My Morning Cow Milking Routine // Homesteading

[@bloomon40]

I’ve bought raw milk for 10 years. I’ve watched homesteading for years as a dreamer. NO one teaches more or better than you do!

[@SawdustmakerLori]

Loved seeing what goes into having milk cows! It's a gigantic amount of work but I can understand your reasoning for doing it. What Adam said at the end was SO true too!!!

[@charleslapp887]

For what it is worth, you are doing pretty much exactly what many of us were doing 50 years ago. Back then it was just how rural life was lived. Our families weren't trying to be simpler or getting back to anything, it is just how life was lived. We milked 4-7 cows all the time and sold the milk in gallon glass jars. We would sell 40-50 gallons a day that way. Our setup was a little different but basically the same thing. Fantastic that you are embracing this lifestyle.

[@PentaRaus]

Thx for sharing.

[@MrsBrit1]

Your cows are so loved and cared for! 💙💙 If only all dairy farming was done so ethically....

[@AnneofAllTrades]

Thank you! I do too :)

[@alicialebron8755]

​@user-ge8id8vx9t more you milk the more often they will produce and the amount will increase. Thats usually the same for any mammal

[@jackiegammon2065]

Enjoyed watching this video!! I'm always saddened that so many dairy farmers simply closed down because of the cost of milk. I love the fact that you care for your cows and treat them well. Here's to hoping that it goes well for you!!

[@farmerjacob]

What a beautiful milking operation you have there

[@fasx56]

Ann, Few people in this generation want to live on a small farm and raise animals and maybe chickens it is just way to much work. If a person was raised on a small farm and then decides to continue the life style it is much easier, they already know how much time it takes day to day to keep the farm functioning. I was raised on a small farm in the 1950s and 60s so I know how much time it takes to make it work. I do not know when you decided to take up this life style but you seem to be very knowledgeable as to what it takes to keep a farm going. This is what America was like from the early years of it's founding , most people lived pretty close to the earth then the modern era came. In the videos of Ukraine, Russia and other Eastern Block Countries on the evening news so much lately, small farm living, cows, chickens and cattle are still very common and in much of the Third World. Enjoyed your big smile and cheerful presentation and keeping a way of life alive that is mostly part of our past.

[@AnneofAllTrades]

Thankfully more and more young folks like me are interested in returning to this way of life. A big part of why I make videos like these is to help them along their way. I've learned a lot of lessons the hard way, so if I can help solve a few other folks' problems before they happen, well this will all have been worth it :)

[@ib..1803]

plus you need MONEY

[@microsama]

This was so nostalgic! I used to live on a farm in highschool and my main job was to milk the cow (singular - it was a small farm attached to the school) twice a day. The single cow produced enough for her calf, anyone working or living on the farm, and a small CSA. I got about a gallon in the AM and another in the PM. The main differences though, were that I milked by hand (much easier with only one cow I'm sure!) and we put it in large, wide mouthed glass jars in the fridge. The wide mouth meant we could easily skim the cream aside and have milk (skim) and did various things with the cream. Or scoop out some cream straight onto toast. It gets thicker every day, I'm wondering how you'd get it all out of the narrow mouth jugs once it was the consistency of greek yoghurt and heavenly delicious on a good slice of toast. We also used the cream for butter, "farmer cheese" (strain in fridge until cream cheese consistency, or cottage cheese). The one thing we'd do when it was fresh and not yet separated, was yogurt. But the cream rises to the top there also, and I'd skim the yogurt cream onto my morning toast in place of butter along side the skimmed yogurt with whatever was in season, like berries in summer or figs in fall. So good. I also can confirm, can't drink dairy from the store but always fine with good, fresh, raw milk from a healthy cow.

[@200932me]

Videos like this make me really appreciate and understand the price of things.

[@KevinChristiansen-i2q]

Great video Anne

[@Lamefoureyes]

Hi Anne! I was tickled by how much your cleanliness setup reminded me of working in a biochemistry lab while I was doing my PhD! We even cleaned an instrument in the same way that you circulated cleaning solution through the claw of your milking machine; it's just that our machine was designed to look at individual cells and cost about $1.1 million haha. All that to say that I really respect your attention to detail, the intellectual craftsmanship that goes into running an operation like that. I might be a little nervous about unpasteurized milk on the large scale, but seeing your setup puts some (possibly overblown!) worries at ease. Also the cows all look very happy and relaxed, which is also very important. Take care!

[@heavenlyhalfacre9711]

Wow when you see it like you showed us it is so much work that goes into the process for Milk. That was an eye opener. Thanks Anne

[@catherineg6861]

Love your videos, Anne! They’re so educational and it’s so great to see the behind the scenes with your milking operations. You can tell the cows are very well taken care of. I’ve never seen such clean and shiny coats on a cow!

[@AnneofAllTrades]

We mostly have @redmondhomesteader to thank for that! They make absolutely stellar minerals for our cows.

[@zannaB60]

When I was in 6th grade our class went on a field trip to a local dairy in our town. We got the full tour including how the milk was homogenized. At that time it was forced through tubes under pressure and through this little compressed wire gizmo. It was shaped like a Hershey's Kiss only smaller made of wire, and not nearly as tasty. My teacher had one on her desk sitting in a bowl of paper clips. She loved field trips.

[@FredMcIntyre]

Awesome stuff Anne! 😃👍🏻🐄🥛👊🏻 ..... Totally agree with Adam, my next fridge is not going to have an ice and water dispenser, I'd rather get a standalone cold/hot water dispenser and separate ice maker.

[@papaowl13803]

Farmer Anne and her new trade. Cowgirl, milker, hearder, feeder and most of all A mother to her little heard. This is love of who you are Anne. A credit to the trade.

[@rodaniel1950]

I started following you for the gardening. Now I'm hooked on ALL you do. The work you do for the milk is incredible. Moving on to the NEXT project. Hooked on AOAT!

[@AnneofAllTrades]

I’m so glad you’re here!!

[@michaeldoto4673]

That was so fascinating Anne. Thank you for teaching us.

[@AnneofAllTrades]

You are so welcome!

[@markg.1159]

This was cool to see. My aunt and uncle used to be goat dairy farmers, and so I've seen their operation, but never cow milking. They used to have Jerseys, but goat milk gets a better price for a small-scale farmer and goats are easier to work with. (It was my aunt's idea, but my uncle appreciated that he could just pick up a goat and move it if he had to. Not so easy with a cow.) It was also cool to show my 2-year-old where milk comes from. I'm not sure how much of it he understood.

[@TimRoyalPastortim]

Watching this is educational... so much prep! Grew up with a milking stool a washed bucket, washed hands, and a strong grip! Her name was Beauty and she gave 2-4 gallons a day!

[@AnneofAllTrades]

This season I'm hand milking just one cow, out in the field, and boy howdy, it goes a whole lot faster and easier! It's such a dream milking in the field, watching the sun rise and set, I'm really enjoying it. But when we've got multiple cows producing, this is the way to go.

[@TimRoyalPastortim]

@@AnneofAllTrades definitely! Talk about "losing your grip!" 🤣

[@geniekrich1]

This brought back so many memories! My grandfather was a farmer in Indiana back in the day when farmers did a little bit of everything. He milked about 20 cows a day, farmed about 200 acres raising primarily corn and soybeans. Grandma had the chickens and garden. Thanks for sharing, Anne - you bring such a positive joy in life in your posts. Keep enjoying the farm!

[@hannesbesendorfer6477]

Hello can you make a full video about cow milking by machiene please

[@ceegee6625]

That is a lovely milking parlor! And 🐄

[@jerryeykholt8218]

Happy, healthy animals!

[@donaldtrabeaux5235]

Nothing like milking cows for fresh milk awesome job Anne

[@mickeybartlett1274]

You look like so happy tired. You are infectious. I needed that at 75 and just beating covid19. Thank you.

[@AnneofAllTrades]

I'm so glad to hear you're recovering, it really beat me down for a few months when I had it earlier this year.

[@LandElevated]

You have such a lovely place. We'll start sending your channel to our clients who recently bought land from us in a farm. They will surely get nice ideas from you 😊

[@maxkorolev7018]

Hello! Like from Russia!)

[@mattevans-koch9353]

Thank you Anne for the video. Like any below, this brings back memories of summers on my great grandmother's farm in Montana. Helping bring in the cows, toting buckets of milk to the house, using and cleaning the separator. Nothing like fresh cream on your oatmeal in the mornings. Take care and stay well.

[@AmbersDaintyBush]

I LOVE your setup!! I used to milk 100 Holsteins. This looks so peaceful in comparison (even though I know Jerseys can be little stinkers) 😅

[@_Merica_USA]

Another great video Mrs Anne

[@AnneofAllTrades]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@scottseaman6247]

Fun to watch you milk one cow at a time, I’ve gotten use to seeing out extended family’s growing dairy farm as the parlor has grown larger and larger

[@ThinkB4UAct]

Happy to see your videos again, Anne

[@AnneofAllTrades]

Glad to hear that! I've got some fun ones on the docket coming soon!

[@ThinkB4UAct]

@@AnneofAllTrades Nice can't wait to see them

[@lynxg4641]

Oh hell yeah, I remember those days very well. I was only like 10-11 and it wasn't my job, but when my Dad managed a dairy farm, I'd go out sometimes and help, remember all those procedures and steps, 'cept we had a pretty decent sized heard, so no stalls, 2 on/off ramps holding 3 at a time. Worst part was, start time was like 4am so you could get through the entire heard before like 8am, in time for the fridge truck to collect it to take to process. Always loved just getting super cold, fresh milk from the big stainless steel chiller and adding some Quick cherry to it :-) Sure is a lot of work, whether it's just a few cows or a whole heard, have to be very vigilant in the cleaning of the equipment and storage.

[@Swamp-Fox]

Fascinating video! I learned a lot! Thank for sharing!

[@alankee1065]

Great video. It brought back memories from childhood. Grandfather always had us spit on the teats at the end when putting in bag balm. This was done since the cow produces antibodies from introduced germs, designed to make a healthier calf, but this way antibodies were produced to fight our germs thus making the Milk more healthy for us as well.

[@AnneofAllTrades]

That is fascinating! I'm gonna have to look into the science of that one!!

[@jodymooney255]

Great video and such love for the cows! Love it

[@AnneofAllTrades]

Thank you!

[@tonyburelle6633]

Good video, looks like a pretty good routine

[@susanvaughn741]

I see all this pouring of milk into containers. However, if you had a cleanable petcock on a milk bucket for filling jugs , that would take the strain off you of standing there holding the big milk can. Or, you could have a plastic hose that gets pinched off by a weight , just like the milk dispensers in a cafeteria.

[@AnneofAllTrades]

We’ve since gotten a cooling tank that cools the milk faster and has streamlined the bottling process significantly.

[@MrHalukbilgin]

You make him work hard, almost no spare time to chill at the tiki hut.😄. It is hard to be "of no trades"

[@AnneofAllTrades]

hahaha that poor guy

[@donnacreager8428]

What a great job Anne! I’m curious how to you know when a teet is dry? It appears the suction tube is opaque? Always enjoy learning from you. 🥰

[@IEnjoyCreatingVideos]

Good video Anne! Thanks for sharing it with us!💖👍😎JP

[@AnneofAllTrades]

Thanks for watching!

[@IEnjoyCreatingVideos]

@@AnneofAllTrades Your very welcome Anne! Have a great week!😎

[@jenniexfuller]

I concur on the fridge ice and water systems! They are like McDonald’s ice cream machines!

[@AnneofAllTrades]

Ha! So true

[@masmeadowsfarmhouse]

ver neat and clean milking and other operations all the best and i am from India kerala

[@bandycreek-kennelsandfarm]

Can you do another video on how much and what you feed your jerseys I know you went over some of it, but I’m new to milking and like to get my girl off to a good start. Thank you!

[@AnneofAllTrades]

There's a lot of "it depends" when it comes to that- where you are, what your climate is like, the condition of your pastures/hay/abundance of/quality of grass, what part of the lactation cycle your cow is in, how much her production is, how well she keeps condition during milking... on and on. But I can tell you the basics of what we do- we do intensive rotational grazing with a small herd on quality pasture 9 months a year. The cows have more calories/nutrition available than they could possibly eat grass wise during that time, so we really don't need to supplement their feed a ton. We try to make our milking season coincide with that 9 month period. They've got salt and mineral licks with access to unlimited kelp meal, baking soda, etc. When the younger cows are in the stanchion, we feed 10 lbs of chaffhaye and 1lb of local soy free grain. If the cows start losing condition, we up their grain intake. With the older cows, who find it more difficult to maintain condition, we feed a little more grain every feeding, and add other things to their diet as necessary if they start getting skinny. We dry the cows off 3 months prior to calving to help further improve condition leading up to calving.

[@jsilverssilvers9107]

Good job on explaining milking, now I would like to see how to make buttermilk in an upcoming video

[@AnneofAllTrades]

Funnily enough, a butter video is up next ;)

[@markGibby]

Wow that’s a lot of work but it’s worth it in the end!

[@chrisconversino6294]

This is how my Uncle did it. He had a small dairy herd for decades. Some where in the 80s he switched to a beef herd because milk wasn't profitable for small holders anymore.

[@AnneofAllTrades]

Beef is a happy byproduct of what we're doing here and, not surprisingly, is also the more profitable endeavor as well.

[@s-c..]

@@AnneofAllTrades haha, not sure “happy byproduct” is what comes to mind for *all* parties concerned! 😬 I respect your pragmatism tho!

[@glennsiegel60]

very impressive

[@davidneel8327]

Do you have a separator? When I was growing up we had a dairy cow and separated our milk so we could make butter.

[@TimRoyalPastortim]

We just skimmed what we wanted... with a Jersey there was a ton of cream!

[@AnneofAllTrades]

I do have a separator, but I don't actually need to use it for our cow's milk because the cream line is so thick. We can just skim the cream off the top with a ladle after it's been in the fridge for a few hours. I initially got the separator for goat milk, but then decided to just get a cow and make the whole process simpler hahaha

[@rasnac]

Hello Anne, do you trim the hoofs of your dairy cows yourself, or do you work with a professional good trimmer?

[@AnneofAllTrades]

I trim my donkeys myself and if they needed it I’d probably learn to do the cows too, but the cows wear their feet naturally walking around the pasture, I’ve not seen any visible growth on any of their toes in the last 3 years

[@joseantoniomenendezdomingu1162]

GREAT GREAT ACTIVITY , VERY REWARDING , I HOPE I CAN LEARN SOMETHING , REALLY LIKE IT 👍🇲🇽

[@jimjay8828]

Those are some lucky cows, good work

[@AnneofAllTrades]

I feel just as lucky!

[@edrosa5079]

Love your videos very informative also I Miss Tenn,lol

[@AnneofAllTrades]

Thanks so much!!

[@marafreshfarmer]

Hello from Czech Republic :D Did u ever mesure how long by time will take you all of it?? You are so cool, i would love to see your farm :) I think we r same age :D

[@winknasmile20]

I just discovered your channel. We just bought our first mini jersey heifer. She is absolutely darling and so gentle already. My husband and kids are already so comfortable with her, however I am terrified of large animals! This is a fear I’m determined to master, and my hope is that as I bond to her and spend time with her my nerves will calm down. Any tips you have for me to get more comfortable and have less fear of her would be greatly appreciated. 💕

[@AnneofAllTrades]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/bmqpppqVrJmmj5osi=JTcJ8lUBk0fU9sBh

[@balaclavabob001]

Ever thought about making clotted cream ? It's awesome .

[@AnneofAllTrades]

I LOVE clotted cream.

[@janepipkin8139]

Very interesting. I buy raw jersey cow milk from a small family farm near me here in SC. Now I know more about what goes on behind-the-scenes. Can you tell me (a) how can you tell when to pull the milker claw off a specific teat? and (b) how can the calves start to nurse right after you've finished milking? (I am considering doing this myself on my farm, probably won't, but it's good to learn... I specifically like how you keep the calves with the moms for half of the 24-hour cycle.) Thank you.

[@AndyCPugh]

Cows are cool.

[@andrewdalzell99]

Love your life ✨

[@donaldroyer2961]

Thank you for your video. It has helped a lot. Do you take the claw apart after milking or just pump vinegar water through the lines?

[@weddingtoastsong]

What do you use for the flies?

[@kristyprezie2644]

Just bought my first milk cow. (Jersey) I would love to know how much of each thing you feed yours!

[@AnneofAllTrades]

Congrats! You are in for such a treat!! The feed really depends on where they’re at in their lactation cycle and how much grass/the quality of the grass they’re on. But a rough average is a 3 gallon bucket of Chaffhaye and 2, quart scoops of koffi 15% dairy grain. The oats/boss are just a cup each.

[@kristyprezie2644]

@@AnneofAllTrades Thank so much!! Me and my daughter love your channel! You are doing such a great job!😊

[@jimathey6153]

OLD LEATHER SMITH here. Yep very interesting. I have had 2 drink goats milk and cheese since birth, another alternative is soy milk, or now a days almond milk so many choices, 4 me it's always been goats or soy, enough said. GOD'S BLESSINGS ✝️⚾🙃

[@kthor7]

Are you able to go on vacation or do the cows need to be milked everyday?

[@modelmanjohn]

Cat: "don't feed those cows! Feed ME!"

[@erickdanielsson6710]

I wish we had the anti-kick device back when I was a kid.

[@AnneofAllTrades]

yeah I've taken a few kicks to the arms and legs, so I can sympathize.

[@donaldmcdaniel1773]

Interesting

[@jerrycutright3267]

In the mid eighties I milked two dairy cows twice a day by hand. Thankfully I was young and strong. I was also a farrier by trade so that helped!

[@AnneofAllTrades]

For the last few weeks I've been milking 1 cow and 5 goats twice a day, all by hand, and my forearms are crying by the end of it all, but I think my farrier strength has helped me quite a bit as well :)

[@jameskeaveny8377]

About how much milk do you usually get per cow a day? And your goats?

[@jamesvanantwerp1516]

How often do you make cheese?

[@AnneofAllTrades]

About once a week

[@elaineekberg113]

Wondering how much time all that took???

[@AnneofAllTrades]

About an hour and 10 mins most days. Unless there’s a kerfuffle ;)

[@denisedoodles]

Really cool to see all the steps from beginning to end, but I'm tired from just watching! tee hee🤣🤣🤣

[@Valar86]

AnnOfAllTrades, my wife want to know what brand of jeans you wear. She wants to see if they last any better for her since it’s hard to find jeans for women that are well made. Thanks!

[@Valar86]

Also, appreciated the video. Helpful to us as we start our own milk cow adventure!

[@AmbersDaintyBush]

I’m guessing they’re Carhartts or Levi’s

[@brio1402]

Anne, would you recommend purchasing a cow share (in order to get raw milk) from a local dairy farmer? We have some friends that do this and I am interested, but wouldn't know anything about their cleaning practices etc. Also, do you have thoughts on purchasing one jersey cow amongst 3 country neighbors and sharing the workload and fruits of labor?

[@AnneofAllTrades]

Taking part in a herd share is a great way to get into raw milk, but I’d check into their setup or chat with a few of their customers first. Honestly, cows are such an enormous undertaking that that is the best way to go for most folks- and contrary to what seems to be the prevailing belief, we don’t HAVE to do everything ourselves. Even I am constantly checking in with myself about what is fun and life giving on the homestead and what I need that I might be able to find creative ways to “outsource” to my friends and neighbors. I do tons of bartering for time and goods and services so I can make time for the things I really enjoy and excel at. I’ll tell you one thing, I would absolutely not be doing cows if it weren’t for my friend Tyler and her partnership in this endeavor. We share a lot of the responsibilities and that is the only thing that makes what we’re doing possible.

[@Horse_Girl_11]

We have a2 a2 holsteins

[@scottberkey9364]

How long does the process take you (when not filming it) and how much milk do you average per day?

[@AnneofAllTrades]

Great questions! Assuming everyone behaves, no one escapes coming to or from the barn, and no one pees/poops in the stanchion, leaving me to have to clean the barn, I can do it in about an hour and ten minutes by myself, or 45 mins with help. The amount of milk depends on where we are in the lactation cycle, how much fresh grass there is in the fields, and a few other things, but generally speaking we can count on about 2-3 gallons of milk from each cow per day. They produce more, but because we calf share, the calves get all they need and then some ;)

[@scottberkey9364]

@@AnneofAllTrades Also thanks for all you have taught me. I am a gardener and a woodworker who has learned most of what I know about those hobbies from KZbinrs like yourself. Thank you!

[@AnneofAllTrades]

@@scottberkey9364 Absolutely my pleasure. I'm thankful to know my videos have had an impact. No better feedback in the world :)

[@aaronching959]

OMG. All trades. I don’t think there’s anything you can’t do.

[@christinarubio9962]

Do you milk twice a day with calf sharing or just once.

[@AnneofAllTrades]

Just once, though the first 6 weeks after birth for heavy producers we milk twice a day to prevent mastitis

[@jamesvanantwerp1516]

How long does each milking take?

[@AnneofAllTrades]

About an hour and 10 mins for the whole process, but each cow is only actually getting milked for 3-8 mins. This season I'm only milking one cow, so I'm doing it by hand, which requires far less prep and cleanup, and by hand, I can milk her out in about 10-12 mins.

[@virtualfather]

Seems like a lot of work and chemicals for just 3 cows. Wouldn’t it be more economical to just hand milk?

[@AnneofAllTrades]

Sure, bring your popeye forearms down and help me milk 😅

[@orange-micro-fiber9740]

How do you know when an udder is empty? I have no experience. Why iodine on the teats and bleach on the vacuum pump later? (I homebrew, so I know for sterilization, but I use iodine on everything.) Is the bleach cheaper or something?

[@AnneofAllTrades]

Great questions! The udder is actually never truly "empty," it is more like a stream than a pond in that regard, but as you milk it out, it deflates just like a balloon, so it's pretty easy to tell when to call it. They come in super taught and full, and they get really wobbly and raisin like as they empty out. As far as the iodine, that is a really good question I'll have to pose to some others, but I am guessing it is partially because bleach is cheaper and also because iodine would stain the equipment and make it harder to tell whether it was actually clean.

[@stevedesantolo6794]

working ice machine.... how about a working Mc'D's milkshake machine :0

[@gary8033]

👍👍✌️

[@gary8033]

@Whatsapp①③①④⑦④⑧⑨②⑨⓪ yes

[@JeffBarnhart]

I highly suggest people review the FDAs webpage concerning the consumption of raw milk and the risks and misconceptions of raw milk you should consider before doing so.

[@papaowl13803]

Why? Have drank it for years. When properly done it is as safe as store milk. Grewup and lived on a farm.

[@erickdanielsson6710]

I'm 74, Grew up on a dairy farm. Drank the milk as it was stored ( Early on in Milk cans, later Bulk Milk storage. )

[@JeffBarnhart]

@@papaowl13803 what’s the harm in being informed and understanding all sides of something before making a decision?

[@JeffBarnhart]

To be clear I’m not saying blanket statement don’t do it. I have family members with diary cows and they consume raw milk. I also have family members with health issues that would consider them potentially at risk of some issues that can arise in raw milk. Merely suggesting people make informed decisions and consider the risks and benefits before diving in.

[@jsilverssilvers9107]

The FDA also said not to eat any steak that are not well done!

[@SchysCraftCo.]

🐮🐮🐮🐄🐄🐄

[@truthBtold99]

how u do all u do is beyond me....🤪

[@dianekeller5390]

ok, so, im a bit green, so, do you do this everyday? please dont laugh! ok, im kinda laughing.....

[@AnneofAllTrades]

hahaha it's ok, I'll laugh with you. And yes. If you keep calves with them you only have to do it once a day, if you separate the calves, you have to do it twice a day :)

[@KarlBunker]

Ugh. 🤢 This gives me a whole new appreciation of soy milk. 😁

[@AnneofAllTrades]

You think it’s hard to milk a cow, think how small the teats on the beans are 😅

[@KarlBunker]

@@AnneofAllTrades 🤣