I milked this morning

I don't keep a cow's milk until at least three days after they've calved. But Bonnie's calf is too young take all the milk she gives, and he tends to favor two teats, leaving the others untouched. So I relieved her of some of that excess pressure this morning.

I found out the other day that the stanchion in the barn won't hold Bonnie until Cliff makes it just a tiny bit tighter. Since I've gotten milk from her two different times for the calf, with her unrestrained, I decided to try it that way again.

She turned her head around and sniffed at me and my bucket a couple of times, then went back to chewing her cud. She didn't kick or even lift a leg. Her calf, who was lying down near her, got up and walked away and, to my surprise, she didn't follow him.

Over the years I've probably had at least thirty different dairy cows. Not one of them would have stood still for me to milk them without being tied or stanched, and given grain.

I hope I'm not bragging too soon, but maybe this cow IS worth what I paid for her.

The calf, by the way, is energetic and feisty now. He's gotten over his trip down into the depths of the canyon.