Grazing Dairy Farm

Our dairy farm is what they call a "grazing" dairy. That means that the majority of the time our cows are outside.

During the winter, when we have a lot of snow or mud, we do have a barn so that they can go inside. Otherwise they are outside year round. 

In the spring/summer/fall months, the cows are rotated through different paddocks for fresh grass. This means they have to cross the road multiple times a day.

These ladies are waiting to cross the road.

Some days they have quite a ways to walk, and someone has to walk behind them! Usually that would be me or Abby (she's 6 yrs old). Cows are herding animals, so if you get them going the right way the rest will follow.

As One Season Ends, Another Begins

The end of May brings the end of calving season. Between February and now we have had a little over 300 calves.

The girls have enjoyed bottle feeding, playing, and cuddling with the calves. 

The end of calving season means a lot of milk! Fresh cows + Green Grass + Yellow corn = More milk than we can store! The milk truck is making an extra morning stop to pick up a little milk so we don't overflow the tanks.

The end of calving season also means the beginning of baling season. Lots of late nights hauling and wrapping bales.

So into the summer season we go....