Visiting a Dairy Farm

Awhile ago, my dad was mentioning a dairy farm that my cousins' own to Riley. When he said something to me, I said that I knew about it and had been there when I was younger. Well, that was cause for outrage that I had never mentioned this!  Now, you have to understand. I have a lot of cousins, seriously. I have over 100 first cousins. So my kids don't know all of them, and it isn't odd that they don't know them all. Anyway....I asked my dad if he would set up a day for us to go see them milk the cows. He did and we all went out to Patterson's Dairy Farm. My second cousin, Deanna, is the one that does the milking, so she showed us around. Before she got there though, we had fun with the dogs and the baby cows. :0)

When Deanna got there, she showed us the in's and out's of how to get ready to milk the cows.

Then she let the kids bottle feed the babies!!!

These dogs LOVED the attention the kids were giving them!!

We waited for Deanna to bring the cows up, then watched as they slowly came up to the milking building.

Good thing there was a fence between me and these cows....they don't look too happy to see me!!

Once Deanna got the first batch of cows in, she showed the kids where the milk comes out of and how they hook up the milking machines and where the milk goes.

Then she let each of the kids milk a cow by hand!

It was hard to stay in there, because it was hot and the flies were terrible!! But it was fun to learn about how they milk the cows and for the kids to try it for themselves. I just wish we had gone in the fall. ;0)

This cow is named Pineapple. She is Deanna's "baby". She is also the friendliest cow ever!! She loved the kids and ate out of their hands and let them pet her. The kids loved that!!!

After that, it was time to let Deanna get back to work, so we headed home.
It was a great experience for the kids and now they know that the milk they drink at school, comes from these cows!! Patterson Farm provides milk to Hiland Dairy in Wichita!