Re: dry season

[Guest guest]

Hi Judy

I guess it's too late to freeze some? Not all the cows at the farm I

buy milk from are expecting so they will milk a few over the winter. If

it were me I would go back to no dairy while I couldn't get raw. We

were dairy free for years and while I've really gotten used to milk I

could go without for a short time.

[Guest guest]

We don't always have fresh milk, due to the price and the distance we have

to drive to get it. I buy half a gallon at a time about three times a

month, and we can make it last about five days. The rest of the time we

drink water, or I drink iced tea or kombucha. In the meantime for my raw

dairy, I use raw butter and cheese. I just got some extra money so last

time I went I also got some raw cream to put on my oatmeal. You kind of

adapt. In cooking, you can substitute water with a teaspoon of lemon juice

or whey, or use coconut milk.

[Guest guest]

I try and stagger my cows. I had 3

deliver in may/june, they are bred back, have one due December, and 3 in February.

2 open.

If I had a commercial dairy I would

probably due seasonal for a break, and just keep one milking for personal use.

I generally have most of my goats dry for

2-3 months in the winter.

www.MajestyFarm.com

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choose foolishly as well as wisely; freedom to choose evil as well as good;

freedom to enjoy the rewards of good judgment, and freedom to suffer the

penalties of bad judgment. If this is not true, the word " freedom "

has no meaning. – Ben Moreell

From:

frumpyhead

Sent: Monday, November 22, 2004

12:41 PM

To: RawDairy

Subject: dry season

Hello,

The farmer that I get my milk from, through a cow

share plan, says

that for about three months this winter his cow

will be dry. I've

only been drinking fresh raw milk since this

summer, but I'm having a

hard time imagining 3 long months without it!

Do all cows go dry in the winter?

What does everyone else do without fresh milk? I'm

wondering if I

should go back to pasturized from the grocery

store? Also... what

should I do with my kefir this winter? I've

looked online at mailed

raw milk, but I'm not sure I can afford that kind

of expense.

Judy

Ft. Wayne, IN

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[Guest guest]

Judy,

The others have addressed options for not having milk, but I

didn't see a response about all cows going dry in the winter. All cows do

not go dry in the winter. I cow is given a break from milking about 2

months before she is due to calve again. It is too much strain to produce

milk and grow a calf in the late stages of pregnancy. Some farmers try to

time the breeding for spring calving, so the cow has good pasture when she

starts producing milk again. Having the time off from milking during the

winter is nice, too. Winter is a good time for a cow to be dry, the energy

can go into growing the calf and building body condition for calving, plus

it takes more energy to keep warm. Traditional huge dairy herds have cows

at all stages of lactation and some dry, some grass based dairies are

timing breeding so the whole herd is dry from late Dec thru Feb and all

cows have a calf within a month (March). These are management

choices, and it may be that the cow is due in March and the farmer wants

the winter off from milking.

Mike Pasterik

Providence Pastures Farm

Farm Fresh Natural Foods

www.providencepastures.com