2006-05-02 - 10:22 a.m.

Second & Third Milking

Quote for the day: "Our patience will achieve more than our force."
-Edmund Burke

So with my new adjustments to my milk stand I took on the second & third day with only about 5 hours of sleep the first day and 6 hours the second. Trying to get into the habit of going to bed early is tough for me. I enjoy my quiet time at night when everyone is asleep. It’s hard to get up in the morning but when I am up its really nice and quiet too and it’s the cool part of the day.

I get a lot of stuff done besides milk the goat I open the fence to the chicken coop and feed the rams and have some breakfast. I get up around 6:30am to get dressed drink some coffee with a slice of toast and get the cleaning mixture for the goats teats ready.

I tried this time to not use the hobble but after only 5 secs I knew this was not a possibility. She kept trying to stick her foot in the pail. It was goat hobble time. She bucked/kicked a couple of times, once she ended up on top of the side ramp I had to put the pail down and get her down.

Finally in determination after putting back on the goat hobble after so many times I looked at her she looked at me and I held her down with my left hand on her back rump and I started to milk her with my right hand and I started singing to her. “Barges I would like to go with you, I would like to sail the ocean blues, Barges are there treasures in your hold do you fight with pirates brave and bold…hahaha

Ok so I learned this song in the girl scouts but it seemed to work and I got into a rhythm of milking her. She started to eat again. YES!

The second day went about the same except this time she didn’t end up on top of the rail. I was proud at both times to get about a quart of milk exactly! Can I measure or what!

After filtering them and cooling off I put it in a glad ziplock bag to freeze. I have asking the goat boards on suggestions on how to defrost them correctly so we will see.

I am having to milk just one teat at a time to hold her down with the other hand, its time consuming and I am not getting any practice with my left hand. I am hoping in time she will settle down enough and get into routine that she will let me milk with two hands.

I am also thinking of bringing a radio in because it’s tough on my throat I wonder if she will like classical music. Having to struggle with her I am hoping it will get better because it’s tiresome and it’s taken the fun out of milking her.

I find it a patient job to do, and Lord knows I need to practice on my patience.

First Milking - End of the week Milking