FIRST GLASS OF MILK.
This past week has been the start of a new journey for me - milking a cow. We are sharing a lovely lady named Lily with our Bugtussle family, and she calved a little over a week ago. Cher and I have both been at every milking, morning and night, trying to figure out this new routine and rhythm. It has been difficult and educational - and I just now feel myself understanding the flow, the muscles, and the energy needed for the task. You can read Cher's thoughts about it here. Soon, I will take over a few milkings a week on my own, but for now we both have been working at it together. We've worked through enormous rock-hard udders and weirdly small teats and mastitis fears. Slowly but surely, we are getting it.I love it. I love resting my head against Lily's warm body, I love watching the little calf sleep near her mother's head, I love the calm and stillness and magic of it. I can't wait to be better, quicker and stronger - without the sore hands! But I love it still.I will take pictures of sweet Lily soon, but lately I've been too busy trying to get the process down. I did snap a good one, though, of the view from where I milk.- Hannah.
LITTLE SEED FARM HERD SHARE.
This winter we made some great new farmer friends, James and Eileen of Little Seed Farm outside of Nashville in Lebanon, Tn. (Remember all their amazing animals?) They run a small, natural farm there, punctuated by a brilliant herd of dairy goats from which they will be offering a herd share of raw milk cheese and yogurt this year. And we are thrilled to announce that we will be helping them with this operation! For twenty weeks, starting May 18th, we will be passing out their herd share at the West Nashville Farmer's Market, Saturdays at Richland Park.If you are interested in signing up, please read more about the share here. For what amounts to less than ten dollars a week, you get delicious cheese and yogurt from a responsible and blossoming young farm. Please join us in supporting these wonderful people in their hard work!- Jesse & Hannah.
Bottom photo by Little Seed.
THIS & THAT.
Some random photos from the past week.
We get milk from Amish neighbors, and we keep it cold in the creek.
Finding treasures on a walk.
Planting strawberries with the Smiths (and with little monkeys on our backs).
Opal and her dandelion bouquet.
Found along the creek's edge.
We planted our fig trees!
Ira's growing ducklings.