Trautman Family Farm

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)
 

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 so proud of everyone that showed up yesterday at the DATCP board meeting. That took their time -- felt so passionate -- spoke from every possible place in society -- that raw milk is here, we're not going away, and that we need to be heard -- and respected.

Yesterday was Veteran's day. We honor those who's sacrifice is complete: with their lives - for our freedom. We honor them, and ourselves in our pursuit of what is right and good for all. To root out tyranny -- expose those that would hide in the shadows and do evil -- to the weak of all shapes and sizes. That is what we did yesterday -- is spoke of the tyranny at Food Safety -- what they are doing to the weak -- the family dairy farmer in Wisconsin.

We spoke eloquently, we spoke honestly, we gave a complete picture, and I am proud, too -- to say -- that the board members listened and asked good questions. Clearly they care, and we saw an important part of democracy -- and good common sense -- in action. What they will do -- what message they will send Rod Nuelstein - and Food Safety -- we await.

But know with every day our numbers grow; our strength, our confidence, our organization, our ability to talk to real people -- people that wouldn't know raw milk from raw fish -- will know of this war against freedom: our ability to choose for ourselves wholesome food, and of the terrible war that Food Safety has had on our very pride as Wisconsinites--in the form of the weak - the vulnerable -- our family farms and especially our family dairy farms.

I am no Martin Luther King. But I am inspired by him. His love, his wisdom -- his struggles -- his sacrifice - and I take to heart his words. No, like our veterans -- we cannot compare ourselves to the struggles of black people -- they are not (yet) literally killing us -- but there are parallels nonetheless.

The struggles to organize -- to take sensible people treated so poorly as we have been -- and for us to rise above and be sensible, rather than angry and hateful as they are. The struggles in balancing all the ideas that come about, and focusing our energies efficiently -- speak in a unified voice -- make them feel the love we have -- this makes us so very very powerful -- and such a threat to their tyranny.

I dream of the day where farmers everywhere will come together and speak with a unified voice. That we are important. We can get along. We will not stand to be treated badly, we will not be picked off one at a time -- we will not be cannibals to one another, picking on our own weak -- but we will stand strong, we will take back the countryside and we will show the world that we can feed them -- with pride -- forever, to everyone's benefit, and not a few. Farmers will be seen as the heroes -- and not some lower class of people. We will be judged by the content of our character and not by the ...what? How vulnerable we are? How easy it is to destroy us?

There are so many important issues we face today. What I find so ironic -- so telling -- is how many of them come back to peace on our farms, our ability to produce food -- what could be more important -- responsibly, and what that truly means to us. In our health, in our environment -- to our freedom --

Why here? Why now? Why Raw Milk for this battle? Because it is a place to start, a battle that can be won, to start turning back the tide against all of us -- a small battle to most -- but a battle we will win. And then the next, and the next, and the next - for the love of the world we make for our children, and theirs and theirs.

I can only imagine the love that Dr. Martin Luther King had, but I am able to better imagine it every day; as I see the people around me, how they act in love, and not hatred, I am humbled, I am grateful, I am more filled with love -- and how those aligned against us hate these kinds of words -- love, respect, honor, pride -- they don't understand them -- they understand only power, and fear -- terror -- manipulation -- and money and now. How they will wail and grind their teeth against us -- lie, cheat, steal -- who knows how far they will go. And we respond with love. With sense. In unity of purpose, refusing to give into anger and hatred no matter how tempting it is, and it is so tempting -- it is there within us calling.

"It may be true that the law cannot make a man love me, but it can keep him from lynching me, and I think that's pretty important. - Dr. Martin Luther King

No, we cannot compare ourselves to the struggles of black people -- but family farmers have become the underclass -- we can be inspired - and in their own way -- through the lynching - the death of our farms - the terror they have systematically designed for our destruction - Food Safety - Rod Nuelstein and DATCP -- we must push on, we must gain our freedom -- gain our footing -- we must have a good Raw Milk Law NOW in the state of Wisconsin.

in love, and respect

Scott Trautman, Proud Dairyman and Citizen of Wisconsin

Well this is certainly long overdue.

But isn't that just that way -- those that do the most, that hold it all together -- that do the real work of -- everything -- don't get the credit they deserve. The accolades, the attention -- goes to knuckleheads like me -- the ones out talking.

But who milks the cows when I'm on the phone now almost every moment of every day? Who fills the meat orders for customers? Who feeds the kids and makes sure the homework gets done? Who makes sure the calves have feed and pasture and are all looking good? Who makes sure Scott isn't being an ass?

My wife Julie of course. And every one of you needs to know that the source of any strength, anything I have that is good -- comes from her quiet strength. We are Team Trautman: and although my role might be in the "vision" department, Julie is in "operations", and we all know "visions" without "operations" is "damn foolishness".

So let me tell you about Julie, and how very blessed I am that she would be here by my side to share this life.

Julie and I met -- at our 10 year high school reunion, in 1992. (you do the math) We  had gone to the same high school - even the same college, but had different paths. It shouldn't surprise anyone that I was more of the geeky sort. But she was always nice, and said hi, but we didn't talk -- until this reunion. Why there? God. That's why. But we had some sort of connection -- she was out in Seattle, me in Milwaukee at the time, and over the next year, we talked long distance, I visited her, she me -- and we decided to give this a shot. And of course that didn't mean me move there -- but her move here. And then within six months I made her move again, this time to Madison, to follow my career at the time.

We married in 1997, she was working -- supporting our household -- while I was building an Internet business. By 1998 our first son was born, Ian. In 2000 our second son, Quinn, was born, and in around that time we decided to start looking for a farm. Not to farm, but as a "guilded cage" - for me -- in my Internet work work it seemed I could not leave without some bizarre thing happening that only I could fix.

It took us quite a while -- and Julie was the organizer, she would have her stack of listings -- and we would drive on weekends to see farms. And eventually -- me having resisted this particular farm we are on - for 6 months -- but Julie refusing to take it out of the pile -- we looked in this north window into the house -- and we both knew this was it, this was our farm. We moved in on May 16th 2003. I know this because it was our first Stoughton Syttende Mai, our local celebration of our Norwegian heritage.

There was quite a bit of unhappiness from me from the Internet business; a lot of that weight born by Julie -- and my children. We farmed on a very small scale, learning so much, making small mistakes, learning what we liked and didn't. In 2003 our daughter, Lilly was born: the first to live all her life on the farm. And in 2004 I sold the Internet business, and we dedicated ourselves to farming 100%.

Every family eases into a comfort zone in their 'roles' - every family is different. And there has sure been discomfort in the settling into those roles, and they still change. They may be changing again soon, depending on how this whole raw milk situation works out. But throughout our history together -- Julie has stuck by my side, and been the yin to my yang, my muse. So much different than me -- not better, or worse, but different, and so full of love, and patience -- and humor. I can't forget her humor -- we laugh so much around here -- I am a total goofball -- but Julie is REALLY funny because it's not all the time -- it's a goofy look here, a silly comment there.

I am a dreamer. A "big ideas" person. Will it surprise anyone that not every idea I have is a nugget of gold? Perhaps another kind of nugget? If left to my own devices, I would follow some of these less than gold nuggets. But Julie -- has the critical role of sense-maker. Scott, we both know I'm going to end up DOING this, WHY should I agree to this? So then I think about it some more, and we argue about it -- and ultimately I do make a case or it gets dropped. We figure it out together.

This farm was my dream -- not Julie's -- and as I like to say - if I had sprung all this on her -- how life would be -- she'd have long since run far far away. But we took it slow -- proved it all to ourselves. Dairy is a great example: Scott: "Let's milk cows!". Julie: No!. Scott: C'mon, just one cow, I'll milk her, we'll drink the milk, it'll take 20 minutes a day (along with other details she would make me tell and prove). Okay -- 1 cow. And that worked. "How about 4 now?". Julie: No. Scott: Here's the plan....

So now today we milk 25 cows -- and like yesterday -- Julie milked 23 of them while I was on the phone to umpteen people, serving in my role -- that both Julie and I understand is necessary -- to win this war Food Safety and DATCP has on family farmers - she quietly, without (much) complaint, does her work and mine -- knowing that is how it has to be for now, yet again her quiet strength.

Okay men -- time to thank your wives. Maybe it is gems and jewels, or like Julie -- this year she asked for a single axle milk truck for her birthday - thinking family - to save our dairy. 2 years ago? It was Shem our beautiful Jersey bull. Yes, folks, I am a total clod of a husband and deserve a beating. But in the farm families I know -- this is common -- the strength of the whole family turns on the woman of the family - the men are all self-important, and we think we run the show, and we're all about this "vision" or whatever self important thing we think we are -- but it is our wives that have been throughout time -- been the strength, and what gives our farm its life - its personality - brings us our success -- and most importantly our happiness.

Thank you Julie, thank you to every farm mom - farm wife -- FARMER out there. Without you there is no life on the farm. God bless us all, and let's take that time to tell your wife just how very important and loved she is. And for criminy sakes, give her a day to herself every so often.

In love,

Scott Trautman - Proud Wisconsin Dairyman - Citizen -- and at least adequate husband and father.

Evil is as strong a word as one can use. It is not a word I, or anyone else should use lightly. I have avoided it a long time in this situation -- hoping against hope -- that Steve Ingham, Cheryl Daniels, Tom Lietzke & Jackie Owens would find "better data" -- reconsider their position -- and what it means to Wisconsin -- and find a way to work more sensibly.

They have not, they will not, and they have to go, period.

They understand what they do -- and they with purpose and malice misrepresent the Raw Milk situation -- while it is in their professional responsibility to understand the situation and make sensible decisions -- if it is for the benefit of the whole of Wisconsin, rather than whatever personal agenda they might have.

In this situation -- and others like it -- most especially as it relates to dairy farmers -- it is about the application of unfettered -- unobserved -- power over good people in order to exterminate their will and desire to survive and grow. Why dairy farmers? Because they can. The bully bullies those they can -- not those that can defend themselves.

Food Safety does not like me one tiny bit and has shown every indication that as I speak out and shine the light on them -- they will find a way to silence me.

Just this last week: When I was apparent to them I wasn't going to take their "deal" -- it was brought up -- how even should I desire to simply ship milk -- that getting my Grade A license back was "going to be a problem" -- that my parlor was unusual and "just so I knew" -- would need to be reinspected and I ought to have a "heads up" that additional work might be needed. This even though the design was approved, my facility inspected now 4 additional times with no complaint.

When asked about that -- why -- their answer about the inspector -- the inspection -- "a training issue". So the inspector has a training issue -- and what an interesting conversation that had to be with that inspector -- that training issue is going to be a job search issue if he didn't find a way to continue to harass us. Interesting conversation the Food Safety goons had with this inspector, Food Safety having never seen our facility. How does the conversation go -- to find this facility problem -- when all inspections were cleared to this point. The question has to be asked -- "how do we get this guy -- what can you think of that we can hold over this guy -- to let him know that continued resistance is going to mean untold pain for him". There is no other logical, reasonable explanation. Yet given Food Safety's comfort with lies and manipulation, somehow -- like this "training issue" -- they will find some way to extract a reason that someone's going to buy.

Multiply this across the state of Wisconsin. Others -- innovators -- that would try and better themselves, to find this incredibly obstructive group of people. Think as an entrepreneur does: these people are going to double the cost of my project and leave it in uncertainty. Do I really want to risk that? How much innovation -- how many jobs -- how much of our dairy future for small farms has been crushed forever by these people, in their power that clearly is not overseen by anyone that really understands? Huge.

Dr. Kenneth Petersen, an assistant administrator with USDA Food Safety -- speaking to his responsibility -- responsibility -- "I have to look at the entire industry, not just what is best for public health". So what was he talking about? This disgusting ground beef situation -- where this terrible situation is created for a probability of large scale food-borne illness, he is looking at the big picture. Including a Wisconsin plant that produces an ammonia treated meat paste found in this disgusting mix.

Yet here we are in Wisconsin -- with our Food Safety surely claiming they are looking out for all interest -- yet somehow manipulating this situation to leave people believing that Raw Milk is a huge threat. It is their JOB to understand the level of threat -- and no objective investigation of raw milk can conclude that there is imminent danger to a massive outbreak. And "the industry" -- in this case besieged family dairy farmers struggling to survive -- they view this only as a strategic time to attack -- to get to the least amount of resistance. Sick is what it is.

Food Safety has manipulated the Zinnicker situation -- a tragedy where it is alleged -- and for purpose of argument say it even was -- the cause of 35 people becoming sick - to leave in your mind -- the public -- that ALL raw milk is UNSAFE at ALL TIMES.

They go out of their way -- irresponsibly -- with malice in mind -- to NOT address just how many people drink raw milk in Wisconsin on a daily basis. Best estimates are about 2% of the population. Then how much news is this story? Is it the same story as Food Safety's press release? Hardly. It becomes what it is -- their propaganda campaign to eradicate family farmers at a time of incredible vulnerability.

The Zinnicker press release -- was sent to every Organic Valley farmer -- and every NFO producer -- I being a former NFO producer -- cancelled supposedly for suspicion of selling raw milk -- to spread fear amoungst all their dairy farmers. There could be no other purpose.

This is why they have to go. They DO understand what they are doing at Food Safety -- and they do not have the public's interest at heart -- they appear to have big milk processors interests alone in mind -- and to this point they have gotten away with murder -- the murder of untold family farms, an extermination they continue.

So let us talk about Zinnickers: Upon my superficial review, if Food Safety and the state of Wisconsin provided us with sensible guidance, this situation may well have never occurred at all. It wasn't mentioned -- funny that -- from the press release by Food Safety -- and apparently not questioned by any reporter - that they have been providing raw milk for 20 years without a problem. Even, from that day -- 35 people sick if you accept that -- what percent of the people from that day? They serve a large number of people. Also understand that those that choose to drink raw milk would also be likely to make similar other food choices.

Yet understand this clearly: In ANY investigation of food-borne illness, upon reaching the question -- and reply to the affirmative - of "Do you drink raw milk?" -- the investigation for a cause is then over.

Anyone sick is always a tragedy. If there were preventable causes, then we need to look at those causes and look to prevent a future problem. But not with raw milk -- Food Safety keeps repeating the lie over and over again: Do not drink raw milk. This war they have going against family dairy farmers did not start AFTER Zinnickers -- it was started BEFORE -- in April in earnest -- but seriously with the hiring of Steve Ingham.

Jackie Owens is quoted at an interstate milk shippers conference saying "we are glad to have Steve Ingham as head of our department -- so we can finally get aggressive against raw milk producers". That quote is inexact -- funny, Jackie Owens refuses to tell me the exact quote, like so very much more they refuse to answer. They just continue to attack family dairy farmers -- and spread their fear and hatred far and wide. To leave it in the minds of everyone that raw milk is something to be feared. Especially heinous is that "a lot of kids were made sick". Very emotional -- and their RESPONSIBILITY is to be ABOVE emotional and deal with FACTS and the big picture, and be responsible for allocating their time towards the most important issues of public health.

Raw milk is to be respected, like all foods. And it does have its own special circumstances that need to be responsibly looked at. We -- in unity of purpose -- safety for all -- need sensible people at Food Safety, not these people who have their own agenda and will say and do anything to get it done, for whatever sick reasons they do.

I have begged. Others have begged. Others have been crushed and gone away -- looked elsewhere to innovate and grow Wisconsin dairy - beyond Raw milk -- the whole Artisan movement -- that has been artificially squelched, kept smaller than the hearts and will of a creative and energetic force of talented people would have it.

Rod Nuelstein knows what Food Safety is doing. He approves of it. He needs to go. He does not represent the future, or the present of serving people -- he and Food Safety represent tyranny and fear. Governor Doyle, hear us, look into this thoroughly -- do not believe their smiles and condescending words. Understand we need forward thinking -- decent human beings -- that will work WITH us instead of applying power against us, in unity of purpose to have the best in mind for all people, instead of whatever terrible agenda they have.

SEE what happens -- see how we grow Wisconsin family dairy farms -- dairy industry -- innovate -- create jobs -- with a group up there that lives the intent of the law -- and doesn't use the law to express power over the powerless. We need it NOW.

Where I ask for education - Food Safety says trust us, do not look further -- fear. Replace them -- save family dairy farms NOW. It is within our power to start this TODAY. Fire Steve Ingham, Cheryl Daniels, Tom Lietzke and Jackie Owens. Replace Rod Nuelstein. Wisconsin cannot afford their tyranny. When you do -- only then will you start to hear the horror stories of what their regime has meant to Wisconsin. Anyone under their boot lives in fear -- of what they will do -- how they will use their powers against anyone that would dare question them, like me.

Scott Trautman, PROUD Wisconsin Dairyman and Citizen

You cannot keep me down.

To keep me down -- you'd have to convince me no one cared. And I can clearly see that is not the case -- that more people every day care -- and they seek us out.

And to believe the world is a terrible place: One reacts to that in a non-constructive way. There are terrible things, don't get me wrong -- but people are good and decent -- just underinformed and not ready for certain things. That's all. And they'll get there -- too -- but not on my schedule of needs. All I can do is do the best I can in getting my message out there.

So many friends! How can I feel alone with the encouragement of all of our old and new friends. Thank you from our hearts, it is you that is the fuel of our courage.

I may well get to be friends with a couple people I count as heroes-- innovators, people like me that shake things up. People like us are always going to rub the status quo people wrong. We ask questions -- they answer because "that's the way its been" - time and momentum itself are truth.

I met Joel Salatin at the 2007 Grassworks conference, his talk was the highlight of that entire experience; although Cheyenne Christianson spoke -- another hero -- and Abe Collins spoke -- yet another. I remember so well Joel's first words -- it was straight to my heart -- it was about imperfect is okay when we are talking about our kids and their participation in our work. Don't turn them off by insisting on perfection. I have taken that message to heart. I took several other ideas from that short talk, too -- but the most important was one word: Evangelist. Joel considers himself an evangelist. Hey! Now I have a word for what I am. Me too! And from that moment, I worked that word over in my head, and fit what I was doing into it; like trying on a new pair of pants. How does it feel? Well, maybe a little loose--big pants to fill quite yet. Alright, then let's grow into them. How to grow into them? Educate myself. Gain more experience. Really listen: Find humility in my life and send the arrogance away. Well then: the pants are fitting better, and what do you know -- the crowd is getting bigger, more are listening.

I don't know exactly when things changed for me, and it went from just about my farm to being about all the farms and all the people of Wisconsin. Maybe it was looking at my children, and knowing how much I really could do about their world -- more than the excuses we all give --

But the truth is this farm changed me. My beautiful soils, so lovingly and patiently restored over the last seven years, and my magnificent cows - each a wonder of God's all creation. This farm, and everything we've experienced -- including this challenge -- have shaped me into someone that thinks not about myself, but us, and not about now but the future. That is a true farmer -- and citizen of the world. There is no going back, there is such pleasure, satisfaction here. We are making a difference, and the rate of change, of making new friends that believe as we do is accelerating at an exponential rate --

My wish is only to be seen by my state, Wisconsin, not as the scourge Food Safety needs me to be, but as someone that is wanted here -- needed even -- that for nothing else, we need some fresh thinking here because what's going on is not working. There are solutions -- sensible ones we can do right now. This Raw Milk thing is but one piece of this puzzle.

Patience. To be happy, to be healthy, to refuse to live in fear -- like in fear of my own milk - like they need us to be -- well that is the most radical and helpful thing I can do.

So ends today's sermon, other than to deliver on a previous promise of the world's most simple explanation of how the Raw Milk Laws of Wisconsin work.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Dym82i7LDeIo&feature=3Dplayer_embedded

Keep those (I mean emails) cards & letters coming, it is YOU that is giving ME strength.

In love and humility,

Scott Trautman, proud Family Dairy Farmer in Wisconsin

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.

This post from August 5th, 2005. Any of you out there that knows what happened in August of 2005 in the Stoughton area know what's coming up.

I mention "Authentic Happiness" by Seligman. That is a great book that effectively makes the case for optimism; it opens the door. The books that help me practice optimism are The Power of Intention by Dr. Wayne Dyer & now Happy for No Reason by Marci Shimoff. I had the Power of Intention for some time, but could not get into it. When the time was right. And here recently with the economy, I needed to re-listen to the Power of Intention to get out of my funk.

 Here it is 2008 and I still feel the same way. Generally positive, with my moments of despair. Think about the good things, and forget the bad other than to learn from our mistakes. Have a great Thanksgiving, and do give thanks. - Scott

I've certainly had enough downer things here lately to bitch about, but I do believe I am a positive person, and in so, need to search that positive out. So this is that; things I am thankful for, and are truly good.

1. Getting by with a little help from my friends. In a time of need, you find out who's really a friend and who's not. I've had several, and some unexpected, that have given of themselves selflessly. Thanks Dan, Mike, Bruce, Mike, Dale. You guys live the faith beyond Sunday service. Thanks.

2. Healthy family, healthy animals. The worst of the pinkeye is over, and every calf is looking pretty darn good, even with this hot muggy weather.

3. More rain than most have gotten. A hard year could have been so much worse, and is far worse for so many. As dry as it might be, we have nothing to bitch about.

4. New customers and friends. It is so revitalizing to get to know you. I am fed by your positive energy and hope.

5. Always something interesting, something to learn. Never a dull moment.

6. For all the equipment that does work. Seems like it's always something, but so far, been able to keep the balls in the air.

7. For God to give me the strength to get through the tough times. As bad as I might think things are, I know so many have it so much worse. God has been kind to us in every way possible.

8. For my wife and children that bring me so much joy. They ground me and show me what is truly important in life.

9. For my health. A stubby finger slows me down. A fellow I know has been laid up on his back for four days now, getting nothing done. That would be devastating for us.

10. The wonderment that is nature, and the confidence that what we do and how is the right thing.

I credit some of my framework for positiveness to "Authentic Happiness", the book by Dr. Seligman, which put into focus strategies, such as this very effort, to keep a positive attitude, even when one could easily fall into despair & be just another whiner complaining about just how crappy everything is. It isn't, but I'm the only one that can make me live and believe that.

All the very best to all.
(now surely back to my whining...)