After nearly five years tending to my family milk cow, I’m hanging up the bucket. (Which is definitely better than kicking the bucket.) I decided to find a new home for Sienna and retire from my role as a milkmaid. 

Sienna was five years old when I purchased her. She was in milk at the time, and I had to start milking right away. Her first calf for me was a heifer, Marabelle. I tried to turn her into a milk cow, but it was not to be. That story here. 

It was not without a little sorrow that I sold Sienna. I was quite attached to my milk cow and felt like we’d been through a lot together. Not only that, but she was a good cow who provided my family with delicious dairy for years. 

I started this blog, Memoirs of a Milkmaid, on Jan. 22, 2019, after I had owned Sienna for more than a year. This will be my last post, and I want to thank all my readers for allowing me to share my stories.

Sienna was actually the third milk cow I’ve owned in my lifetime. My first milk cow, Tilly, I bought when I was only a teenager. Then, after many years and moving to Texas, I bought another Jersey named Callie. I only had Callie about a year when, sadly, she developed lymphoma. When my son, Brance, was a year old. I decided to try again and brought home Sienna. 

A milk cow can bring many benefits to your household. However, owning a milk cow is such a huge commitment that it certainly has its downsides, too. Like what? Let me mention a few. Weather: I’ve milked in sweltering heat and freezing cold. I’ve milked in storms and power outages. 

Fridge: I have to keep one fridge nearly empty to have enough room for all my milk containers. Plus, when the power goes out, there are two fridges to attach to the generator.

Holidays: When I’m in the twice-a-day milk cycle, there are no holidays. 

Dinner parties: “Excuse me, I have to go milk, but I’ll be back.”

Sick: I’ve milked when I’ve had a fever, headache, sore throat, poison ivy, cough, COVID, morning sickness, etc.

Pregnant: I milked up until I was nine months pregnant with my daughter.

Trips: “I can’t go, because I have no one to milk the cow while I’m gone.” (I have to plan my travel around my cow’s milk cycle.)

Sleeping in: Not when I have to milk the cow.

Anyway, you get the picture. I was ready to move on. With homeschooling, the greenhouse, and all my other responsibilities around the house and farm, I felt I had too much going on to keep up. I decided to free up some time by selling Sienna. 

The woman who bought Sienna is using her as a nurse cow to feed a bottle calf. She sent me a photo of the calf nursing from Sienna. I’m happy she went to a good home. 

Both Brance and Keira got to milk Sienna one last time before she left. Brance was sad that I sold her. He offered to take over my milking duties. Although he’ll be six this fall, he obviously was not ready for that. And so, we all bid Sienna a fond farewell. 

And the fondest farewell and thanks to all of my readers. God bless.