I heart you missy.......your welcome here anytime.....

I am not sure who this is directed at......But I totally agree.....I have always said that people can believe anything they want....And as such that I am given the same courtesy. For myself also I always tell people that I am not their judge.....

God bless you also.

The man looked around and said, 'God let me see you.' And a star shined brightly.

But the man did not see.

And, the man shouted, 'God show me a miracle.' And, a life was born.

But, the man did not notice.

So, the man cried out in despair, 'Touch me God, and let me know you are here.'

Whereupon, God reached down and touched the man. But, the man brushed the butterfly away

And walked on.

I found this to be a great reminder that God is always around us in the little and simple things that we take for granted ...

Even in our electronic age.

So I would like to add one more:

The man cried, 'God, I need your help!' And an e-mail arrived reaching out with good news and encouragement.

But, the man deleted it and continued crying

Don't miss out on a blessing because it isn't packaged the way that you expect.

Milking
Let me try to tell you how to milk, or at least how I do it here at Walter's dairy. There are two ways to milk. You might think, the right way and my way. This is not what I was thinking. There is the morning milking, and the afternoon milking. 2am and 2pm.
Let me start with the morning milking. The alarm goes off at 1;32am. It is important that I go to the bathroom. If I skip this step, like most any step in the milking process, the whole thing will not work smoothly. Then I get in to my morning milking cloths. I have morning milking cloths, and afternoon milking cloths. They have some common garments, but for the morning milking it is very cold outside, and also dark. So extra layers of warm cloths, and the rechargeable flashlight has to be picked up just before I go out the door, but I am not ready yet to go out the door. I need to pour my coffee. The big cup is there and the coffee was brewed five minuets before the alarm went off, so it is all ready. (I awoke to the smell of the coffee if I missed the sound of the alarm. When the coffee maker comes on, a fan also starts. Between them I wake.) This has to be preset before I ever go to bed. So coffee in hand, and all dressed for the cold, check the time, if it is too early yet, good time to read just a little in the Bible and maybe pray, if not in writing on the computer, at least one-on-one with the Lord. 1;55am I head out the door.
Grab the rechargeable flash light on the way out the door and go straight over to the milking barn. Turn on the lights to the milk room. Check to be sure the pipe is set to go in to the tank, not still in the wash and circulate position. Check to be sure the bucket was taken down to the pump, and the stainless bucket is down in the milking parlor, ready for use. Check the cooler and make sure the hoses at the bottom are connected. These things should have been done the night before, but it is best to check and be sure everything is in its place. I go through the door into the milking parlor room, turn on the light. The door to let the cows out has to be opened, so after they are milked they won't run into a closed door. Then down the stairs, check the pump, valve in the milking position, and the short white cork in place, the bucket is ready to catch the milk when clean up starts, all seals good, look for anything out of place. Then I head down to the milking area. My coffee cup goes on the chair after a big swig. Then I push the "remove" button of each of the twelve milkers, six to a side. Open the two doors the cows come through from the holding pen. In the morning all the suction cups should be in the ready position, they where all made ready the night before. I check, look for anything out of place. Check the gates; the gates to leave the milkers has to be shut on both sides, and the two to let the cows into the milkers have to be open. Then I go out in to the holding pen, walk along the side, make sure all the gates are open for the cows to come in. As we milk we push the cows forward and shut gates behind them, they all have to be open to start the milking. I turn on the incandescent light as the florescent lights are not working. Then I head over to the dry cows. I'm looking for new calves, mothers about to calve, or anything out of sorts. It was at this point that Bob saw the lights on over at Rick's trailer and went over to investigate. I look for anything not as it should be at two in the morning. This is an area where the flash light comes in to play. It is a lot like the night nurse coming around, making sure everyone is asleep and where they belong.
After checking the dry cows, it is back to the mouth of the calve pen. Every gate has to be open so the cows can go right in. Now we are ready to herd the cows in. I whistle in order to move the cows, Bob shouts, I whistle, always have, it works for me. In the morning the first tune I whistle is always revelry. I work along the west side, going north, whistling as I go, check the waterer at the north west corner, whistle to the cows and make sure they all get to their feet as I pass. Along the north side working to the east, over to the fence, before I cross the fence I make sure all on this side are headed in. They know where to go, we do this same drill every Morning at 2am. Then check the waterer straddling the fence, cross the fence and whistling an upbeat sort of tune, push the cows along towards the barn. Flashlight in hand, always checking for new-borns. They don't belong over here, but sometimes a calf will be born in the production cow’s pen. I also check the heifer pen as I work back south along the east side, The heifers are all bread, they are supposed to go to the dry cow pen to have their young, but with fifty bread heifers you’re wise to look for newborn calves. Whistling as I go, there is always a group at the hay manger on the south east corner, make sure they are headed in, these are the night owls, the ones who like to go get a late night snack. They realize by doing this just before milking that it will get them into the barn last. There are some cows who like to be last, and there are others who are always waiting for me to open the gate so they can be first in. Whistle while you work, a joyful tune as they all head in to the barn. Checking always to be sure none are behind you, and nothing out of place. This is a good time for morning prayer. It takes practice to be able to whistle and pray at the same time, but I assure you it can be done.
With all the cows in front of you, looking forward to getting milked, get through the holding pen gate, shut it and chain it. They won't be up against it now, but after they are milked, it will hold them from coming back in, and it is a safeguard, if the electric line doesn’t hold them in. Next the eclectic line, Billy always puts it away in the wrong way, but it is there, stretch it across and check the charger to be sure it is live. Then I walk along the walk way at the edge, past the waiting cows, down in to the milking area. Check to be sure there are six to a side. Close the gates so they won't back out and no more will come in before I need them.
I then head up in to the milk room, double check be sure the pump is all ready, check the out going door, make a mental note to turn on the water as I return, is everything ready in here?
In the milk room I double check the pipe, make sure the milk will go in the tank and not on the floor, as it would if the pipe was left in the clean out mode. Turn on the water to the cooler. I have to get a bucket to stand on to do this, the bucket will come in handy right there later anyway. Then back to the parlor, turn on the milking pump, three way switch, don't want to turn it to wash. It is on the off mode when I get there. Turn it to Milk, to the west. Then turn on the water, down the stairs, check the pump, the receiver, the out going door, a swig a coffee as I pass, and we are ready to milk.
The first cows to be hooked up, have a little different procedure then other others to follow. The milkers are all hanging upside down with no strings attached. They have to be removed from the hook, inverted and I place the suction cups on the tits, doing the far back one first and the far front one next, the near rear and the near front. The reason for the order is kicking. You put the cups on first witch will make the cow kick on the far side. It saves me from getting kicked. Attach the string, and on to the next cow. After all twelve are hooked up, go along and hit the Auto bottom on each of the units, the red and green lights will come on, this will pull the milkers off when each cow is finished being milked.
I then go up to the milk room and be sure the milk is not going on the floor, check the cooler and be sure the milk coming out is cooler then the milk going in, the water is turned on, check to be sure nothing is out of place, there shouldn't be, but I check just in case.
Then it is back to the cows. It isn't a requirement of milking, but every morning at this time I have a big swig of coffee, it seems to make the whole process go better.
As each cow is finished, a light will go off on the unit, showing there is no longer a flow of milk, then the unit will continue to milk her for 30 seconds, then the milker will be pulled off by the string, the suction will stop. When this happens I have to go and check the cow, feel each of the four quarters and be sure she has milked out, if not, put the milker back on, if she is milked out I spray the utter with iodine, enough so it will drip from each of the four tits. The whole side has to be done before they can be released. If there is extra time it is a good time to spray feet with tetracycline, a spray for foot rot. Also in the last week I have been trimming the tails, making the cows look better, and cleaner, and it makes it a lot easier to get at the utter. A Pair a scissors is there for the purpose.
When the side is all finished, checked and sprayed, open the out-going gate and release them. Wait till all are out, close the gate, go open the in coming gate, and about a third of the time six will come right in without being asked, if they don't go out and convince then to come in and get milked. As it gets later, and the more reluctant cows come in, it takes more convincing.
As the cows come in, watch for specialty cows. These are new mothers still giving colostrum, and medicated cows, they have an orange grease crayon mark on their utters and a red leg band, medicated cows that can not under any circumstances go in to the tank, have two leg bands on each leg. If a specialty cow comes through, also know as a bucket cow, the bucket has to be placed between the unit and the cow. This is done by removing the milk hose from the unit and placing it on the bucket, then taking the hose from the bucket and placing it on the unit. This will simply let the milk drop in to a bucket before going into the pipeline to be taken to the tank. After a specialty or bucket cow, the milker has to be rinsed out, and the bucket removed. The bucket has to be emptied if there are more going to go into the bucket.
The cycle continues for 136 cows, or until there are no more, as it gets harder to get them to come in, go out and push them forward with a whistle or a shout and close a gate behind them. It is good to talk nicely to them in the catch pen, they are about to be milked and the happier they are the more milk they will give. Hook up the suction cups, far ones first. Check each cow, all four quarters, replace the milker as needed, and spray all four quarters with Iodine, watch for leg bands and any sick cows. The cycle is a pleasant one going on for about two hours. There is time for contemplation and prayer. Plenty of time for witnessing if anyone is in helping me milk.
During the milking, it is good to hold back the right number of cows so at the end there will be a full six to get milked, this is done by closing the out going gate and keeping back the desired number of cows. Then at the end you are left with twelve cows. Some new milkers and others that are reluctant to go through for their own reasons. With a full parlor the cows can't move around with the milkers on, if you try to milk less then six on a side there is nothing to keep them from backing up. This wouldn't be a problem with the early cows, who all seem to look forward to being milked and getting back out. But the late ones will back and play games if given the opportunity.
When I get down to the last set, six to a side, I start the cleaning process. One with many steps. Each has to be done in order. The first step is, as each milker is finished being used, it gets hung upside down from a hook, making sure it is positioned so it will drain. The washing cups are put on each of the suction cups. This will allow water, soap and chlorine to circulate through the system and clean it. The milkers must be washed down as the washing cups are being placed.
One concern when thinking about hooking up the wash gear, don't forget the cows. Every cow still has to be checked, and the milker replaced if need be, and each quarter needs the iodine spray. It is easy to forget about the last cows, and concentrate of hooking up the wash cups. The cows are the livelihood, the bed and butter, they all need to be checked, and these last ones are often new milkers and cows in pain for one reason or another, that is why they are last, so it is important to check them before hooking up the washer.
After all twelve milkers are hooked to the washing cups, the last twelve cows can be released. The gates have to be set, the out going gates closed, and the in-coming gates open, ready for the next milking. The doors the cows come in have to be closed, as well as the man door into the holding pen. Then pick up the Stainless bucket and the coffee cup and head for the tank room. The stainless bucket is placed near the cooler, two buckets are places under the cooler, the water to the cooler needs to be turned off. The hose under the cooler needs to be separated and drained in to the waiting buckets. Then back to the milk pump on the other side of the door, hit the receiver empty switch, hold it till you hear the receiver empty, and then hold it another ten seconds or so. Now turn off the main milk pump, it is on the same panel. Then I go back in to the tank room and take the top off the stainless bucket, place it in the sink with the hose hooked to the suction port. I put the plug in the sink and turn on hot and cold water to fill the sink. Then back out in to the Parlor, hit start on each of the units, and come back to the receiver. The valve is turned straight up and down for the wash position and the filter is removed and the filter chamber washed and put back together. The black bucket should be full of milk now if everything is going right. The milk in the black bucket is what drained back down the pipeline when the pump was turned off. Grab that, and the filter with spring and end, and bring that with you back to the tank room, on the way turn off the water to the parlor. Place the black bucket under the cooler. The sink should be nearly full, if it is full turn off the water, then climb up on the tank and remove the pipe going into the tank and refasten it to the circulate line. Bring the pipe with you to the sink. Then check your self, you are going to start putting water through the system, make sure everything is in place, the pipe is in the circulate mode, the valves under the cooler are open, the return for the wash water is in the far sink, is everything ready to wash? Get as many calf bottles as you need and fill them before the wash water dilutes the milk. Fill them with colostum from the stainless if you have it. Then go out to the pump panel and turn the pump to wash, to the east. The water in the sink will be sucked through the lines, through to milkers and will come out into the far sink. Empty the black bucket into the calf feeding buckets, and place it under the return line. Stand by the cooler hoses, when the water comes through is will come with a blast, with the milk coming first. Make sure it goes into the calf feeding buckets, and then when the return comes, soon after, make sure is goes into the black bucket, this will be milk first, it will be the last milk you will get to feed the calves. When the milky water is clear, turn the hoses under the cooler off. As the rinse water is going through, take the cup from the sink and fill it with soap from the closet, the middle tank in the closet is the soap. When you get back to the sink with that all the water should have been sucked up. Go and shut off the wash pump, came back and take the cork out of the sink, drain it, and replace the cork. Turn the water on all hot. Take the cup and go to the closet and fill it with chlorine, the tank to the east, place that on the hand washing sink, and finish filling the calf buckets. When the sink has enough for the pump to suck, make sure the return hose is back into the sink with the water in it, and go turn on the wash pump. As soon as the water starts returning, and the water is circulating, turn off the hot water, take the calf buckets and the bottles and go feed the calves. This is the heaviest part of the job, taking two full five gallon buckets across the yard to the calves. The bottles can float in the milk. Put the Buckets down at the near end of the calf hatches, before doing the bucket feeding, place the bottles in the bottle calves milk buckets, this way you won't put milk in there bucket as you work along the line, it also gives the shoulders a chance to rest after carrying the buckets across the yard. Then came back and take a bucket, put about a quart in each calf bucket. There is enough in one five gallon bucket to do the front row and three off the back row. Then return and get the other bucket, start where you left off, and finish out the back row, or till you get to the weaning calves. If you have given the right amount to each, there should be a few inches of milk left in the bottom of the bucket. Go over to the hydrant and fill the bucket with water, diluting the remaining milk. Take this and feed it to the weaning calves.
Then return the bucket to the starting point and go and feed the bottle calves, always trying to teach them to drink out of the bucket. When they are done, I am cold and wet from the spilt milk. Then return to the tank room with the bottles, caps removed, in the five gallon buckets. Look at the thermometer in the wash water, if it is down below 100 degrees, the return hose can be moved to the drain sink, and the out going water can be used to rinse the two five gallon buckets and the bottles, and the stainless bucket and the black bucket. The bottles go back in the other room on the window sill, and the stainless gets turned over and put on the draining rack. Use the drain water to wash the floor, any spilt milk, fill the buckets and use that water to wash all behind the tank and in the alley. The five gallon buckets get turned over on the drying rack. When the water in the sink gets down so the pump won't take any more, go out and turn off the wash pump. Return and pull the cork in the sink, drain it and start the water on hot and cold. Place the return hose in the drain sink. Put the waiting Chlorine in the sink, and when it is full enough for the pump to take water, turn on the wash pump. The system will fill with water/chlorine mix, when the water starts coming out the return, turn off the water. Use the chlorine water to wash down the dairy. When the sink is down where the dump won't suck, turn off the pump. Pull the cork in the sink. Make sure every thing on the sink will drain, the hose on the top of the stainless bucket, and the pipe for the tank, then go out to the far end of the catch pen and turn off the incandescent light, come back and turn off the parlor light, grab the coffee cup (witch has been washed at some point in all this) and turn off the tank room lights, return to the house, and before getting too far in to the house, replace the rechargeable flash light in the plug. Then take off the milking cloths, keeping them separate from any other cloths, and it is time for a shower.
Afternoon milking
The Afternoon Milking starts at 1:45PM. Once again I have to be in the right cloths. They are not the heavy, cold weather, cloths of the morning milking. The outside layer is composed of the same manure covered shell. I have to be all hydrated when I go out. There is no coffee in the afternoon milking.
I go out to the Tank room first. The barn is not set up like it is for the morning. I have to put the pipe in the milk tank and connect the hoses under the cooler. The spring to mount the filter on is in the sink. I have to get a new filter, from the rack next to the door, and install it on the spring with the ends witch is also in the sink. I put the top on the stainless bucket; take the Stainless the filter and the black bucket down to the receiver pump. On the receiver pump there is a cylinder for the filter. I have to dismantle that, put the filter in and reassemble it. Then I have to go along the milkers and take the cups off each of the four suction cups on each of the twelve milkers, six to a side. Then go back through and hang the washing cups, then go through one more time and hit the “remove” bottom on each of the twelve units. I open the in-coming doors for the cows, and make sure to out going gates are closed. The in-coming gates have to be opened. Then I go out through the catch pen, opening all the gates so the cows can come right in.
I then go over to the dry cows, any new calves have to be taken to the calf hutches, and their mothers have to be brought across and banded on the legs. This can take some time with all the gates that have to be moved to bring a cow across. If there are no calves it saves quite a bit of time in the afternoon.
I am now ready to herd the cows in. I open the last gate between them and the holding pen, and make the same pattern I make for the morning milking, today being Sunday I whistled the songs we song in church. One good thing about whistling for the cows, I haven't yet heard a complaint. I check for calves in the heifer pen, as well as any in the production cow’s pen. In the day I am less apt to find a calf, it is light and someone else would have most likely seem it before me, and cows don't usually have their young in the day light hours.
I make sure I got them all in. It is again a good time to practice whistling and praying to God at the same time. There are the snow caped Rockies for a back drop as well as the Big Thompson River working it's way down the valley, there is much to be thankful for.
With all the cows in the holding pen, the gate closed and chained, the electric wire across, I head back to the milking parlor. I close the gates behind the cows in the milkers. Make sure there are six on each side. Then go down through the parlor. Turn the valve on the receiver to the “milking” position, horizontal. Open the out-going door so the cows can get out after being milked, and go into the tank room. Check to be sure the pipe is going into the tank, don't want milk on the floor. Then I turn on the water to the cooler. I go out and towards the parlor, on the way I turn on the milking pump, make sure it is on “milk” and not on “wash”. Then I turn on the water for the parlor. I am now ready to milk. The first twelve are like the first twelve in the morning. Each has the milker inverted in the washout position. It has to be inverted. The 'Start' button pushed and the suction cups placed on the cow's tits. The far rear is placed first, working to the front and near. The hoses have to be hung on the movable hook. This will line up the milker, and keep the hoses out of the way. Then the string has to be put on each milker. If the string is forgotten and the 'Auto' button is pushed, then when the cow’s milk stops flowing, the suction will stop to the suction cups and the whole milker will fall on the floor under the cow’s rear feet. With all the milkers on the cows and all the strings attached, it is time to go check the tank room. The most crucial thing is to check if the milk is going in the tank, and if the milk is being cooled by the cooler. Then I head back down to the parlor, and go through hitting 'Auto' on each of the units. I check to be sure the strings are attached as I push the button.
We have only one bull. He does not need to be milked, but he does come in and go through the parlor with his girls. He is most often one of the first twelve to come through. So if he comes through, it is a good idea to take the milker down just like you are going to milk him, and put the string on it, don't put it on him, he wouldn’t like that, but make sure the milkers is ready like the others so it won't be an anomaly later.
As a cow gets finished she needs to be checked out. Feel all four quarters, make sure she has been milked out, any milk left in there runs to possibility of spoiling and giving the cow a condition referred to as mastitis. Each of the four tits needs to be sprayed with iodine, enough to make each tit drip. At the bottom end of each tit is the aperture where the milk comes out, if there is a drip left there, it will be right where the hole is, and do the most good. All the iodine that is sprayed on the utter does very little good, it is the droplet on the end of the tit over the opening the milk comes form, that does all the good.
When a side of six cows are all finished, checked and sprayed, I open the out-going gate, make sure they all get out, close that gate and open the in-coming gate. If I have some thing else to do, I do it while the cows come in. If I am waiting for them, I go out and hurry them along. Then I close the in-coming gate, and start placing the milkers. The incoming gate can wait to be closed. Often I start putting the milkers on before all six cows are in place. The incoming gate does have to be closed however before the out going gate is opened. If they are opened at the same time, or if the in-coming is mistakenly left open, and the out going is opened, the cows will come in, and keep right on going. They will pass right through the parlor and never get milked. Once they are through and out with the already milked cows, it is all but impossible to tell witch ones they are, or to get them to come back in without getting everyone to come back in. So it is a good idea to milk them all, make sure your in-coming gate is closed before you let the cows out.
The pattern repeats, time and again, for two hours or more. I keep an eye out for specialty cows, ones with leg bands or orange marks. There are a few cows who only have three working tits. When one of these come through, a cork has to be placed in the extra suction cup. The extra cup is them put over the others to keep it out of the manure on the floor.
Bucket cows need the bucket placed in the line so the milk won't go into the pipe line leading in to the tank. When ever the bucket is installed in the line, the 'Manual' button must be depressed. The milk is bypassing the sensor that activates the release mechanism. The units will sense there is no milk coming, and it will drop the milker. With the Manual button pushed, you have to come along and hit the 'Remove" button for the milker to come off.
In the after noon, after clean up, it is always a good idea to make sure everything is as ready as can be for the morning milking. One day a week, Bob does the morning milking, He wants to find everything all set and ready to go. If any thing unforeseen should come up, and he should do the morning milking, it is good to have it all as it should be. At the pipes in the ready position, all the valves set to go, any thing like the filter for the milk, that can be done after milking, is done before the job in finished.
Afternoon milking happens at 2pm. There is a good chance that company will be there for at least a part of the milking. Even if a friendly girl comes to see how it is all done, be sure it is all done before you leave the barn for the afternoon.
The calf feeding in the afternoons is warm and delightful. It is a good time to get pictures of the calves learning to feed and of me teaching them to drink from the buckets.

Good morning, JB.

Hope you have a good day today.

We did not get snow after all

Looks like it will be quite mild for the next few days, perhaps a little warmer than average temps.

Amen

Thank You JB...for that nicely spoken prayer...and thank you Lord for always being there to hear our prayers.

I feel that this will be a good year...I entered it joyfully (talking happily with someone I met online ) and something inside me has this positive feeling that it will be a good...if not verrrryyyyy bussyyy year. So I thank thee Lord for giving me this hope and joy I feel right now (with maybe a little smart hesitation ). I pray that in both my personal and career life good things will happen whatever they may be. I pray the same thing for all my friends here on Just Say Hi, I thank you Lord for their friendship and the strength to be able to make friends on line and to trust in You enough that you guide me through this process...you guide us ALL through this process. For those of you who have found your other, I thank God for your happiness and joy.

With Love I ask of Thee Lord, My Savior, My Heart, My Soul guider and love. Amen, Tiffany

Aye I agree with feralcatlady...it is His choice...I respect all walks of life

Thank you for your sweet prayer Tiffany.

Hope you are having a good day, especially if you have started back to work, after a lovely long weekend.

Hi, JB I was thinking were you reading 'Hebrews" with your coffee this morning?

Good Morning Britty, Tiff, JB

I now officially know how to milk a cow....giggle.

Have a blessed day all my friends......



And always remember


Who Heart Ya



Me.....thats who

Hi Debs,

We know you us

The first day back after the long weekend was pretty good.

hello everyone

The armour is for the battle of prayer. The armour is
not to fight in, but to shield us while we pray, prayer
is the battle.

Oswald Chambers (1874-1917)

thank you britty........As usual just when I need an inspiration.........my gal pal comes through....thanks

hey my fellow christians just thought I stop thru and see whats going on in here

Hey revolution.....Happy you decided to come check it out....

Make yourself comfy.......hands revolution a mocha frap....and enjoy sweets.

thank you so much...Im happy I found some christians on this site...Im pretty excited to be here

Welcome Revolution. Hope you will come in an chat anytime.



Did you have a good New Year's?

Hugs



It’s wond’rous what a
hug can do. A hug can
cheer you when you’re blue. A
hug can say, “I love you so”
or, “Gee I hate to see you go”.
A hug is, “Welcome back again!”
and “Great to see you!” or
“Where’ve you been?”A hug can
soothe a small child’s pain and
bring a rainbow after rain. The
hug! There’s just no doubt
about it, we scarcely could
survive without it. No longer
do you have to worry, for a hug
is the way to say “I’m sorry.”
A hug delights and warms and charms,
it must be why we all have arms.
Hugs are great for Fathers and
Mothers sweet for Sister, swell
for Brothers. Chances are some
favorite Aunts love them more
than potted plants. Kittens
crave them. Puppies love them.
Heads of State are not above
them.A hug can break the
language barrier and make the
dullest day seem merrier. No
need to fret about the store of
‘em. The more you give the more
there are of ‘em. So stretch
those arms without delay, and
GIVE SOMEONE A HUG TODAY!

Well I am happy you found us......I will promise only one thing......You will love each and every person here......really truly some Godly inspiration pals here.....And I'm smiling ear to ear that you came to check it out....

Please anything you would like to talk about......or discuss please do so.........

and I have to do this....


Remember


I






You.