Trautman Family Farm

No one sets out to be 'unsafe'. And there is no magical line of 'safe' - it is a fuzzy line that moves in time, based on understanding of the situation. We can be across that line by a good margin -- or hugging the line.

Our approach is one of being across the line by a good margin, yet well within the limits of practicality on the farm, vs. a large milk processor environment. Today I will give some outline to what we mean by safe raw milk.

Raw Milk Safety at Trautman Family Farm

#1: Attitude towards safety: Job 1. Each day we think safety; it is not an afterthought, it is not something we think about when an inspector is due to show up, it is a minute to minute thought about what we are doing.

How do we keep the focus? We meet regularly; monthly sit down, weekly informally, daily continuous observation.

#2: Training: I have attended the Producing Safe Dairy Products short course, I get good information from the UW Extension's Milk Quality website. There are additional resources specifically on safe raw milk as well that I am familiar with. I believe ongoing training/review is a  great way to stay focused on safety overall, and current issues.

I am our "safety officer" - which means I am responsible for ongoing education, presentation of new material, looking for possible safety issues and getting them incorporated in written documentation. Although the safety job is for everyone, one person needs be responsible for coordinating the effort. That's me here -- it really varies by dynamic from farm to farm.

#3: Documentation: We are producing documents: for training, for operation, to share. The act of writing it out formalizes practices, but amazingly puts a discipline to what you're talking about and an order. Often issues are presented in novel ways by insisting on documenting them. If you can't explain it: You probably don't understand it. (ode to teachers)

Our goal is a HACCP-like document.

#4:  Well developed testing protocols, feedback mechanisms, monitoring & check-and-balance systems.

We are human and capable of mistakes. Therefore we plan  on systems to check our own work, and ideally, immediate feedback on unsafe practices. These are situations we create:

- operating procedures with 2nd person checking. Checks & balances: Between Julie & Scott - excellent communication - and Don Warren (microbiologist and sanitation expert) & Art Johnson (former dairy fieldman & dairy process expert). We are fortunate to have these kinds of resources monitoring us and helping establish better safety systems.

For example, how can we double check pipeline & bulktank cleanliness, monitor system performance. Regular equipment checking: Ph strips for wash water, chlorine strips for sanitizing performance, visual/smell checks, identification of 'critical points' of hazard entry....all documented. Maintenance schedules. Inspections. Data such as time/temperature. Complaint log. Event log.

- documentation trail for review and learning. Telling the story of safety!

#5: Holistic nature of safety: Whole-istic: Safety is NOT just sanitation! It includes everything; the people, the animals, the farm, our customers. Healthy begets healthy. Add great sanitation and  you have a very safe environment.

#6: Healthy farm, healthy cows, conscientous farmers, healthy milk.

Healthy farm: Excellent soil fertility - nutrient managment - diversity - monitoring - attention. See our soil reports! See our organic certification inspection reports (excellent)

Healthy cows: Very few disease events (talk to my Veterinarian!), robust healthy immune systems, low stress, monitoring (or as we call it, knowing your cow's names and everything about them), healthy diet appropriate to the animal.

Healthy milk:

- Excellent job of udder cleaning,(see our milkline filters) low cow/work ratio for excellent monitoring & cleaning time. 2 milkers per operator (instead of 4 plus). Well thought through routines & roles.

- Mastek mastitis checker used daily; (seen and unseen issues)

-very little on our milk filters: there are no 'whoops' recovery with pasteurization and we know it!

- intensive monitoring of udder health via DHIA and milk pickup reports,  overall coliform count, plate count, somatic cell (SCC) all well into the excellent range. For example, 80% of our cows have a SCC of under 70,000 -- under 100,000 is considered 'perfect udder health'. Our overall SCC is around 100,000.

- monthly pathogen testing routine (salmonella, listeria, E157:H7 E:Coli, Campylabacter)

Conscientious farmers: taking great care in filling of containers, great recordkeeping, sampling (we sample whenever milk is taken out of bulk storage), sanitary practices for ourselves - and communicated clearly to our customers as well.

Producing safe raw milk products is an honor and great responsibility. We understand the liability if anyone were ever to be hurt: our practices and relentless pursuit of better safety show that. This is an advantage of the owner-operator system that can't be duplicated en-masse on larger farms or in the milk processor environment -- where they do have their advantages of scale: this is - an advantage to the small family business.

Our goal is to document well enough our entire process such that any potential customer has a clear insight into how we operate, what kinds of risks there are - so they can make a reasoned decision for themselves and their family. As of now it is a farm tour and discussion with Scott prior to any type of transaction. Where else can you get that level of knowledge? From a food nutrition label? An ingredients list? Some PR BS from the company that makes it all look like cows never poop and the sun shines twenty four hours a day?

Getting close to your food -- your farmer -- is an essential part of this, and is by its nature -- special and worthy of extra consideration.

In looking at this: You ought take away the impression we are serious about safety. We can be trusted! Our milk IS safe and we deserve every bonus in creating this quality situation.

I am thrilled to discuss particulars - metrics - of our system with anyone.

In love,

 

Scott Trautman, Safe and Proud Wisconsin Dairyman

For two weeks, ending only start of this week, I have been waking up every day at 3:01am. And that's it; I'm up, no use fighting that. So I do get up, I make myself a Latte -- a big glass of my milk, just a bit of brown sugar, and espresso coffee. I give a check to the 'overnight' email; see what's new, where'd I leave off yesterday's emails.

It's Scottland. Where I'm free to focus on what's going on, undisturbed.

Until around 6am, when the rest of the troops fall in for breakfast.

By 7am, kids off to the bus, 15 minutes of eat and clean up and sort out the day with Julie. By 8:30, on a good day: Milking. Okay, at least by 9. Done by 10:30 and ready to feed. Julie's filling orders, I'm talking on the phone. The cows understand.

Think positive! Dream some!

I'd like....

- To get the old folks together that knew this place way back when together to tell stories.

- A whole neighborhood party. The Skaalen neighborhood: West: Hwy N, East: Tower Road. North: Hwy B. South Hwy 51. Shut down the end of Pleasant springs road, and all on that 4 acre piece on that corner (bales at west edge)

- Hold a Milkstock benefit in Spring/Summer 2010. A weekend of great music, speakers, food -- and great people. Benefit Strong Farms Fund.

- To talk to my neighbors Dale & Sandy & Howard & Carmen about our dreams. And if they like, I'd love to listen to theirs; their story.

- To add Dale's East 40 -- to us South 40 -- soil build 2010, pasture plant 2011, full graze w/organic 2012. Trautman's milk 40, 120 total stock.

- See either the old Sjkolas place + 80 acres bought from Howard

- The old __________ place + 60 acres bought from Howard 

- To add a 2nd farm & farmer here, in this neighborhood. Farm family. Dairy even. Starting 2010!

- To live in peace with Food Safety. We don't hurt people. We help people, and we do it safely. Suggest away, but help not assault.

- To find a way to get our milk made into something people - regular people - can benefit from. Cheese? Yogurt? Kefir? Raw milk? In 2010.

- To have a great Raw Milk bill in 2010. One that no one is in love with, but everyone can live with. Then lets get to work on the longest event free farm buildin' times we ever did see. Family Farms Win: Wisconsin Wins!

- To continue to attract into my life such interesting, beautiful people as I have this year especially. So very blessed we are.

- To increase the family interaction out here at the farm. Big Family is what it is, Big Family.

- And the same peace and prosperity to you!

First you have to envision it. Then start breaking it down into pieces....

in Love,

Scott Trautman, Thought Test Pilot (early am) Proud Wisconsin Dairyman (the rest of the time)
 

 

Dairy Happy

in Wisconsin 

Anyone guessed that I love my work? Even in the face of crisis, like now, I know what I was put here on this planet for. To farm, to dairy, to teach; these are my passions. Add in there -- to innovate -- a restless curiosity and need to move forward -- especially in an area like dairy that has been heading in a non-constructive direction since....well...that 50 years again. Opportunity! Love it!

I love all of my work, even the parts some would say are redundant, don't you hate the routine of chores? No, I really don't -- some tasks I do, including, say, fieldwork -- time on the tractor - I put to good use. Thinking time. Thinking positively -- thinking about a problem - thinking sometimes about nothing, wham, there it comes. A thought. Incoming!

How to make less milk.

I know how! Pick me! I know  it!

What? Less milk? Yep -- less milk. Taken by itself, yes, that is wacko-crazo-nutballiness. You mean, feed the same feed, all the same
costs, but make less milk? No! I mean

reduce costs by at or more than the amount of milk you don't make

put more milk towards alternatives to shipping it - that have surprising benefits

Imagine: If instead of the deathrace each farmer has on in a poor price dairy market (oversupply) like this: make as much milk as possible, and hope your money lasts longer than your neighbors before markets recover: Somebody Has To Go, Let it Be My Neighbor and Not Me.

What if -- each farmer instead reduced the amount of milk they made by 15-20% -- and reduced their costs by a little more -- 20-25%. And preserved their ability to go back up that 15-20% at any time.

Here's what we're doing: 

- feeding high quality, but 1st crop hay. Keeping the good stuff for when we need to make milk -- or for sale even.

- not feeding any supplements other than minimum salt & kelp, Ah: but we've earned the right. Have you? Soil Fertility program & good haymaking are the heroes.

- maintaining body condition because of high quality and all grass background and probably also due to us milking once a day.

- growing calves longer -- heifer or steer - dairy or meat - with milk: we leave calves with cows. This last group of calves got an extra 3-4 weeks of momma's milk: It WILL pay off in the future - nice big healthy calves. Project out 2 years from now: Beautiful, and ready to serve.

- chickens - hogs - get quite a bit of milk - premium quality products from milk-fed animals

- our pets: cheap dogfood it is lately, but supplement with high quality milk: better health and vitality

- NOT feeding the oversupply of milk in the system. I think most dairymen could haul back on the corn to about nothing -- and see milk come down, but health go up. But you need quality forages -- balanced grass & legume -- energy -- carbohydrates -- is the issue. Get off the "I make big milk" kick. The game is survival; the big game is happiness. We're happy: we're not on a treadmill, we're not a money for agribusiness machine.

- when we're low on carbs? Molasses, fat supplement in a mineral mix. Individually or group: and I am watching how my cows are - there are 2 that are less conditioned than the rest. Cull? Not our future? Experiment with the individual supplement. Close monitoring. Daily!

- mastitis treatments: I listened to David Engel, great organic dairyman who no longer does much treatment of mastitis in his herd. First, he doesn't have much mastitis. We are getting there too -- wow, great number on my girls from last DHIA - super healthy udders - super healthy cows. They get rid of a low level, high cell quarter -- and that's all it usually is for us - in their own time. We have an alternative use for their milk: the chickens: and we don't spend a lot of money on medicines that end up being less  than effective anyway. Massage/mint oil; maybe some garlic, aloe, but really, we used to know how to spend money on an organic treatment. We're to the point where we don't need to. It goes down on its own, in its own time, which can be a day or two -- or a month -- even a lactation.

Other than the sub clinical mastitis - no health issues. We have one sore. One foot corn. A couple cows with chappy teats. That's it. We run cheap and don't need any vaccines, no medicines, no vet visits, no nothing. All a part of the benefits package of no grain and high quality forages. No lost calves, no calving problems, no ketosis, no milk fever, no da's, no lameness, no laminitis, no halitosis. That's bad breath and that's my problem not theirs.

Refigure your costs now: health budget next to zero. Insignificant.

- calf raising  costs: $0

- calf loss: $0

- cleanup/handling/feeding: $0

- quality calves: Super High

- PRICELESS!

- we figure 10% of lactation: 300 days -- so 10% - of milk production allocated to our calves. Say tops, 15%. A guy can change his milk by 15% no problem with some ration changes. So then you get the calf for free! Or at least figure it based on what it took you to get 15% more milk, if that's how you want to do it. We do not futz with calves here ever. Momma does that until weaning, and at weaning, we just still don't have any problems.

- once again: Our saved time - not running around the farm doing jobs the animals would rather do themselves - is utilized in a diversified farm. Marketing to individuals. (you know every one of you could have your own customers: even if it were a dozen family & friends: That is an economic impact to your farm. And trust me: It is so nice to hear from people: Wow, love your work.)

- we save enough on simplicity -- and time -- time we use to diversify -- with the meats for example -- so that we are never backed into a corner.

- conduct our finances responsibly and have a reserve to buffer setbacks like this dairy crisis has been. Buffer you build: I can last one month now. Now 2. Now 3, from what I have the discipline to put away. What if every dairyman could last 6 months reducing milk output by 20%? What would be the effect on prices?

- crisis like this puts a guy in the position to really think everything over top to bottom. There's been changes in our household. I noticed wow, quite a lot less garbage going out. What's going on? Less packaging. Packaging = purchase. And food: More from nature, more from our farm - and other local farms, more time allocated to cooking and family. Perfect! We drive so very much less. In a peak, we could be spending $300+ per month on gas. How about less than $100 when I use this computer to communicate, stay on the farm, we make our trips efficient -- and local -- into our coop, to the library, combine trips. Re-allocate our food money on quality raw ingredients we can prepare ourselves. Result? More vigorous health, more energy, a drawing together of the family. (Quinn is the kid with the cooking interest!) 

An aside, but tragic: Talked to a 70's winner of "Farmer of the Year". He was having severe stray voltage problems. Spending huge money arguing, fixing, still problems. Did you learn anything from this, other than about stray voltage, get any ideas? Nope. Really: No. Then indeed it is nothing but a bad situation. My one thought to him -- in one ear and right out the other -- is GET THE COWS OUTSIDE, no stray voltage out there, minimize contact to stray voltage. Nope, keep 'em in the building. Sheesh! That is a dedication to futility to stand the ages.

- how we look at thing: Positively: We cannot help but take good from no matter what bad we think it starts off being. We're coming out the other side of this STRONGER -- WAY STRONGER than we went in. Lessons learned -- to handle any situation. I told a friend and they didn't quite understand me when I said, "I'm functional under a wide range of conditions". Good times: enjoying, appreciating, taking advantage of in its own unique ways: Bad times: NOT really bad times, challenging times: reevaluation times. Resting times, and expansion times. Defense, attack, hold. There are challenges and solutions. When you're out of solutions: you schedule the sale. There is no sale now, not any time I can think of in the works for Trautman Family Farm. We're needed! 

We're happy in our work - we're happy in our life - and our joy is spreading, as it is in abundance. Come get a heaping helping any time!

Scott Trautman, Proud Wisconsin Dairyman 

My friend Pete Hardin, who is editor/writer/passion behind The Milkweed, called me yesterday morning, to tell me "some things", but especially about an ad he placed for me in his latest issue of the Milkweed, which I just got yesterday. So here's the ad:

WANTED: Single-Axle, Bulk Milk Truck

A Wisconsin dairy producer, Scott Trautman, wants to purchase a used, single-axle, bulk milk truck in good running condition. The truck must meet applicable Grade A sanitary codes.

Surely, somewhere in some milk hauler's shed or back lot, there's an old-timer from the 1960's, 1970s or 1980s that deserves a new life patrolling "America's Dairyland"

Mr Trautman farms near Stoughton, Wisconsin (close to Madison). His number is 608-206-9798.

Scott & Julie Trautman are in a battle vs. Wisconsin's agriculture department over sales of raw milk 'pet food'. Buying a small bulk pickup truck would allow them to better line up a plant to process their milk, which is currently being dumped.

 Thank you so much Pete! For all you do. And thanks for the idea for today's blog entry -- I would like that someone out there that has one of these to understand just what we would do with that truck.

Realistically: Would like 2 -- a backup. But you'll see why.

I've contacted others that had some kind of resource like this, and they have always been too busy, into their own thing to consider any kind of sharing. Okay, fine. Welcome to the world of 2009.

Except I refuse to give into that. IF I were to acquire this milk truck -- I would find a way to share it with other dairy producers, and present and future dairy processors, to stimulate creativity and competition out on the farm.

What we have today: a limited number of really big trucks going by our dairy farms. Our case: One, that's it -- a 2nd? To the same place that has already said because of raw milk -- Dean Foods -- Foremost Farms -- not interested in us -- us uppity farmers (take note, farmers, take note).

There is a lot of interest in this consolidation in milk processors -- The Milkweed hammers on it each issue -- and I for my part, in my own small way, want to DO something to stimulate competition.

I am also going to talk (again) to Darlington Dairy Supply as well -- and anyone that will listen -- DBIC guys: I laid this same whole thing out for you and you completely ignored me. Sorry gang, but you are useless, you have no vision beyond your own job preservation, and that is really sad. You ought to be ashamed but don't even have it in you for that.

Darlington Dairy Supply sells and installs dairy processing equipment. Particularly on a small scale. There are pieces missing from the puzzle -- and some amount of scale is it. As I laid out so clearly to DBIC -- and was ignored -- it is a small market for farm-based artisan cheesemaking/dairy processing. It makes very little sense in an already busy day, and by people that are really good at MAKING milk, it is rare that they are also good at business AND making stuff WITH milk.

The answer -- the vision -- is:

1. Get the transportation thing worked out. Reasonable transportation, LIKE a single axle milk truck: I have talked further about an even more economical 'milk mover' -- which our Food Safety people like to say "NO! What was the question again?" -- you've heard me talk about that -- how destructive they are to entrepreneurial dairy endeavor (how many jobs and farms they are really costing us every day)  - that would bring 'special' milk into a regional location, economically, sensibly, safely.

2. Be able to test this 'regional location' with Darlington Dairy Supply's "Cheese on Wheels" -- a semi trailer with any kind of dairy processing built in, that is 'pre-inspected': it can be pulled into an area, and within 3 days be operational-making product. What's missing? The milk. Enough to keep it busy and paying for itself; from more than one farm. Back to the milk truck idea. The one farm one cheese on wheels? Too expensive. Not selling any. Could say -- 4-5 farms come together -- then it is really economical. What a great use for grant money even.

Hub and spoke -- at the hub this test facility -- test in a region -- what can we do here -- bring the milk in, make it into something great, market it. Goes well?

3. Build a permanent dairy processing facility -- move the mobile unit to the next location -- repeat.

What our farm has been all about: Quietly succeeding in our concepts here, until such point as the neighbors, other dairymen -- cannot help but notice how happy we are, how great our farm looks, how wonderful our animals are, and the raves about our milk: and then they get around to asking, "WHY are you so happy? WHAT are you doing?". And they really listen for a change -- really listen. And then what -- "how can I do this too?". Why, I would be thrilled beyond all imagination to tell you.

Because our dreams here are NOT about ME, our farm, it is a dream of farmers coming together in the real spirit of cooperation -- of community -- that we once had -- and were somehow talked out of -- imagine how it could grow -- first one farm, then a 2nd, then 5 -- our little area here to get a reputation once again -- "wow, those guys down by Stoughton -- they really know how to dairy -- the community supports them, they support each other -- let's see what they're doing...."

BEYOND the individual farm: NOT really an efficient unit of dairy entrepreneurialism. It has to START there -- but it becomes a force when several farms come together, bringing their talents and varied resources together. No, NOT back to the olden days: But take the best of the olden days, and combine with the best of technology and today. Like our farm.

This is NOT a new idea from me: I have been screaming this with all my might -- to DBIC -- to anyone that would listen -- it can work -- and now is the time.

So back to this single axle milk truck: It starts there. Why? Because it allows Scott to get back to work -- get our milk off our farm, even as it doesn't make great sense in the long term -- it does as a test pilot -- as a pump priming -- for bigger things. A something rather than a nothing. To get a busy guy like Bob Wills to listen, take notice. Want to participate.

You there -- bulk truck owner -- old-timer as Pete puts it -- dairy -- family dairy farms are not dead, they are alive -- and we have this opportunity to be a part of the New Golden Age of Dairy -- and you can be right here in the lore of it -- the place it started, with one Single Axle Bulk Milk Truck.

What would that be worth to you? To Wisconsin dairy? To all of Wisconsin? The world? We'd all like to know.

Scott Trautman, Proud Wisconsin Dairyman and Citizen

PS: The page that the milk truck picture came from DeLaval: pretty cool

I am in a state of wonderment. I wonder, I appreciate, I am grateful. This great plan for me -- for us -- all of us -- that I am part of, I wonder why it has to be like this, but accept and know it IS for a reason, and it is not that I am to be miserable, but that I am to search for the meaning, while finally accepting that I may not find it, but search I must. It is the journey, not the destination.

This has been quite a journey, here. And it is really only now that I feel I am coming to some peace and truth; but that every step of this journey has been absolutely necessary; every moment of my life has brought me here. As I write -- it is not my ego, me - that writes, but in humility God moves my hand when it is given over to love.

My neighbors Dale & Sandy don't like me much at all. And that's truly sad, because we're not so very different. We would share some core values -- if only we could get to them. And I say: I am to blame that we aren't there, talking.

I remember meeting Dale, before we ever moved into this house. I hired him -- he is an ex-farmer--now a plumber -- to put in a water line for our refrigerator. I can see now -- here's this guy from somewhere else, coming in here, to our neighborhood, boy is he going to set the world on fire, boy is he full of himself. And he'd be right about that. Past tense, I'd like to think, but right. Dale didn't say a whole lot then, and he hasn't said a whole lot this whole time. It's not his way.

I have had some pretty unkind thoughts about him along the way. But those reflect more on me, than him. In my frustration with ME - I lash out in anger at HIM, but it is ME that now accepts responsibility for how the conversations have gone.

I have tried to be conciliatory. I have tried to talk, to get to know them, to express what we're trying to do in a respectful way. Yes, I do believe we have some really good ideas here that are working. No, I do not think I'm perfect nor do I have all the answers. But I sure am doing my best and I have not nor ever will give up on the idea of the family farm, where they have as so many others.

There have been moments where I did feel we were really talking. Sandy is, herself, and has a certain way about her that isn't as inviting. I have accepted that it isn't me, it's the way she is, get beyond it. There were these two times -- after a couple beers -- where those defenses were down, and we talked, and she asked questions about -- what to her -- seemed to not make a lot of sense. We had a dialog going. But then it ended. And maybe me joking that a couple beers is what it took ended it. Whatever it takes -- I've wanted to talk and find our common ground.

As time has gone on, I have come to very much balance anything I ever say with a complete picture. I know in my heart Sandy and Dale are good people: Look at their wonderful children. Look and see their son works with the father, you cannot be an ogre and do that. I know they love their land, farmers, I know they are good people and loyal friends, and I know if we really sat down and talked, that Dale would know I too am a decent person.

But I feel like the situation is such that he and Sandy have to hold onto this nugget of darkness, really hard, cannot let it go, and that it is beyond just these interactions we've had; it's about more, it's about the past -- and a proud family that wanted a different future -- wanted to farm -- and saw it torn from them back in the early 80's. And I can only imagine how they -- and others like them -- ex-farmers, how hard that is to say -- can really feel.

To see us come in -- never having farmed before -- tra-la-la, boy do we have all the answers -- throw a bunch of money at it, do this, do that they don't understand, completely out of the mainstream of what they knew, how irritating. Most of all -- the pinnacle of that irritation -- that we really seem happy, we seem to have that thing that we're all going for -- happiness -- we are truly and profoundly happy in our work, and what we're doing IS working, that somehow an ex-farmer cannot accept their own past failure in farming with someone in the present succeeding, especially when it is as different from what they did as what we do.

Howard & Carmen - getting up there in years, I've tried to get to know you, too, and there have been times where we too -- I thought we were really talking, then to know, nope, we're not. Nothing has changed. To talk to others, well, that IS just them, that's the way they are -- and to understand that a big part of them died with the death of their son -- the dream of a legacy -- a feeding of a despair, a wound that keeps getting picked open.

Here is this brash upstart -- not from the farm, not from here -- telling me what? Just in the way you say it -- resist, reject. So yes, it is me that has failed. What I would say to you Howard and Carmen, is listen - I know what pain you have in your heart, that there is a healing -- maybe some here, in knowing you are an important part of a legacy -- it couldn't be your own son, but it can be in my sons -- and daughter -- that we truly love farming -- we can do this -- we can reignite the flame there once was, here -- in this neighborhood -- it was good - it can be good -- and can you please open your heart and listen, and be a part of this beautiful hopeful future, that this isn't some Scott Trautman hero thing, look at him see how great he thinks he is -- but that this is about all of us -- you - me - us - finding it in our hearts to think differently -- think in the now -- and know that these are things we can do, there is a legacy --- family farms are not dead -- just changed, different. All that has happened to this point happened for a reason -- as terrible as some of those things have been -- good is possible.

I have a dream. And that is that this neighborhood becomes the starting place -- for a new golden age of dairy farming in Wisconsin. My friend Cheyenne Christiansen -- I want him here on your old farm -- he is a better dairyman than I will ever be -- and then it will not just be one farm but two -- and then three -- and then -- what? A culture change. We make very special milk -- 100% grass -- our cows are so very healthy -- come see them, please, see with your eyes, feel with your heart -- know I'm not sure this will all work out but it is possible, and has never been more possible than now with the people that have come together: all because of everything that has happened to this point. To you. To me. To us. There is no judgment, no I'm right you're wrong -- there just is what we can do that works in the now that will carry us successfully into a brighter future.

Dale & Sandy: I am sorry I have conducted myself in a way that has repelled you. We need you, we can't do this without you. Please talk to us.

Howard & Carmen: Please forgive me for my foolishness, please open up your hearts to what truly can be. Let us share our joy in life with you-- please -- we have so much to share, but you have to let us in.

If we are to fail, it will be my failure, and my failure to communicate in love. If all of us -- all of us - are to succeed, it will be the love that we find in each other, in our children, in their future, replacing what a cynical world would have us be. The future starts today - let us go to work -- the very hard work that it is -- and do it with joyful hearts. What a wonderful journey it will be.

In love,

Scott Trautman: Proud Dairyman of Wisconsin -- all of Wisconsin

Anyone wonder what the heck I was saying yesterday? You know what, me too. This is all so complicated -- and it does involve way more than just the farm itself and its survival. How do I see and act in the many roles I serve in. Messy. Complicated. No simple life here I'm afraid. Onwards!

 I have had the great pleasure of speaking to David Gumpert. He is a thoughtful person -- well regarded everywhere -- and he has championed and documented our cause with great thoughtfulness.

Solutions to so many problems: EDUCATION. The more we really know -- and throw out reactionary, easy, simple things to think about -- the further we get in society as a whole, right? The world is coming around to all these big issues of sustainability, and it is through education. No, not simple. Messy. As clear as we want to think everything is: It isn't. I have been and continue to try, in my own life, and own message, to strike a balance. One that may end up getting me disliked by...everyone. But there's now -- and there's future -- there's what we can do now, where we can head in the future. EDUCATION, and getting people talking -- to each other -- thoughtfully -- bravely -- is going to be what makes the difference. Not screaming at each other or just meetings of like minds.

SO: I will state my case here now for a simple act of education on your part. Yes you -- dear reader -- you. Today. I do not want your money. Don't believe anything I say. I'd like you to get ahold of -- purchase, borrow, check out -- whatever  -- a book that looks at this RAW MILK situation, and I'd like you to make your own conclusions. It is important in the grand scheme of things.

The Raw Milk Revolution by David Gumpert

Easiest: Buy from Amazon or like. Today.

Better: March into your local bookstore, and ask for this book. No, don't go to the shelf, even if it is pasted to the forehead of the person there, ASK for it SPECIFICALLY. Should a dialog start; GREAT. See what starts here with that?

BEST: Buy that book locally -- read it -- educate yourself -- then pass it on to a friend, and tell them why this is important, and now. Make sure they read it -- and if they aren't starting it, get it back and pass it onto another. Repeat. Ask them what they think. That book sitting on a shelf is only so much potential energy. Make it the most read book.

INCREDIBLE: What if our legislators were each to have a copy of this book? Passed on -- personally -- from a constituent, along with a thoughtful letter. The time for that in Wisconsin is very very soon.

There is nothing simple about anything -- but there are aspects of this whole RAW MILK debate that are -- and can be simply put to at the least get people thinking. My version of that is this:

Milk from the cow: Are we sure nature got it wrong the first time? Maybe we humans got it wrong? That all milk is a biohazard to be fixed by humans makes no sense. Healthy cows, healthy farm, healthy milk.

We need your support of our farm -- we are sure in need -- but we need your help on getting RAW MILK LEGAL in WISCONSIN even more.

This quote -- think about it - and what is said about Raw Milk -- crazy stuff -- think about the bigger picture:

 "Every age, every generation has it's own built in assumptions - that the world is flat, the world is round. There are hundreds of hidden assumptions, things we take for granted that may or may not be true. In the vast majority of cases, these conceptions about reality -- which belong to the prevailing paradigm or worldview - aren't accurate. So if history is any guide, much that we take for granted about the world simply isn't true."

- John Hagelin, PHD, from the wonderful book & movie, "What the (bleep) do we know".

All in love,

Scott Trautman, proud Wisconsin Dairyman and citizen

 

A correspondence -- one of many to the many, wonderful friends I have made here -- at such an increasing rate over the past two years I would say - this friend is facing the imminent loss of his brother to cancer. And he is seeing all this craziness I'm sharing with him -- but he is in a completely different universe of thought. He asked -- and I wondered, maybe, just a wee wee bit if it was wondered sarcastically, if I ever thought of writing books for a living.

So here was my response to him, from my heart.

 

 

But my love is already in what I do.

I love to milk cows.

With my family.

To work with my friends -- towards great things -- together

Beyond ourselves -- that we can know --- Is, in whatever small way,

Making the world a better place.

There is no better feeling; no better life.

 

I like the humility in being a dairyman,

Someone who works with animals,

beautiful, intelligent ones - which is all of them.

Those fools that would look down upon such a thing.

Scurrying around in the supposed self important world of their creation.

Here is the world of my creation - of my Creator.

 

I've come to a point with myself -- where I appreciate.

Everything.

And even a simple thing like milking cows -- the bringing them in,

moving them over, cleaning them, milking them, touching and talking to them - all of it -

is a great communion -- a great communication we have between us.

I am so relaxed -- and because I am so comfortable, I am able to communicate Clearly -- with my cows.

And they want to do what I ask.

And I want to do, what they ask of me, too.

 

There is coming a great time of peace -- for us -- for others -- That is going to build, grow, and be so attractive -- No one can escape the gravity of it.

It will still take years and years and years. But my children are being taught patience -- where I had until this point in life to learn it.

To anyone anywhere that would come to know us. I can firmly promise you love, laughter, joy.

And work -- and play -- an enjoyment of life truly lived.

I know that's not what you were expecting, , but you do know me well enough to expect some unexpected. In a good way.

Know my thoughts and love are with you and your brother. All is as it is meant to be. Labeling it the good or the bad, eh. I don't think ultimately We know what it is, and I bet if we kept backing up further and further away from everything, and could see all -- like God -- all there would be is good, all there is - is God.

Boy, , seems like I slipped totally up onto a pulpit there. But really, it's from the heart. I am thinking loving thoughts for you and your brother, and I am here to do whatever you'd ask of me.

Your friend -- the highest compliment I can pay anyone,

Scott Trautman The happiest dairyman there could ever be.

I (Scott) ended up down at the Dane County Farmers Market after milking Saturday. As I like to say, it's one of those scary sounding things that are just well, obvious, and not scary. So: I was listening to the voices in my head, and doing what they tell me to. That's right. The internal dialog -- which is focused, now -- so intensely on this Raw Milk War -- War on Family Farmers -- war on the Trautmans --- is getting really, really creative -- and is really joyful, playful -- and full of energy to experiment.

 So when I say I'm acting on what the voices in my head are saying: They're coming from love, and enthusiasm, and good, and just bursting out all over the place.

I called our great friends -- my daughter's godfather -- the Andres, Bruce and Cindy, if they'd be up for a little bit of naughty fun down at the Dane County Farmers Market. Of course, when do you want us. That kind of people -- always -- we are the needy ones, the Andre's are there for us time after time.

So we go down, park just off West Wash. Bruce on Camera. Or Cindy. Doesn't matter. You got my back? Yeah. Alright then, let's do this thing.

I've got a gallon of my milk under my arm. Freshly poured from the bulk tank into a gallon jar. Having been from the cows I just finished milking an hour ago. (don't look at me like that when you figure that out to be milking at 10am. We milk once a day). And a glass.

 We get out of the car, walk across the street, walk 50 feet, and who do we run into -- a guy with a placard tied on front and back -- "RAW MILK INTERVIEWS HERE". Guy with a video camera, like us.

We both yell out and run and hug, just like that. People are definitely looking at us now -- so it's MAX KANE, another common criminal like ourselves, raw milk criminal -- and he came up with this idea on his own, so did I, Kosmic Karma with a Kapital K.

So the Raw Pack here starts wandering around, you know, bustin' heads an' stuff, gettin' all rowdy you know. Wait, that didn't happen, although Max  can sure express himself on his feelings about, well, people, organizations he, like us, are having a way rough time with.

THIS is a TEASER folks -- we have VIDEO -- with what I promise to be world premier of the most simple explanation of the  raw milk law in Wisconsin ever. You will be shocked; you will be amazed; laugh, cry, etc. etc. etc.

C'mon people -- reach out to us -- help us defend ourselves in this war that DATCP is waging on us -- bring in your friends -- tell them this is important, they need to know about this ---

 See you back here soon -- with video from my morning on the square!

 

Hello everyone --

The real war - against family farms - has been going on for years. In not so, and in subtle ways. A completely antagonistic Food Safety group -- to helping family farmers, and dead set on KILLING our family farms in their Jihad against RAW MILK.

 Right now -- WE ARE SHUT DOWN and DUMPING our precious beautiful milk 100% on the ground -- because DATCP - Department of Ag, Trade & Consumer Protection -- wants us DEAD.

 

Here's a public accounting of that -- boy do I have more details for you, though.

http://www.thecountrytoday.com/story-news.asp?id=BLJ2AUV707U 

But not just our farm -- any upstart farm that would dare have their own customers -- dare to succeed -- and not be a servent - a slave -- to the dairy processors of Wisconsin. That's what it's REALLY all about.

28 other states have SOME kind of SENSIBILITY when it comes to raw milk.

Ask yourself this question -- if you doubt whether raw milk can be safe -- straight from the cow to you by a safe and professional farm family--

Are you sure nature got it wrong the first time? Mothers? Can you chime in here -- formula maybe instead?

Can you believe that man and science are better than nature --

-- or that our cows to a one MUST BE SICK, to warrent that all milk everywhere needs to be pasteurized?

-- their war cannot be about SAFETY -- ask 100,000 present and PAST dairymen that have drank from their bulk tanks for 100 years -- and their families, too--and the millions across our nation that drink raw milk every day safely. Really! FACT: It is not illegal to consume raw milk: it is only illegal to PROFIT from it! How can you hate farmers that much, DATCP, Food Safety, Steve Ingham?

**** TELL YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS you are sick of DATCP abusing family farms. HELP FAMILY FARMS survive NOW -- we need the help NOW - with Safe Raw Milk NOW.

 **** BE your "groups" Family Farm Defender -- get your group of friends this information -- and start the conversation with them. They don't care yet, because they don't know what's at stake -- for Wisconsin -- for all of us -- and most importantly for our children.

**** EDUCATE YOURSELF! Raw Milk needs to be really known -- not just the fear that Food Safety people everywhere scream at you. Facts. google 'raw milk' -- but get the FACTS and not the FEAR.

___ LOOK FOR AND SUPPORT A GREAT RAW MILK BILL. It is COMING SOON.  

 --- FIND ME on Facebook, Please! Fans and Supporters of Trautman Family Farm for up to the minute thoughts and -- to just get to know what kind of human I am. I'd like that a lot -- to get to know you.
 

 **** STAY TUNED HERE -- ACTION -- SOON

 Scott, Julie Ian, Quinn & Lilly Trautman: PROUD Dairymen in Wisconsin

 

April 4th. Forecast: 3-5 inches of snow, after the wettest March on record, after the wettest February on record. Challenging keeping animals clean and out of the mud yet not destroying good pasture, as anywhere they are is a mess.

But spring is here, the warmth, the green, the lift of mood, the hope of a new season of growth: they must come even with these fits of weather-rage clawing at the edge. It's time to be ready for grass!

Most farms run a dairy and that's it. And that is quite enough, most especially when you follow the standard practices of the day. Milk twice per day, farmer takes care of the calves, feed stored hays, grains: that's pretty much a day. We've got lots of things going on here, we celebrate diversity- in income, in customers, in feeds, in demeanor, but they all have a way of fitting together.

With many things going on, a person has to have a time budget, too. It's easy to assume things take less time than they do; and especially where you wish you could have 5 people for one day, not one person for 5 days. So you have to keep a time budget and not go to the point of burnout or exhaustion. Often.

So our dairy practices are holistic -- whole-istic -- we the farmers are part of that, too, and it's important for us to stay engaged, enjoy what we do, and make money doing it.

What we do for ourselves: we milk once per day. The usual is 2 or 3 times each day, or with  the natural system, a calf, 5-8 times per day! We do indeed get less milk. 1/2 the milk? Well -- no -- but towards that, at least so far, with our skills as dairymen. Getting there.

October 10, 2009:

The above has sat in the 'draft' folder SINCE end of April. A lot has changed. And I'm not ready to say much of any of it without anger.

I'm arranging to have the dairy herd slaughtered. I guess that's that. Everything but everything worked, but no one cared.

 

 

Our philosophy is "if the animals can do it, let 'em", and "the animals will always do a better job than we will". That pretty much sums up a bull. He has one really really important job: To make sure the cows are bred. Great work if you can find it.

Shim is a now 6 year old purebred Jersey bull. We bought him and brought him to the farm on October 9, 2007 to breed our heifers & couple cows. October 9 I know because it's Julie's (my wife) birthday. Some birthday present, eh? I am one suave husband.

We bought Shim from Art Johnson, who has a 32 acre grazing farm by Milton. I will surely write a blog entry about Art at some point, he is quite a character and a super person. Art's wife died 6 years ago now, so he's there alone, and he's in his 70's. He mostly raises bulls at this time, and Shim is a fine specimen of a bull; a son of Sambo, a quite famous bull that has had many daughters who have won many awards.

If you know anything about cattle, and bulls, and Jersey's, Jersey bulls -- the first words out of your mouth (to me) will be, Jersey bulls are the most dangerous bulls there are. Unpredictable. Vicious. Etc. And I believe they are indeed like that, and we treat Shim with great care. So no need to drop me a line about being careful. Being careful means always knowing where you are, the bull is, and making sure you have an exit plan. And having a stick of some sort in your hand is a must as well. Respect the Bull.

That all being said, Shim is a peach of a guy. He's past his macho years (2-4 years old), and into his middle age. Part of why he's such a swell is Art's handling of him since birth. Art talks to his cattle constantly, and works with them often. Shim is used to and has respect for people.He will do the whole macho thing of pawing the ground, but yell at him good and he'll stop and go on his way. A reasonable fellow

Did I mention that Shim still has his horns? And he knows how to use them like you and I use our hands. Why the heck does he have his horns? All the better to gore you with? Not according to Art; who believes in event of an attack, that he's going to get you one way or the other, that the horns are a useful grabbing point to keep him away from you. Now I'm not necessarily all in on that idea. But at 6 years old, not a lot I'm able to do about it. I would like Shim a wee bit more if not for the horns. But I have appreciated, too, that Art can throw a lasso over his horns quite nicely. I do rather enjoy standing on the other side of the fence in the parlor, and I'll go to scratch Shim and he'll nod his horns at me, which says, thanks but no. Touching the horns? He doesn't like that.

I get a chuckle out of macho Shim when he'll give a bale of hay what for. Uses his horns to scrape some out, invariably leaving him a rasta hat of hay.

My weird little deal is somewhere along the way I've decided that an Australian accent is my Shim & me voice. "Oooh yeah, you're a rough one aint you mate, yeah, that's right." Steve the Crocodile Hunter style.

So he goes in with the heifers on October 9. And starting July 14th (2 weeks early, but twins), 281 days later, the calves start a comin', with 92% within a 20 day window. 20 days is how often cows come into heat, plus or minus a couple days, so that's when Shim can "get them". So, it says good things for us that our girls were in good health and were able to be bred quickly, and for Shim as a bull that takes care of business.

We all know that the bull is the one that determines the calf sex. And we had 75% bulls, which, for a dairy farm, is going the wrong way. You'd be a lucky fellow indeed to have 75% heifers! (girls that is). So King Henry the 8th would have stayed at one wife if like Shim. We shall see how 2009 goes. He was in with the bulls later in October, and we've seen no heats in the cows, only one young heifer appears to have not caught on.

So what do most farmers do? Bulls are too dangerous and hard to handle, and limit their choices for genetic diversity. So they hire or AI (Artificially Inseminate) the cows themselves. Now that was going to be right difficult for the 2007 group of heifers, anyway, having been out in the field, and well, wild. The gals aren't exactly willing for a human to AI them like they are for a bull. The next big problem, even if they're in the stanchions in the barn, is detecting their heats. Humans: flawed. Bulls: flawless. They know, and since their right there, take care of business. Hence, the bull. Problem solved.

Unfortunately for Shim this will be his last year here; the following year he would be in a position to start breeding some of his own offspring, and that is of course not what you want. And we do desire genetic diversity, and towards some goals other than more Jersey. Our aim is to maintain about 1/2 Jersey in our crossbred cows.

So we will be looking -- and doubtful of finding -- a fellow as level headed and generally agreeable and capable as Ol' Shim. But I will insist that Shim go to a good farm where he will be appreciated as the fine fellow he is. He deserves no less.

Answers to a couple questions that come up about the whole...breeding thing...

Do bulls just "do it" to do it? They do not. It's because a cow is in heat or they don't. It's just a job to them. Okay, I'm sure there are some exceptions, and perhaps even the odd gay bull (okay now I've really lost a few of you haven't I), but as a rule, business use only. Harumph.

So how do they/us know when a cow is in heat? Cows in heat give off an odor that can be detected. If there is not a bull in with the cows, another cow will mount or the cow in heat will mount another cow to demonstrate being in heat.

Are you enjoying these little postings of mine? Drop me a line and let me know. Better yet, if you are in the area, come by the farm store and purchase some of our fine quality meats. You'll love them and my writing will be upbeat and fun rather than desperate and bitter. Not so entertaining my pretties.

 All the best for now,

Scott

The Shim-inator, December 2007.

PS: If you have seen and enjoyed the PBS Specials on Barns, you will definately have remembered Art; he's the one with the beautiful yellow barn, but he's the guy who's talking to his cows and bulls

Wisconsin Barns: Touchstones to the Past and
American Barn Stories and Other Tales from the Heartland

..by Tom Laughlin. You can buy these films at his website

http://www.koviaonline.com/order.html

"Family Farm" has, like so many other good things, had the good mined out of it for purposes of selling you something. Monolithic companies want you to be convinced that they are some warm fuzzy collection of family farms, when they have merely taken this good thing and used it only for their marketing -- hoping people will not check too closely, and just buy the warm image. Meanwhile family farms keep being eroded away by these same companies and their predatory practices. That's not what I want to talk about. But keep that in mind -- family farms are not dead -- but they need YOUR HELP NOW. - Scott

Well folks, ours IS that family farm you have in your mind -- it's me, Scott, wife Julie, and our kids - Ian 10, Quinn 8, Lilly 5 that are the heart&soul and labors of this farm. Here's the farm, here's the family, debate over.

This farm does not work if not for everyone pitching in. There is simply too much work to be done, too many things where one person cannot possibly do the thing alone, nor be timely enough to keep all the balls in the air. Each of us has our competencies, and our roles. We back each other up, we can do certain of each other's jobs, and there are those things that only that person can do. And the very best of things is "Team Trautman" jobs -- all of us together.

Team Trautman Jobs: Rounding up cattle that have gotten out of their area. We use polywire electrified fencing to keep groups of cattle in their areas. This fencing is easily moved from place to place for fresh grass or shelter. But on occasion something happens and that group of cattle gets out.

I can remember back to our first year with cattle: 2003, it was only 4 steers, and they were out A LOT, and we were complete nincompoops in handling them. Now, here 5 years later, it just isn't a big deal, and it's fairly rare that they're out at all. WE have changed most of all, not the cattle.

So we look out the window of our house and see some cattle outside their area. The call goes through the house, " OUT!". Might be "Little Steers!" or "Cows" or "Heifers", or horrors, "Pigs OUT!" (pigs aren't really that difficult but they aren't herd animals like cows, either). Whomever is there jumps to get their coat/boots on, we grab a roll of polywire string. It takes 2 people to operate a string -- one on the spool end, one on the end. We let out the spool, up to several hundred feet -- and get behind the group of out cattle, and then walk them back to where they belong. They respect the string, even if there is no charge on it. If we catch them early, they aren't very far from where they belong. The worst case is when they aren't even together as a group -- but have broken off in small groups. This is when it takes awhile to get them back in. Or get in the woods -- ahem -- a string is not possible in the woods, you need open spaces.

So minimum 2 people to operate a string. If only one? And it does rarely occur, well, different tactics necessary. Very difficult. 3 people is better, and 4 is great, especially if it's the crack Team Trautman group. Ian, 10, is now of a maturity and experience where it is effortless for him to join the group. Quinn, 8, is pretty good, but needs more guidance, and his personality is such that he can drift off into Quinn-land (just like dad can find himself in Scott-land). And even Lilly -- 5 - can help handle string.

Two people -- two points make a line -- we move the cattle next to the area they got out of. If some are still in, we have to leave it closed, so a person there to open the existing area string when we get the cattle back over there is useful.

"Be a post" -- we can get the animals next to the area where we want them, and either we have a plastic post in hand, and create a triangle (with area -- remember a line has no area -- very small geometry lesson here), attach each end of the string on the existing area string, open the old area up, and the cattle go back in. Be a post is that third point in the middle that makes it a triangle rather than a line.

We also use that triangle if we need to herd animals across the farm, to create a pathway, a big V, with which they stay in and we can navigate that wherever it needs to go. Otherwise, if only that line, we'll often use existing structures -- be they the perimeter fence, or a line of bales, or another string, to keep a wedge going.

We can always make it work with however many we have, but the more we have, and the better we're coordinated, the better it works. "Cattle out!", the orders fly -- Julie, you go get the string over by the shed -- Ian, go close the front gate and meet your mom back by the barn -- Quinn, you go over and put their old fence back up and prepare to open it, Lilly -- you unplug the fence and then find me. Lilly -- you're in the middle, Ian - go bring those two around back to the group. You get the picture. And bang -- 5-10 minutes later, everyone's back where they should be, no problem. A non-event.

We work together often -- so we know the job, we know how to communicate. Often it's a subtle hand gesture, hand signals we've practiced to know what to do when we can't hear each other, like around tractors. Could your family work together if they had to? Would they be in practice to be able to do it efficiently? Ours is, and it's because we have to be, and, because I think it's so very very cool and pleasurable.

Some of the warmest feelings of pride I have are when our family works together -- Team Trautman -- and I do say that on occasion to give the troops the reminder that we need to work together ("hey guys, I need Team Trautman today!"). In my upbringing, and many family's lives, there is probably teamwork between mom and dad (or not), but the kids, probably not. We cultivate and it is fact that we need each other, there is no point to individuals, we share, we work together, we're a team, and there is joy in our work. I take a special pride that my wife and I can work together - efficiently and effectively, without a whole lot of drama. (sure, some drama, but it's not MY fault, ha ha ha, oh yes it is)

A farm is good for that -- a family farm -- a farm like ours -- where it is designed from the ground up that we CAN work together. A giant grain farm, confinement operation -- are you kidding me? Keep the kids AWAY. Mom probably has very little to do with it. Hire someone as "labor". Man that sounds like work to me rather than the vocation that a family farm is to us. By design -- small tractor that our sons can operate, small animals like chickens that young children can safely be around, very mellow animals and teaching from an early age to respect and handle, say cattle and pigs. The Amish are experts at this -- training from an early age -- and we have learned this from them, and in the history and stories of what the family farm used to be -- is for us and others - and can still be.

We work in small teams -- like me & my oldest son Ian. Giving bales. One on the tractor (me), and Ian opens the electric fence to let me in. Rather difficult to do alone, given the cattle are standing just on the opposite side of the fence, and on the "out" side of the fence is their food, which they definitely want, and now. Loading straw bales in the bale chopper on the back of the little loader tractor, building up the bedding pack. Recently Ian was pleased to find out that he could do the most pushups -- by far -- of anyone in his class. Guess why? That's right, physical activity out on the farm -- moving bales around -- often about as big as he is. He's really good at using his weight to lever the bales where they need to go. What is your kid doing? Exercising his thumbs on the dumb machine? (computer games). Yes, our kids do that too, but we limit it. And it isn't kick them off that go sit in front of the dummy box -- the TV. I feel bad that too many kids don't have the opportunities ours do to be physically active, nor the will of the parents to have them be physically active. They will pay for it throughout their life.

Having a relationship with your kids is about spending time with them. We don't have the money or the inclination to purchase our fun, nor shuttle them to umpteen "activities" here there and everywhere, what we have are things to be done on the farm that need more than one person to do. I need help (which you may well take meaning beyond). It's in those moments that we work together that we talk about stuff -- what's going on, the questions of life, that just naturally occur. I can't make them happen, stuff them into a vacation or allocated "quality time", they just have to happen. And we get stuff done -- a very, very efficient operation the true family farm is.

Julie does the same -- she has a special bond with our daughter, Lilly. Lilly was born on the farm, she has been a little farmer all her life. That first summer she was born -- 2003 -- she was strapped to the passenger seat of the gator out doing chores with her mom. She helps mom gather eggs, hold string, whatever thing she can do to help. And as you can imagine, she is, for her age, quite good help, and is beyond many of her age group in her ability to understand and act on instructions. And because she has been around it all, I would wager she will pick up activities a good 2 years before where her older brothers would have.

Both Julie and I will "grab a child" and go to our chores. Or more than one. We'll split it up. Or send a couple children out with some chores they can do. They know they are important to our operation here. They are a part of it, and I dream of a day that they choose to be an adult part of this family farm. I admire any family that can work together. I know they must have done something right along the way to make the environment such that they can. That relationship can be many things; boss-employee, partners, and the boss can be the child or the parent. I dream of that day, way far away, when it's "Oh dad, we've got it covered, go play with your grand kids, we'll get this done".

Before you think this is some extended online bragging Christmas letter -- these relationships and activities have taken work, and haven't been without their frustrations and failures and conflicts. It is a work in progress. They get better in time through practice. I hope I get more patient and better to work with in time too. I have much to learn about patience and control (of myself).

This farm is a family farm by design -- on purpose for a long term goal.

This farm is an organic farm - supporting the long term purpose of sustainability - a hopefully multi-generational farm that through our success, our happiness, our ability to happily work together, our children will be drawn to this life.

This farm is a small farm, where children can be involved. We knew this was a startup business, and startup businesses of any kind -- much less the known work of a farm -- are long days. I've done it before, and I know it's 16 hour days. I was unwilling to do it at this time without my family - and miss out on those moments that pass so quickly in a child's life. Poof -- they're adults, where did the time go, where was I. I am here -- they are here -- we're together as much as is possible.

The work towards all this started on day one and was not an afterthought. I hope and pray for your family -- that you will find purpose, purpose in good, and find ways to work, live, love and laugh together as we do. May you have your own "Team Trautman" and know the life pleasures of your family.

Scott

Postscript, 12/6/08, 6:45am: Parenting in action, I just had a conversation with Quinn our 8 year old. I'm having to work on him to get him to be a willing and enthusiastic participant, in farm and home life and especially school. Nothing new there -- same issues at about the same age with his older brother Ian.

So Quinn has lately expressed that "Dad likes Ian better than me", and this morning, when I asked him specifically to be my "Right hand man" this morning, he tells mom "I did it the last couple times". So I had a parenting moment and went up to his room to discuss it with him -- and made my points of, No, I don't like our brother better than you, but that he's older and can do more things than you can and he has a good attitude, and "who cares?" if you did it the last couple times, we don't keep track around here of who does what when to keep even, we ALL help out as we can whenever we can, and finally, I asked YOU to help ME because I want to spend time with you and work with you so you can do the kinds of things your brother can.

So then I come here and write this -- while making some oatmeal, and the small act that proves the value -- his brother Ian hears the timer go off, rushes into the kitchen and takes it off the burner. No one asked him to, he just did it. That's the kind of team we're building here, and these are the moments of joy in paradise I am grateful for -- Scott

Rhoda is a 15 year old Jersey, with a little Holstein in her, 3 teated cow. She is my first cow; she came to our farm from my Amish friend Andrew Swarey by Dorchester in May of 2007.

Rhoda had been in Andrew's herd for a long time; she is a certified organic cow. I paid $500 for her; she was to be our "test pilot" cow for us diving into dairy. That's how we operate around here, dip in a toe, test the waters, then wade in a ways before we go all in.

We had no milking equipment ready the day she came. We had no facility to milk -- as I came to find very funny myself telling people -- milk cow. Now cow-s, but cow. As in "Time to go milk Cow". Well I STILL think it's funny. But as usual, we managed. We go from complete naivete, to adaption, to some kind of efficiency. Naivete - Guess what, cows don't generally just stand there and wait to be milked. There being in the pasture. In fact, Rhoda didn't even want to be caught, much less milked. Okay; so day one went by without milking her. Not good. With the help of our very good friend, and all around capable and inventive guy, Don Warren, we (or I should admit, he) lassoed Rhoda, and we put a halter on her, tied her up close to a post on the edge of the field, gave her some grain, and proceeded to milk her by hand.

To look at my soft white small hands, you would have to know I have not milked (many)(okay any) cows before. It is hard on the hands! It took a good 20 minutes and very sore hands later to feel like we milked her out good enough that first time.

I had borrowed an old portable vacuum pump (really an air compressor turned backwards: vacuum instead of pressure), and a bucket milker, which is a stainless steel bucket, around 5 gallon size, with a top on it and a device called a pulsator that would squeeze the teat cups on the teats of the cow to have her release her milk. But they were in pretty poor shape, and Rhoda came before I got them fixed. Well, the portable vacuum needed to be replaced, and waiting on it to be shipped to us. A couple days of hand milking.

 

As usual, the 2nd day went better than the 1st, and the 3rd better still, although I was ...pretty much on my own. The deal was, to get Rhoda here in the first place, was, this is YOUR project Scott, YOU milk the cow. This from "the boss", Julie, Chief Skeptic & Keeper of Scott from Doing Crazy Things. So it would not be good for me to complain, so I didn't, but I sure was happy to have that portable milker. And by this time, she knew the drill, too -- that some grain was in it for her if she came up to be milked.

Most dairymen milk twice a day. Some even three times a day. Us? Once a day. It is not unheard of, and there is logic and reason to it I won't go into here. To say I didn't have time to milk once a day, one cow (for which the setup and cleanup are the same as to milk 10...or 100, is an understatement. But to milk twice a day, with the setup and cleanup taking far longer than the actual milking, well, that would be pretty crazy. (as opposed to "pretty crazy" to be milking at all, or milking only one cow)

When I talked to Andrew about getting "a" milk cow, to smooth the wife into this whole dairy thing, seduce her with the beauty of it all, I communicated the need for a friendly, easy to milk cow, great disposition, a cow easy to fall in love with. Well, didn't quite work out that way, at least to begin with. Rhoda knew early on that I was the "herd leader", but Julie, and the kids -- they were put on this green earth to be bossed around, and that she did. She was generally a menace to everyone but me. Which in it's own way endeared her to me, as I was "special" (as anyone who might know me might say with another meaning..."special"....).

So all spring I would milk her; I'd ask for and get a hand from one of the kids. There was the bucket milker to be sanitized, put together, the tools such as the teat dip, the curry comb (my touch), warm soapy water & wash clothes to clean teats, paper towels to dry the teats. It took about an hour start to finish. And Julie helped along the way, and stripped (squeeze the teats to get the initial milk flowing) and put on the milker.

We would drink the milk ourselves; boy it was good. Yep, unpasteurized, death-waiting-to-happen (so they say). I would call it a "Rhoda-Soda", a tall glass of cold milk, from a bottle with a nice 2 inch head of cream on it.

Rhoda was all by herself. Which we now understand to have been the source of ...most... of her "anti-social" behavior along the way. Cows are herd animals -- and especially if they have always been IN a herd, they act weird if they are OUT of a herd. What herd order? In the case of Rhoda, clearly a herd leader, who to boss around then? Well, not me, we'd established that <I> was the herd LEADER, but Julie & the kids? Well well, they could be bossed.

By late June, GJ, Maidengirl (GJ's Sister) and Baby GJ (GJ's daughter, we just call her "Baby") came to the farm from Richard's (see prior post about My Friend Richard). After some time, Rhoda was integrated with this group, and of course, Rhoda, being even the smallest of the group, took over leadership. GJ is about the most passive cow you'd ever meet, even being probably 1400 lbs vs. Rhoda's 900. Size doesn't matter: attitude does. With her finally being back into a "herd", even if it was only 4, she mellowed out some. I had been able to touch her all along since I milked her; I brushed her, complimented her on how nice she looked (girls do like that, even bovine ones) and generally made a fuss of her.

GJ freshened (had a calf & started to milk) August 11th; a beautiful bull we promptly named "Little Richard". Rhoda, being the bossy girl she is, and GJ being the passive cow she is, pretty much gave up her calf to Rhoda, who, being 14 years old, had had probably 12 calves but never been left to keep a single one (calves in dairy...except for a few Very Odd places like ours, are taken away right away from mom....I hate that with a passion), was getting in 12 calves worth of mommy-ing all at once.

 

When we were only milking a couple -- there were a few days where Rhoda was "difficult" and didn't want to come in, or be milked, or whatever, that we massaged some "hamburger"-like thoughts, and half convinced ourselves she "just wasn't working out", but like so many things, looking back, they were our problems, not hers, we weren't working things out very well, she was being....a cow...

We are now milking 22 cows -- and Rhoda isn't exactly the leader anymore, but if she has a chance to be the boss of anyone - of Baby and Maidengirl and a couple heifers anyway -- she does. Now Rhoda is more "in the lead" -- as in that nosey gramma-like person that always has to know what's going on and be at the front of the crowd. She always wants to be first for new grass, hay, to be milked. Very assertive that way. And eat -- she can really pack it in! Julie especially calls her "Rotunda" -- positively ROUND from filling up on as much grass or hay as she can pack in. That is a mighty good characteristic of a cow -- the more they eat, the more milk they give.

 GJ, Rhoda, Maidengirl's calf Karen Marie, and Little Richard

We had some trouble getting Rhoda bred; she is at this time in her 650th day of lactation -- almost two full years -- which is way too long. We didn't get the job done like it should have been. We use a bull, and Rhoda being old-ish has some old-person issues on occasion and weak hips kept her from allowing Shim the Bull to complete his work. But he did, this last spring, and she will have a calf in around February 20th. So we'll be drying her off here any day. She still gives a nice amount of milk; lots of butterfat & good protein, and low somatic cell count. We are really hoping for a heifer calf, to continue the legacy of Rhoda The Wonder Cow.

 

Rhoda in the new parlor, along with our daughter Lilly. And Bob from Tri-County Dairy in the background. This was day one for the new parlor - 8/27/08

Even Julie now is very fond of her, she is nice to all humans and that certainly helps. Or think of it as everyone's used to everyone's quirks and needs by now. We know how she is, she knows how we are, we get along.

I hope that she can be a productive happy member of our herd for many years yet. She is in good health, and could be around for 5+ years yet, before she's considered really old. For a herd like ours, that is. 5 years old is really old and worn out in many herds today, and that is sad because it doesn't need to be like that.

Come on out and see Rhoda the Wonder Cow and see what I mean.

I ran across this again and thought it would be a nice little pensive day brightener type of thing. 

 The Book is "The Cow" by Jared Van Wagenen, Jr., 1922
From the Steenbock Ag library, University of Wisconsin campus

"When the soil-miner has wrought his perfect work and the earth no
longer gives her increase-when seed for the sower and bread for the
eater grow scanty--then the cow comes to the rescue. From the
beginning she has exemplified the doctrine of soil conservation. Where
she makes the land her own, green carpets of pasture possess the
fields, alfalfa throws its perfume to the breeze and corn waves and
rustles in the sunshine. There great new barns rise in place of the
old, and white walled farmsteads speak of peace and plenty. There
contented farm folk found dynasties by striking the roots of their
lives deep into the soil. And of such is the Kingdom of Heaven"