[Ag-eq] the contrary farmer

Sun May 1 14:04:15 UTC 2016

I am signed up for The Contrary Farmer blog.  I really enjoy it--always
makes me think.
I found it by Googling Jean Logsdon Contrary Farmer.
It's on Wordpress.
Tracy

-----Original Message-----
From: Ag-eq [mailto:ag-eq-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Jewel via Ag-eq
Sent: Saturday, April 30, 2016 9:20 PM
To: Agricultural and Equestrean Division List
Cc: Jewel
Subject: Re: [Ag-eq] the contrary farmer

Nella!  What is the blog address for "the Contrary Farmer"?

         Jewel

--------------------------------------------------
From: "Nella Foster via Ag-eq" <ag-eq at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Sunday, May 01, 2016 12:02 PM
To: "'Agricultural and Equestrean Division List'" <ag-eq at nfbnet.org>
Cc: "Nella Foster" <jellybeanfarm at gmail.com>
Subject: [Ag-eq] the contrary farmer

Sorry if everyone gets this twice.  I sent it before, but think maybe it
just went to Zac.

I was finally able to go back through all my old emails and read them.
There were over 800!

I had been using web mail for all my email and then extreme zone changed
their site.  I wasn't able to navigate it any more.  So now I have all
emails coming into outlook.  I'm trying to switch everything to the Gmail
address because I'm concerned about how much longer extreme zone will be
around.

Well, all that long explanation is to say I saw where Tracy talks about the
contrary farmer blog.  I've been reading that blog for years and love it.
I've also read some of his books.

Nella

Subject:

-----Original Message-----
From: Ag-eq [mailto:ag-eq-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Tracy Carcione
via Ag-eq
Sent: Saturday, April 23, 2016 9:58 AM
To: 'Agricultural and Equestrean Division List'
Cc: Tracy Carcione
Subject: Re: [Ag-eq] hello everyone

Hi Nella!  So happy to see you back!  I missed you!
Glad your dairy is going well.  Do you make goat cheese, too?  Love goat
cheese.

My garden is coming along.  It's all still in the greenhouse tent and the
cold frame, since we're getting some cold nights still.  I could harvest a
little spinach and lettuce any day now.
The oregano came back strong, and the mint is going gang-busters, naturally.
The blueberries have lots of buds, so that's hopeful.

So nice to have you back!
Tracy

-----Original Message-----
From: Ag-eq [mailto:ag-eq-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Nella Foster via
Ag-eq
Sent: Saturday, April 23, 2016 12:13 AM
To: 'Agricultural and Equestrean Division List'
Cc: Nella Foster
Subject: Re: [Ag-eq] hello everyone

Jewel:

So good to talk with you again.  I sure hope you will send out one of your
entertaining stories soon.

The milking machine I have has 4 separate cups and each cup has a switch so
it can be turned off or on.  So when I milk the goats I turn off 2 of the
cups.  I could actually milk 2 goats at a time, but it is easier to just get
1 in the barn and in place at a time.  As you know goats can be quite
mischievous. 

When I milk the cow I just have all 4 cups turned on.  If 1 of Bonnie's
teats were injured or something I could have 3 cups turned on.

Bonnie's teats and the goats teats are about the same size.  I do have 1 doe
who has very small teats and I had to order 2 smaller cups for her.  I can
easily change out the cups, so it works very well.  I believe you can order
larger cups for larger breeds of cows.  Bonnie is a Jersey so rather small.

The goats all kidded in January and there were 5 boys and only 1 girl.  I
have a couple of the boys sold already and am still advertising the rest.  I
plan on keeping the 1 girl, she is very cute.  She is a fawn color with
white spots; everyone says she looks like a fawn.

Bonnie is due to calf in a week or so and I'm watching her closely.    I
have a big stall ready for her and all the supplies I think I might need.
She seems happy and healthy.  This will be her 5th calf, so she should know
what she is doing.

So far I've been able to sell most of the milk.  I've put fliers around town
and ads on craigslist.  It seems that most of the customers are being
referred by other customers.  If I don't sell all the milk I just make
cheese.  I've also been making and selling goats milk soap.  One of my
customers raises chickens for meat and eggs, she and I have been trading.
She goes to a local farmers market and will take the soap for me.  I can
also put out cards at her booth.  We are not allowed to sell raw milk at the
market.

This same woman is interested in buying the calf.  They raise grass fed
beef.  They want the calf if it is a bull to raise for market and if it is a
heifer they want her to add to their herd.

So far I'm happy with my little venture.  I'm working out a few kinks as I
go along, but over all things are going very well.

I hope everyone else is good and I want updates on everyone.

Nella

-----Original Message-----
From: Ag-eq [mailto:ag-eq-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Jewel via Ag-eq
Sent: Friday, April 22, 2016 6:56 PM
To: Agricultural and Equestrean Division List
Cc: Jewel
Subject: Re: [Ag-eq] hello everyone

YIPPEE!  It is great to have you back Nella!  As you know, I have been
keeping a little abreast of what you are doing through a third party, but I
am interested in your cross species dual milking machine as I had,
previously, never heard of such a device.

There are a few things that I don't understand.  As cows have 4 teats and
goats 2, do you have 2 clusters, one of 2 cups and the other of 4?  or do
you have a 2-cup cluster and milk 2 teats on the cow and when the udder is
empty on that side, attach the cluster to the remaining 2, but I don't think
that this would be very efficient because once the milk starts to flow,
wouldn't the uncupped teats drip?  or do you just use the 4 cup for both
having it resting on  what is called, in New Zealand anyway, a claw?  It
wouldn't do any favours for the goat's udder to have the unused part of the
cluster just dangling.
Via the third party mentioned above, you said that goats have much larger
teats than a cow!  If this is correct, US bred goats and cows are opposite
to any that I have ever seen.  Like so many other things, are southern
hemisphere goats and cows wicky-werka to their northern hemisphere cousins?
I am intrigued by your address:  jelly bean farm!  was this name your
creation or is that the name that the property came with?
           Jewel

--------------------------------------------------
From: "Nella Foster via Ag-eq" <ag-eq at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Saturday, April 23, 2016 11:40 AM
To: <ag-eq at nfbnet.org>
Cc: "Nella Foster" <jellybeanfarm at gmail.com>
Subject: [Ag-eq] hello everyone

Hello everyone this is Nella and I'm finally here again at last.

I've really missed hearing from you guys and look forward to finding out
what is going on.

I will write more and update everyone when I have more time.

Nella

_______________________________________________
Ag-eq mailing list
Ag-eq at nfbnet.org
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/ag-eq_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for Ag-eq:
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/ag-eq_nfbnet.org/jewelblanch%40kinect.co.n
z 

_______________________________________________
Ag-eq mailing list
Ag-eq at nfbnet.org
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/ag-eq_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for Ag-eq:
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/ag-eq_nfbnet.org/jellybeanfarm%40gmail.com

_______________________________________________
Ag-eq mailing list
Ag-eq at nfbnet.org
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/ag-eq_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for Ag-eq:
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/ag-eq_nfbnet.org/carcione%40access.net

_______________________________________________
Ag-eq mailing list
Ag-eq at nfbnet.org
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/ag-eq_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for Ag-eq:
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/ag-eq_nfbnet.org/jellybeanfarm%40gmail.com

_______________________________________________
Ag-eq mailing list
Ag-eq at nfbnet.org
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/ag-eq_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for Ag-eq:
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/ag-eq_nfbnet.org/jewelblanch%40kinect.co.n
z 

_______________________________________________
Ag-eq mailing list
Ag-eq at nfbnet.org
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/ag-eq_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for Ag-eq:
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/ag-eq_nfbnet.org/carcione%40access.net