Milking at Clover Hill

If you look very closely you can see part of the line of cows (about 200 in all) making their way to the barn to be milked on a June morning.  The line extends out of the picture on the right side where Lena and the border collie, Suzie are herding them along.

These cows are in the milking parlor being milked.  There are 14 cows on each side of the barn being milked at the same time.  Down the middle between them there is an alleyway, or "pit" where the workers stand to put the suction milkers onto the cows.  Two milk hands work together for about 4 hours at a time, twice a day.  Here at Clover Hill, they milk at 10:00 am and pm.  They like this schedule because they can still go out to do things in the early evening and sleep late in the mornings.  I am actually the only earlybird here on the farm!

This is a picture of the milk room.  The stainless steel milk tank on the right holds 800 gallons.  This is where I come to get milk for the family every morning.  Most days I only take one or two gallons, but if I am feeling industrious, I will take a little more to make ice cream, yoghurt or cheese.