Earlier this month we took the girls to Hale Farm and Village see how their great-great-grandparents might have lived. They had fun, but let’s just say by the end of the day they were glad for some of the modern conveniences.
Early in the day, it was a fun time at a farm. Oh look, cows!
And here comes a girl, what’s she doing? The cows seem to know her.
Oh, she’s taking the mommy cow away to be milked. Her name’s Bessie. (The cow, not the girl.)
Captain Jack (that’s the baby cow) followed mom until she went through the fence. Then he stood there and moo-ed for her. I swear it sounded like he was saying, “Mom!” But longer, like, “Maaaaaahhhhhhhhmm!”
We walked around the other side of the barn to watch the milking. On that side there were some sheep.
I’ll bet Kristin knows what kind this is.
“Now girls, you have to be very quiet while she’s milking the cow.”
“But why, daddy? Doesn’t she … Wait … Did that cow just try to kick her?”
“Yes honey, please be quiet now. And remember, when you live on a farm you have to do this every day. And during the school year, you have to get up and do it before you walk to school.”
“?!”
Mmmm, fresh milk.
Although I didn’t see any for sale at the gift shop. I wonder where it goes?
So now they’re pretty sure they don’t want to live on a farm with cows. Next up, we’ll look at some of the common areas: church, school, etc. See how they like those.
Want more like this? For more recipes like this, that you can hold right in your hands, and write on, take notes, tear pages out if you want (Gosh, you're tough on books, aren't you?) you might be interested in How To Cook Like Your Grandmother, 2nd edition, Illustrated. Or to learn your way around the kitchen, check out Starting From Scratch: The Owner's Manual for Your Kitchen.
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16 Comments
Looks like a Tunis, maybe? Except the fleece is kind of long. Maybe a cross. Did they tell you what they were?
You have to milk dairy cows at night, too. Every day, twice a day. And THAT is why we have no dairy animals.
That's how my MOTHER lived, let alone my great-great-grandma. Well, I guess she had different clothes.
Kristin, the only person around was the girl milking the cow. And she was a little busy at the time.
Melissa, God bless people willing to make that kind of commitment when they don't have to. I know I couldn't.
Twice a day every day…I'd like to have a milk cow, maybe a dexter which is more family sized, but I'm not sure I'm up for it either! And once you go for it – you're committed! If you can stand the work. Just like Grandma did…
When something is both cute and cool, it's awwwwwsome. :^) I look forward to further installments.
I like cows. I am, however, fully with your daughters on this point: I do not wish to live With Cows. I can barely water the plants and feed the kittens. Milking twice a day would just put me over the edge;)
We had goats when I was a kid back home in Oregon. I lived with my grandparents on a farm almost every weekend from the day I was born until I was 16 years old. Goats like being milked about as much as bricks like to fly. Goat milk is GREAT for things like icecream, rice pudding, and Italian Hot Chocolate. It tastes really creamy but is really low in fat. We had Peacocks, too. LOTS of them. I didn't sleep very well.
Kate, I have never had straight goat's milk, but I adore goat cheese. It's the best!
Drew, it wasn't a choice for my mom's family; that's how they survived. My grandfather had a horse-drawn plow, they planted about 80 acres, and they kept pigs, chickens, sheep, and, of course, cows. They even took their wheat to the mill, where it was ground for the flour they used all year. My grandmother was a renowned cook, making at least 2 loaves of bread a day, a pan of biscuits, and always some sort of treat for supper. And nothing, absolutely nothing, went to waste.
That's part of why I get annoyed at the of "artisan" when it comes to describe homemade food. Baking bread and raising crops wasn't a hobby for my grandparents; it was an absolute necessity.
Melissa, sorry if it sounded like I was calling their lifestyle a hobby. I guess it really wasn't as long ago as it seems that it wasn't a choice for some people.
No worries, Drew, no offense taken! The hobby part I was referring to was more a today thing, when people get all uppity with their "artisan bread" and "rustic pies" and "heirloom veggies" and such. I'm not articulating this well at all, but that kind of terminology devalues rather than promotes, because it sets essential food and skills in the realm of hobby. All IMO, of course. And again, not well articulated.
Artisan means they can charge high prices. If you do it to survive then in our culture it is devalued. Very strange values our culture has.
Sheila, that's so true. Hard work is only valued if you don't really need to do it.
I have been really busy. But my grandma and great grandma would be so proud of me. Today alone I have put up 21 quarts of pears with ginger, 22 half pints of pear butter, and 4 pints of pear sauce. Last week did 3 bushels of apples for apple sauce, apple butter, apple slices in syrup, apple pie filling. Did some strawberry and blueberry jam already earlier this summer. I am sore and achy but it is worth it.
We have a jersey cow and she is a beautful animal. And yes it is twice a day. We get about a gallon and a half durning the summer and less than a gallon in the winter. So to keep from drowning in milk I make butter, cream, yoghurt and cheeses. I would love to get an alpaca just for the fleece. I am a knitter but the thought of spinning and cleaning the fleece is just mind boggling right now.
It is fun to see and read what your daughters think of the farm! Yes life is alot easier now than it was then!
Okay, you win. Good grief, is that all grown on your property? That is [checking the calculations ...] at least three-and-a-half assloads of pears. I'll bet I know what your family gets for Christmas.
yes all on my property! Good God NO! I went to a pick your own farm. Had fun but I hate growing fruit trees. Will gladly pay someone else to grow them and pick it myself. And no they are not christmas gifts. I tend to sell what we do not need. Which works out good as I have spending money for the next year of stuff! Yarn basically.
Wow, what a great place. When I was in elementary school we were taken to a working historic village. We had to wear the clothes, do the chores, go to school (putting our lunch in pails & writing on chalkboards). I remember it vividly to this day and that was 15-20 years ago now. What a great experience for your kiddos!