Learning the Ways of a Dairy Farm
Two summers ago my second-cousin Jane journeyed five hours on a bus to spend her summer vacation with our Aunt Hilda. A dairy farmer from Nebraska, Hilda was eager for Jane’s arrival as she was recently divorced and could use an extra pair of hands on the farm. A city girl at heart, Jane was a bit anxious to learn how to milk a cow. Upon arrival, the two women embraced then suited up in rubber boots and overalls and headed out to the pasture.
After becoming acquainted with the dairy cows, Hilda took Jane on a tour of the industrial-sized milking station. Impressed by the vast amount of stainless-steel equipment, Jane asked how her aunt could afford such beautiful machinery. Hilda chuckled to herself then replied, it’s not so bad when you buy used dairy equipment. They called it a day after four, labor-intensive hours of milking and went inside for a glass of iced teas and sandwiches.