Saturday, May 28, 2005

hand milking

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Hardly anyone does hand milking anymore, except perhaps for goats. This farmer kindly demonstrated how it's done. The historic Teeple 16-sided barn was open for touring, and this farmer brought a dairy cow and calf, some chickens, a sheep and other animals. He was very warm and patient with the children, who were transfixed in wide eyed wonder at the sight of "exotic" farm animals. His face shows the effects of time and weather, and his physique tells of a stocky strength built by the nature of his work and not a conscious regimen of working in a gym. If you stop into the small family restaurant in DeKalb, you'll find it full of patrons who resemble this man. Big men doing big work.

3 comments:

btezra said...

~"nothing left to do but smile, smile, smile"~

Juli said...

Hand milk a cow is on my life's list of things to do. Wish I could have been on your excursion this day!

Anonymous said...

Have hand milked a Jersey for over five (5) years. And am now hand milking another Jerset again ! And you should see the smile on my face and the smile on the Jersey's face as I milk her !