the new cow you will take the fellowship with you, right?
Oh yes darling, you can all ride in the back with TonTon and Tima!.. Boo stays home on those excursions.. c
I thought you meant your opening ‘it’s’ but I should have KNOWN better! That is punctuation, not spelling! 🙂
You guys are all so much more clever than I am. Thank goodness!.. c
You mean, just trying to be smart! 🙂
well of course, that too, it is a given for The fellowship!.. c
Like Kim, I picked up on the “one man” thing on the website. Hah, I thought, and then laughed at the image of Ms C woman-handling two. The udder bra people need a proof reader, and the pig hut people need a ‘it’s 2014’ update… “one person”. Spelling and grammar typos are fine for a friendly blog and Comments Lounge but for businesses… hmmm…. it is fun picking them up 🙂
And, Sheila I’m with you. If I drink even a teeny glass of wine with lunch, I need a snooze.
Guess if the product is good, people aren’t picky about the packaging? (and if they’ve done it this way for years, why change? That attitude seems pretty common)
Goats. They eat everything. You have to keep moving them around and they eat EVERYTHING. Great for poison ivy, briar clearance, running snakes though…then sell them off quickly…they are smart and get into trouble…..(no snorts about we already have some lively ones on the farmy…) Special fences!!!!
We had friends in Tenn. that kept their pigs/hogs outdoors at a distance from the house all year long but it may be colder where you are.
Hope your new help is helpful and congenial!
I so admire your integrity and perseverance. It is a tough life you have chosen. x
Oh dear: cannot contribute an iota to the farmy discussions, but sure loved that ‘awkward’ photo of Queenie and her bobbie – so much so it got pinched 🙂 ! Hope you are happy with your achievements of the day!!
Is that button weed that Sheila is eating? OMG….it is such a pesky weed. The sheep love it and will dig down into the ground to get the roots, even. Not so good in my garden, though. I hate it.
Drunk pigs. Only on your farmy, C.
Sheila sleeping it off–and her buddy Ton keeping an eye out. You were totally blessed when you got him. I couldn’t help but notice the shadow of Queenie’s tail. It must have been a bright, sunshiny day!