New Zealand Life

Got Milk ?

"Maybe it was at four-thirty."
"That's what I thought, but, I mean, I don't know."
My mom and I had just arrived at our neighbor Don Nichols' property to learn how to milk cows. We were sitting in our car wondering if we had come to early.
"Why don't you go and ask?"
I gave a small sigh.
"Ask them if it was suppose to be at four or four-thirty."
"'kay." I got out and ran to the Nichols' house. They were just coming out.
"Hello!" Don called out with his customary smile.
"Hi! We were wondering if it was at four or not."
"Yeah-yeah; we were just heading out now."

Mom and I followed Don around like shadows as he cleaned out the huge milk container. He used warm water along with some kind of special phosphorus mixture. After washing out the container, we all got onto his red quad bike and went to herd the cows. The cows went along easily enough. They all grouped together and headed for the gate and then onto the pathway that leads to the milking pit.

We went down the cement steps and into the inset concrete pit. The hallway was just low enough so that the cows’ udders would be at arm's reach. The electronic milking machines hung from poles connected to the ceiling in the middle of the pit. And then it began. Don herded about twenty or more cows into the left side of the pit. The cows piled up and turned their behinds toward us. A few urinated, the smelly liquid splashing onto the concrete. Others pooped, the dark green excretion plopping down on the railings and the rubber pads on top of the cement. Don and his helper quickly began to put the milking machines on the cows’ udders. The machine was rather bulky. It had three cylindrical suctions that were shaped like the cows’ teats. When you pressed a button on the bottom, it would create a suction-like effect. When the teat is positioned in the opening, the suction fastens onto it a starts milking. The milk goes into the pipes connecting it to the bottom of the machine. At the bottom, there’s a small clear-plastic cup and you can see the milk flowing through it before the milk goes into the pipe attached to the very bottom of the machine and up to the pipes in the ceiling and into a medium clear plastic milk container. Then, the milk goes into the gigantic milk container outside. Mom very quickly got the hang of the system and started putting the machines on every cow she could. I did about four in total (with help from Don’s milking worker) and spent the rest of the time staying out of everyone’s way and avoiding getting pooped or urinated on. Mom, unfortunately, got pooped on twice (once while she was putting the machine on a cow’s udder). We both enjoyed the experience and Mom offered to help whenever Don might need help.

~ Julia ~