“Some old-fashioned things like fresh air and sunshine are hard to beat.
In our mad rush for progress and modern improvements,
let’s be sure we take along with us all the old-fashioned things worthwhile.”
-Laura Ingalls
I’m sorry things have been quiet here on our little blog space – with the gorgeous, but hot, summer weather, the gardens that need tending, the children that are growing and the lifestyle that cannot be ignored, our family finds summer time a very busy season.
However, I did want to share some news … as this is a dream of mine come true …
Folks, we’re not moving forward; we’re moving backwards.
Meet Black Eyed Susan, our new milk cow.
FINALLY. While we have had meat cows in the past (and present), we have not had a true milk cow. After years of begging and dreaming of a milk cow for our family (as we consume a lot of milk and milk products) … we have our special friend … who came to us from a Jersey farm here on the island. She’s lovely, she’s amiable, she’s halter trained and gives the most delicious creamy milk ever.
Welcome to the family, Suzy. You are a WONDERFUL addition!
Our 16 year old has taken on the tasks as milk maid – and she’s doing a fantastic job at it …
{Lovelyn is in charge of raising the beef calf that came with the dairy cow}
We’re milking twice a day, and so far, so good … we are so blessed with this new addition …
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I have had a few people stop our family recently, or visit our little farm, and comment on the children versus their own children … teenagers, they say, are always stuck on their phones, won’t wash the dishes, will NOT help around the house … can I send my children to you to raise?! they jokingly say. “I’ll just drop her off here for a week for boot camp and I’ll take one of yours home!” said one mother, laughingly, as her 15 year old sulked in the car behind us, glued to her cell phone, refusing to come out and meet or talk with us. Well, I wish more parents would see that hard work and a simple life style of non-worldly-flashiness will bring contentment … it will bring out hard work ethics in your children and it will unite you as a family. Start with the little things (which should have been started when the child was young) like making sure your child *IS* doing the dishes, cleaning the house, taking care of the duties at home … and regarding cell phones … if you must give them to your children (of which I would highly advise against — read this article), then I would be setting some *severe guidelines.
Our children are only young once – and we only have one chance at raising them. Let’s give them the best childhood, set with Biblical guidelines, building up hard work ethics and a moral compass that is in tune with their Creator.
Now … back to that cow I was talking about …
… just look at that glorious cream line!
And of course, what does one do with all that delicious cream?
Why, make butter, of course. [Have you noticed the cost of butter lately?]
Thankful for this butter machine, which was a gift from my midwife many years ago.
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And of course, we’re making ice cream, yogurt, sour cream, ricotta, milkshakes … all sorts of treats!
We do also have a few beef cows that we are raising, but nothing can compare to that daily fresh milk.
I must go – we just heard our momma Lowline cow, Fairlight, had her calf! Farm life is never dull and boring … I’m so grateful for this way of living.
by Gigi
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