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happyfarmwife
64 Posts
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 Posted - Aug 03 2015 : 8:04:24 PM
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Wondering how many people would like to have a one or two cow milking system? We have acquired quite an assortment of milking equipment and can put together two or three complete systems with a belly milker and vacuum pump. Wondering if anyone might be interested and what you feel would be a fair price for a rebuilt pump and fully restored bucket milker with new inflations and hoses. It would be adjusted and tested and ready to milk.....
Looking for suggestions and ideas on what you feel is a must haves.
Please feel free to ask questions..... |
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GingerBKelly
274 Posts
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Posted - Aug 18 2015 : 06:37:47 AM
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| I would be very interested in cost effective milking equipment for a 2-cow dairy parlor. |
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happyfarmwife
64 Posts
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Posted - Aug 18 2015 : 10:06:45 AM
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Hi GingerB....thanks for writing. I'll get back to you on a price for the vacuum pump and buckets for two cows. Do you want to want to milk two at a time? Or just for two cows one at a time?
I have to pick up some of the parts and pieces when the weather cools a bit. We are dismantling a small milk parlor and I'm working on the parts and pieces list.....at this point I don't know exactly what everything will need to be up to full function...
Do you already have a parlor set up or are you still in the planning stages?
Reason for that question is that I have a couple really nice small parlor plans that offer close contact so your cows really know who is milking and also still give a safe, effective operation that can handle higher volume production with more cows. I have some great old measured drawings of head catch stanchions and cow space size for the parlor....pretty important knowledge that is being lost..... |
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happyfarmwife
64 Posts
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Posted - Aug 18 2015 : 10:08:08 AM
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One more question......do you want the pump system to be mobile or would it be mounted permanent in your milking area?
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maryjane
7072 Posts
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Posted - Aug 18 2015 : 10:10:15 AM
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| If you have some plans you'd care to share, we can turn them into a PDF and make them available to others here. |
MaryJane Butters, author of Milk Cow Kitchen ~ striving for the stoicism of a cow standing in the rain ~ |
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happyfarmwife
64 Posts
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Posted - Aug 18 2015 : 7:58:09 PM
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How do I get them to you? I am having difficulty getting things to upload.....pictures especially......
I have a measured drawing of stanchions from an old magazine.......I can scan and send it to you. Let me know how to do that and I'll be happy to share!
Thanks! |
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happyfarmwife
64 Posts
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Posted - Aug 18 2015 : 8:07:19 PM
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I also have 4 old iron stanchions that I'll have for sale soon. They are part of some old dairy equipment we have acquired that we will be "harvesting" when the weather cools. Funny story.....the old man who built the milk parlor we purchased had set up a temporary milk parlor for his cows.......would not pass inspection so he built a "real" parlor......double 4 bypass system......a real nice parlor with a milking pit and all the goodies! The dairy inspector came and out saw what they were building so he said, as soon as you have this functional, I'll give you your certification.......so they turned the cows in to the new parlor to make sure there was enough dung to look like it was in use......called the dairy inspector who gave them their certification and they never milked a single cow in the new parlor! They kept right on milking in their make shift set up and the inspector thought they were milking in the new set up!
We purchased the gates, feeders, panels, milk line, vacuum pumps and more.......and will be using some for our set up and some for sale......this was all "smoke and mirrors" and pulled it off.........and the "new" parlor is now 30 years old and has never had a single cow milked in the "new" parlor! How sad! |
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maryjane
7072 Posts
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Posted - Aug 18 2015 : 8:49:13 PM
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That's a great story. I'm sure anyone who milks a cow understands the beauty of ruts and routine. I'm sure I have my share--kind of like the woman who moved a stool around all her life in order to reach her clotheslines.
If you send me your parlor plans via email, maryjane@maryjanesfarm.org I'll get them posted. Our photo function was down all weekend but it's working now. Sorry about that. |
MaryJane Butters, author of Milk Cow Kitchen ~ striving for the stoicism of a cow standing in the rain ~ |
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maryjane
7072 Posts
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Posted - Aug 18 2015 : 8:53:10 PM
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| Also, I'm sure everyone would love to see a photo of your iron stanchions when you get ready to sell them. I have an old one I use outside my parlor when I clean my girls. It was here when I bought my place, left over from the two bachelor brothers who were born and died here. They never did get indoor plumbing or anything but wood heat. One of the brothers had a secret loft in the barn accessible only by a ladder. It was full of tobacco cans. |
MaryJane Butters, author of Milk Cow Kitchen ~ striving for the stoicism of a cow standing in the rain ~ |
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farmlife
1413 Posts
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Posted - Aug 19 2015 : 05:20:59 AM
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| I can picture him sneaking away to use his tobacco in peace and quiet. :) |
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GingerBKelly
274 Posts
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Posted - Aug 24 2015 : 08:24:41 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by happyfarmwife
Hi GingerB....thanks for writing. I'll get back to you on a price for the vacuum pump and buckets for two cows. Do you want to want to milk two at a time? Or just for two cows one at a time?
I have to pick up some of the parts and pieces when the weather cools a bit. We are dismantling a small milk parlor and I'm working on the parts and pieces list.....at this point I don't know exactly what everything will need to be up to full function...
Do you already have a parlor set up or are you still in the planning stages?
Reason for that question is that I have a couple really nice small parlor plans that offer close contact so your cows really know who is milking and also still give a safe, effective operation that can handle higher volume production with more cows. I have some great old measured drawings of head catch stanchions and cow space size for the parlor....pretty important knowledge that is being lost.....
Yes, thanks happyfarmwife. We have tiny two-stall barn, complete with two headstall stanchions. We also have a vacuum pump. We want to complete our set-up to milk at least one cow, maybe two. By next summer, "Lord willing and the creek don't rise," we will be looking into expanding.
For now, we need a list of the best equipment we will need to complete our one to two-cow milk parlor, so that we know what to purchase. |
~Ginger Kelly, Kelly Homestead Apiary, Charlton, MA~.jpg?v 26652890) gingerbkelly@gmail.comWhen a cow laughs, does milk come out her nose? ~Author Unknown
Check us out on FB: https://www.facebook.com/KellyHomesteadApiary/ |
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maryjane
7072 Posts
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Posted - Aug 24 2015 : 08:32:41 AM
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| Hi Ginger, please hit Reply to Topic only so you aren't grabbing the previous post in your post. Thanks! |
MaryJane Butters, author of Milk Cow Kitchen ~ striving for the stoicism of a cow standing in the rain ~ |
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GingerBKelly
274 Posts
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txbikergirl
3197 Posts
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Posted - Aug 24 2015 : 3:30:15 PM
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miss ginger lets have a photo of your setup!
there are several of us in the process of building barns and/or milking parlors, and in general we LOVE to see everyone else's setup. no one here has overly fancy or anything so don't be shy about sharing, we just love seeing everyone's ingenuity as cow loving folk are sure smart, efficient and handy - and we can learn from everyone else's ideas. |
_(199x300)_(66x100).jpg?v 93697001) Firefly Hollow Farm , our little farmstead. Farmgirl living in the green piney woods of East Texas on 23 acres with a few jerseys, too many chickens, a pair of pugs and my Texan hubby (aka "lover boy") |
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GingerBKelly
274 Posts
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Posted - Aug 25 2015 : 07:26:56 AM
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txbikerrgirl - I didn't have a single photo of our setup. All I had was a video that I could not download onto this thread. We took the video last winter (after a gigantic snowstorm), so it's kinda interesting.
If you want to see our setup, go to our Kelly Homestead Apiary Facebook page. I just downloaded the video. It will be the first video on the front page. Let me know if you can see it.
Here is the link: https://www.facebook.com/KellyHomesteadApiary |
~Ginger Kelly, Kelly Homestead Apiary, Charlton, MA~gingerbkelly@gmail.comWhen a cow laughs, does milk come out her nose? ~Author Unknown
Check us out on FB: https://www.facebook.com/KellyHomesteadApiary/ |
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CloversMum
3486 Posts
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Posted - Aug 25 2015 : 4:48:57 PM
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| I saw it, Kelly. I like the idea of having the transparent roofing as it sure makes it nice and light inside. And your head stanchions are great, reminds me of one that MaryJane has at her farm. I'd love to find one someday... |
Loving life and family on our Idaho farm, Meadowlark Heritage Farm; A few Jersey cows; a few alpacas; a few more goats, and even more ducks and chickens |
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maryjane
7072 Posts
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Posted - Aug 26 2015 : 11:15:20 PM
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| Sweet video. I love the way your gals are part of your family. |
MaryJane Butters, author of Milk Cow Kitchen ~ striving for the stoicism of a cow standing in the rain ~ |
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GingerBKelly
274 Posts
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Posted - Aug 27 2015 : 03:40:42 AM
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Lol...Oliver is a steer (will be going to the butcher soon). Little Bit is the Minature Jersey heifer.
Yes, the transparent roof is perfect for letting in good light. It keeps mildew levels down too. We really love it. I took a couple of photos of our mini barn, yesterday. I'll post them here, later today, if you like. |
~Ginger Kelly, Kelly Homestead Apiary, Charlton, MA~gingerbkelly@gmail.comWhen a cow laughs, does milk come out her nose? ~Author Unknown
Check us out on FB: https://www.facebook.com/KellyHomesteadApiary/ |
Edited by - GingerBKelly on Aug 27 2015 03:42:03 AM |
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GingerBKelly
274 Posts
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maryjane
7072 Posts
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Posted - Aug 27 2015 : 05:39:19 AM
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Guess I thought since "she" was going into a stanchion ...
You have a very nice setup. |
MaryJane Butters, author of Milk Cow Kitchen ~ striving for the stoicism of a cow standing in the rain ~ |
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GingerBKelly
274 Posts
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Posted - Aug 27 2015 : 06:53:22 AM
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| Thank you, Maryjane. We are still improving the drainage system. At this point, we also think that we will use one stall for the milk cow and the other stall area for the milking machine set-up and whatever else we need to use to milk the cow. We aren't sure how else to do it. Suggestions are always welcome. |
~Ginger Kelly, Kelly Homestead Apiary, Charlton, MA~gingerbkelly@gmail.comWhen a cow laughs, does milk come out her nose? ~Author Unknown
Check us out on FB: https://www.facebook.com/KellyHomesteadApiary/ |
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CloversMum
3486 Posts
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Posted - Aug 27 2015 : 08:20:27 AM
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| It's encouraging to see everyone's set up and realize it can continue to be improved ... just start somewhere. I still love the transparent roof! |
Loving life and family on our Idaho farm, Meadowlark Heritage Farm; A few Jersey cows; a few alpacas; a few more goats, and even more ducks and chickens |
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GingerBKelly
274 Posts
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Posted - Sep 01 2015 : 5:25:09 PM
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| Question: Does the EZMilking System work with miniature cows? Wouldn't the milk bottles be too close to the ground? I've been reading about milking set ups in Mary Jane's Milk Cow Kitchen book. |
~Ginger Kelly, Kelly Homestead Apiary, Charlton, MA~gingerbkelly@gmail.comWhen a cow laughs, does milk come out her nose? ~Author Unknown
Check us out on FB: https://www.facebook.com/KellyHomesteadApiary/ |
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maryjane
7072 Posts
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Posted - Sep 01 2015 : 5:59:54 PM
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Ginger,
Good question. I will take a photo tomorrow morning of how the bottles look on my mini, Miss Daisy. Her rear teats are small and she is low to the ground, so the EZ bottles in the rear lay at a slant and I put them on from the rear. The last time she freshened, I used my big NuPulse on her and the claw was exactly 1/2 inch off the ground. It actually worked better for her but cleaning up the NuPulse is a lot more work for the amount of milk she gives. Once my big girl Fanci freshens in Nov, I'll switch both of them to the NuPulse because Fanci will be giving a lot more milk. |
MaryJane Butters, author of Milk Cow Kitchen ~ striving for the stoicism of a cow standing in the rain ~ |
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maryjane
7072 Posts
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Posted - Sep 01 2015 : 6:01:04 PM
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| Also, I should add that I hadn't known about the EZ when I wrote my book. I do have information about it on the insert I put in the books sold from here. |
MaryJane Butters, author of Milk Cow Kitchen ~ striving for the stoicism of a cow standing in the rain ~ |
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Ron
4666 Posts
Ronnie
Peever
SD
USA
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Posted - Sep 01 2015 : 6:43:40 PM
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| Ah more information! Milk cow pantry? ( you may now hit me ) |
With a moo moo here and a moo moo there, here a moo, there a moo, everywhere a moo moo. |
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Topic |
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![[flourish]](/images/flourish-txt_mobius.png)
Milking systems for one or two cows?
![Heritage Jersey Organization [logo]](/images/HJO-logo.png){kind=logo}
