We love our cows. The Jako Farm pastures are home to cows, sheep, pigs, chickens, geese, and a llama but hands down, the cows are the farmers’ favorite.
Ken Walking the cows up to the barn.
Every morning from April through October, Ken milks the dairy cows. He walks out to the pasture at dawn while the cows are often still lying down from their night’s sleep. When the cows see Ken, they stand up, do their first morning stretch, pee, and then start walking to the barn.
Ken knows which ones will end up in the milk house first and which ones he’ll have to encourage to get up, much like a teenager. They each have a distinct personality. And just like humans, some personalities stick out more than others!
This is my favorite cow, Mable. She’s almost nine years old and is the tamest cow on the farm. Since we don’t bottle feed calves or give the cows grain, they have little incentive to come close to us. Mable is the exception. She gave birth prematurely one year and had to be hand milked for two months. Now, when you walk out to the pasture, Mable will saunter over for a good head scratch.
This is my favorite cow, Mable. She’s almost nine years old and is the tamest cow on the farm. Since we don’t bottle feed calves or give the cows grain, they have little incentive to come close to us. Mable is the exception. She gave birth prematurely one year and had to be hand milked for two months. Now, when you walk out to the pasture, Mable will saunter over for a good head scratch.
The good news about Jako Farm, is that Mable still has a purpose. Next April after she gives birth, she will be a nurse cow instead of a milk cow. Instead of bottle feeding our calves, we have one cow raise two calves. The nurse cow becomes an adopted mother to a second calf. This way the calves get to be out in the pasture with their mamas, aunts, cousins, and grandmas instead of up near the barn in a calf pen.
Did you know the life span of a conventional dairy cow is only about three years? Our cows are still going strong at seven or eight years old. Lava, who is almost ten, is our currently our oldest cow, but we often have some twelve-year-olds still around.
At Jako, we milk our cows from April through October when we have lush, green pastures. We have hundreds of gallons of frozen milk stored away for the winter months. This allows you to drink the same nutrient dense milk from lush green grass, even in the cold of winter. November 1st, anticipate having only frozen milk available.
I’m often asked, “What breed of cows do you raise that produces such lush, yellow cream and butter?” It’s not the cows, folks – it’s what they’re eating.
Dairy products from cows who are eating hay is not vibrant yellow. Milk from cows eating diverse green grasses produces that vibrant yellow JakoPure butter we’re famous for
We want YOU to have nutrient dense foods in the winter.
We want our cows and farmers to have a break as well.
It’s pretty comparable to humans. The food you eat and other lifestyle choices dramatically effect your health and resiliency. You are choosing to eat nutrient dense foods because you value your health. I’m guessing you are sick far less often than your friends who eat a SAD (standard american diet) diet.
P.S.
Did you have a chance you watch the Kiss the Ground movie I talked about last week? I’d love to hear your thoughts! One Jako member who is a teacher shared that she was able to show it to her 3rd grade class. I love hearing stories of kids being excited about soil health!!
From all of us at Jako Farm,
Robyn
