An attempt to declare the Glory of God for what He has chosen to do with our lives. A legacy to leave to my children in the telling of it.

Friday, May 10, 2013

The Problem With Farm Auctions




 The problem with farm auctions is that you get so caught up in the excitement and hand waving that you forget just what you went there for in the first place. Standing in the dusty Fair building next to the local farmers and wanna-be farmers watching one bovine after another traipse through the make-shift ring gets your adrenaline pumping and soon your dreams change shape right before your very eyes. I didn't even realize that I had dreams of raising a Jersey milk cow until tonight.

After the first group of beautiful heifers came through I started to think that a refrigerator full of unpasteurized, hand squeezed milk would be the next best thing, but their high price tag scared me off. Then, a few sales later, and with only a couple of stragglers left, the slim pickins got pretty cheap.

There she was, the skinniest most bedraggled red critter in the barn. When the auctioneer could barely get one hundred dollars to start the bid I nudged Rob and suggested she would make a perfect mother's day present. Up went his hand, then again and again, and number twenty-nine was the proud new owner of  our very own Jersey heifer. After finding a trailer to haul her home in we tucked her into her own dry lot and will patiently wait for the sun to come up in the morning to see what we really bought.

Now for a name: Daisy, Milly, Mercy, Petunia, Hamburger...



11 comments:

Pillar of Truth Christian Church said...

Leave it to you;) I keep thinking how nice fresh milk would be and at the rate we go through the gallons around here it would be well worth it!!! Pictures soon please. Congrats and have a wonderful Mother's Day!

the canned quilter said...

I always limit the amount of money my husband has on him when he goes to livestock sales. He goes for pigs and comes home with goats. It's a horrible affliction. Yes this is the same man who told me I couldn't have goats! On the flip side growing up my parents always had a "little jersey" house cow. Raised 5 healthy kids and always had lots of fresh milk, sweet cream, butter and cheese. And the extra fed everything from baby pigs to chickens.

Hugs Mama Hooch

Beth said...

SO CUTE!

How about Penelope?

Brenda said...

She looks sweet. -- I had an OLD old Jersey milk cow named Molly that got me started making cheese. She gave me 6 gallons of wonderful milk a day.

I hope your new girl blesses you with an abundance of sweet fresh milk.

OurCrazyFarm said...

Oh my! Six gallons of milk a day! What am I going to do with six gallons of milk a day??! If you lived closer Renee we could split it:)

It's usually me who comes home with all the extra critters, Momma Hooch, so I was glad last night that Rob was the one holding the bidding number.

We're still deciding on names, Beth. Lexi said it has to be something easy to yell at her because for some reason she thinks there's gonna be a few fits before the sweet Jersey girl learns how to be milked:) What was I thinking? Oh yeah~ butter, milk, cream, milk, ice cream, milk, cheese, milk....

DFW said...

She looks so sweet. glad you found her. Can't wait to hear about the milking.

Michelle said...

What a blessing!!! Enjoy your new girl that will soon be giving you the best milk that is to be had! :-)

TheLazyJ said...

I suggest the name Henrietta!

mulroymomma said...

An exciting new adventure for the farm - when can we come meet her??

Cathy said...

I was so excited to have met her yesterday! I'm putting on my thinking cap! =)

Paige

Shoshannah said...

I like Henrietta for a name as well. Poor little thing. You will fatten her up and then she will give you the sweetest, creamiest milk you have ever tasted. I've always wanted a Jersey cow and am inspired to get one. Now for some fencing...do you think chickens could free range in a 3 acre field with a cow?