Milking a Goat

Luckily I’m not eating my words today after yesterdays glorification of goats! This morning I ventured out into the sunny paddock with my jug. Daphne knew it was time to be milked and she was obviously very curious to know how I would measure up to her expectations. I needed to approach with the correct balance of ‘hello lovely, I’m a nice gentle person and we are going to be best friends’ and ‘right, I’m the boss, we are gonna get some milk here with minimal nonsense’! She did the side trot a couple of times so I shortened her tether and started to milk. She let down after just 2 squeezes, stood still and slowly leaned over against me. Ah that’s the joy of it just there ... the heat of a fine goat, leaning into each other for support, a show of her acceptance of me (for today at % ). The milking experience is accompanied by the unmistakable sound of a goats digestive system. As she chewed the cud and my head rested on her side, the gurgling and gushing noises from her belly sound similar to buckets of liquid being poured from one receptacle into another, from a considerable height! For me, these remarkable noises have become a strangely endearing part of goat milking.

It felt like an agreement had been successfully negotiated … you feed me, provide shelter and company and I’ll return the favour with delicious milk for you and your family. The hot milk frothed up in my jug and I was beginning to think we were nearly done, that’s normally the cue for a goat to get restless and do the back foot flip and your jug of snow white frothy milk is suddenly garnished with floating trotter debris. This is where we give the goat a cuddle and say thanks, then its off to the kitchen to pasteurise the milk. My first ever milking attempt took somewhat more physical ‘negotiations’, buts that’s another story!

Comments

[Rebecca]

Well, ok then, some time soon! I might need some therapy first!!!

[andman]

I wanna hear the 'other story'!!!