Milk Share Program
I have the benefit of being more of a third party observer to my wife Kayla as she handles the actual milking and day to day aspect of managing our quickly growing milk cow herd. Not every day with the cows is filled with laughter and flowing milk, yet Kayla’s patience with the animals and her thirst for understanding more about them is an ever present example of patience in learning a new trade the traditional way.
please message us directly to be put on the reserve list, that way we don’t miss anyone interested.
Let’s meet the ladies:
Ruby
Good ol’ Ruby was our first dairy cow, and she is a willful pill. Strong personality with some solid Karen vibes, she runs the herd with her full sized Jersey hips and opinion.
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Bella
Bella was given to us after a couple had to release her for personal reasons. She is a miniature Jersey and as sweet as a cup of sugar. She is due to calf in February and we are all very excited to see it happen, because right now she is about as round as she is tall.
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Gouda
Gouda was also given to us after her owner simply didn’t have enough room anymore and had to make the decision to get her a new family. She is our current people cow that gets all the pets and attention because she doesn’t cause any problems.
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Cozy
Cozy was retrieved from Redding and has been a great addition to the herd. She is not very kid friendly, but she really loves getting scratches and affection from the adult version.
Herdsharing
The concept of a herdshare is initially an odd one because the average individual would assume farm products can be produced and sold on a farm without concern, but that is incorrect (according to the government). Herdshares allow people that do not have access to their own farm to become invested shareholders in a herd, thus allowing them to have access to what their herd produces, in this instance it is milk.
Buying into our herdshare requires the understanding that some days, or maybe even weeks, there will not be milk available, AND you still have to pay for that share that month. Does paying for something and not receiving anything suck? Well of course it does, but it happens very rarely. Our jersey girls have high production days and low production days, they have cycles that also affect their milk output (and mood!), and there is also calf sharing to consider when they calf. They are living creatures and treated as such.
What our herdshare members do receive for their understanding and support of our homestead is one or more shares of milk, which come in a half gallon Ball jar, unpasteurized and with a definitive cream line visible to the naked eye. Our cows are fed on pasture during the summer and fall, and hay during the winter and spring.