Ok, I really do know that I am crazy, that goes without saying. So please don’t say it, I know, and I am also trying not to really freak out.

Anyway, my milkman has always said that milking one is just as easy as milking 5, or 20. I certainly have no frame of reference for this, but must wholeheartedly disagree, especially since we have no set up for that. That was one of the things towards the top of the list this summer, but equipment took precedence, and then Eleanor died. He kept trying for me to find some Guernsey heifers, but I just couldn’t bear it.

But of course as time went on, I secretly would search the internet “just in case” and found some in Iowa.

We had two picked out, then one turned out to be A1/A2 instead of A2/A2, then a different one got an eye injury, then one could not cross the border because she had not been bangs vaccinated. But we took the trailer and drove 1000 miles, from 5am to 10 pm, hopes dashed we could see them before it got dark.

Early the next morning we arrive at the farm, and the family was very nice. We were to haul two heifers to a man in Nebraska and one heifer to a woman in Colorado, which would help pay for the trip. The last minute we find out that the man in Nebraska had not paid for his, and so obviously the owner was not going to let them go.

My milkman bought them. Yikes!

Anyway, one of them was a very darling, year old registered A2/A2 Brown Swiss, and who could resist her!

I have always wanted to name something after my mom, besides our duck with the hat on, but never had anything fancy enough, until now.

The other three are registered Guernsey heifers that are to have their first calf in the spring. They are so dear and gentle. The trip was exceedingly hard on them, as they stood in the trailer from 9 am until 1 am when we got them home. The man is amazing and knew they could not drink water or eat enough hay on the road, so he pressed on through and got them here. It also was a warm night, with the next day being cold and nasty.

We are not happy with their condition, especially one of them, but they are eating and drinking well, and doing better today. Buying cows is such a risk anyway, which is why the man wanted heifers so they could be acclimated before having their first calf, and so we could raise their calves on them when they are born.

One of them, Acacia, is much stockier, as she was actually raised on her mom, which makes a huge difference in their growth and health, I think. She won third in the dairy show last year at the Missouri State fair.

Lillian is in a little better condition than Tipin, but she is still too thin.

Tipin fared the worst from the trip and was severely dehydrated with her eyes sunken in pretty bad for two days. She eats and drinks well, but her condition is not very good, or her hair. Of course I am worried, but I worry anyway. She is doing much better though, and the man is taking very good care of them.

The other night he made me cry, which is no surprise. He was telling Nonny what a name hog I am and that I never pick any of the names he comes up with, which I actually can’t recall if he has ever tried to name anything. Ok, I probably would not have cried if I had not been so exhausted from the trip and had not had wine. But I was shocked! The boring drive with such a dutchman, trying to come up with any conversation was difficult enough. I asked him what his dad’s favorite cows names were in Holland, and he said Meltje, Meltje II, Meltje III and he could not remember any more. I asked him if we could name the calf Mary Frances and he said it was a great idea. Lillian is also for my dad’s mom.

Anyway, Nonny made it all better, and made me laugh so hard.

She said that if she ever got a boat, the name would be “Unsinkable II.”

haha.

and happy birthday today to the greatest, greatest man (my dad.)