I had this neat idea of taking pictures of all the cows so you could see who I am talking about when I talk about them, but then I couldn't get them to load on here.  So I am trying to do it another way.  I may delete the whole thing!  

This is Daisy. 

She is the cow we are milking right now.  She doesn't give a lot, about 3 gallons a day.   For the most part she is easy to handle and doesn't kick.... at least very often. 

Then there is Vallie, short for Valentine.  When she was tiny she had a perfect heart on her face.  It was also Feb when we got her so.... her name. 

She is the one due to calve in 2 days.  Here is a better picture of her udder.  

I am very thankful I have a milking machine.  When I first started milking her I milked by hand.  I would fill a 3 gallon milk bucket and not get her cleaned out.  She had to have two calves just to keep the production up. 

One of my son's favorite happenings with this cow is my colostrum bath.  She had just freshened  and I was milking just as I finished and went to move the bucket she moved her leg the colostrum when up out and covered me from the top of my head down.  In case you don't know the best description of colostrum is Eagle Brand Milk, it is STICKY and gooey.  I took a shower clothes and all!  

On to my milk cow in the making.  This is Noisy.  She came as a baby calf when I bought Daisy.  She isn't as gently as I would like.  I didn't mess with her enough.  She is coming around and has stopped kicking.  I'm not sure when she is due, but sometime this spring. 

Then there is Baby who is in a class all by her self. 

This old cow wrote the book on opening gates that are suppose to be closed, being where she shouldn't be and just generally being a pain.  The flip side of that is she is just about bomb proof.  She is the one I am teaching the 11 yo to milk.  She doesn't kick, doesn't spook.  Doesn't lead, doesn't herd.... you get the picture.  She is old and only has three teats but I guess a keeper.  

Now you have been introduced to the milk herd.  I have one more that is a sorta milk cow.  She really looks the part of a nice jersey/brown swiss. I bought her fresh, but not being fed milk cow feed just on grass.  She never developed into the milk cow I would have liked.  We are going to give her one more chance this time when she freshens. Starting her out keeping the calf off and feeding her milk cow rations.