John might go micro dairying...... kind of.....

[Fenwick]

Where I live has a strong tourist presence seasonally, with many affluent holiday home owners originating from Dublin mostly. There's a city of I imagine 60,000 within 50 miles.



Liquid milk I think is the least complicated at the moment. I am interested in raw milk, with the warning I need to look into product insurance and also the health and regulatory guidelines around it. If that is too big an issue then pasteurised but not homogenised. I don't intend for one second of my thinking to be competing with supermarket/shop milk. Direct selling plus adding value in certain ways it the gist of it. It'll never be a big numbers enterprise so I'm quite happy at block built scale buildings and simple but practical operating equipment. I intend it to be a complementary enterprise rather than a commodity/mono enterprise (without wanting to offend anyone!).



Yeah a mobile milking set up is something I've looked at. Actually pulling it around the farm could be an issue. However, I could park it up in a building and use that as the base for the time being. I'm open minded on it. Whichever option I'd like it not to take all day all the same.

Naturally increasing the fertility with cattle/cows and chickens is something that's a fairly major component of the overall plan for sure. Rather than increase numbers, I would hope that it'll extend out the start and end times of when I'm able to graze and cut down Winter feed bills.

Concentrates, something I'd like to avoid, ideally. I don't farm an ideal farm however, I may have to bend on this notion.



I'll never make those numbers My late father I believe had around 60 cattle early in his farming career, but he would have also utilised other parcels of land, one large one wouldn't suit dairy stock, but was used for beef.



I suppose I have three main concerns when it comes to breed. One is size and the damage a large heavy animal will do here - I see it with my neighbours and they're running angus, hereford, charollais etc. A lot of their fields are all pugged up, ankle breaking places, full of rushes. Second concern, not in any order of importance, is their outwintering ability. No more than bending on the concentrates idea I may also have to bend on the outwintering, which I have a plan for in any case. The next concern then is meeting the nutritional, energy, etc requirements of the lactating cow. I won't be profitable or regenerative if I end up with a bunch of sickly or dying cows. That said, I fully acknowledge my knowledge on the subject is limited and it may not be as big an issue as I think. I will add photos to this post.



Self spreading is a good point and something I can fully agree with. Moving the milking set up could be an issue but something I'll need to think over more. The eggmobile was a slightly different issue as it'd be moved daily or every other day while a mobile parlour would need to be brought back to base for cleaning. Hm, cleaning, I'll need a mains connection somewhere for that.

The purpose of the stand off spots is so cows won't dig up pasture waiting to be milked, am I understanding that right? Not sure how our dept look on that but I see how that works. I know a sheep farmer who does similar for winter feeding a small flock. I have a number of IBC tanks (1,000 liters) already around the farm and a decent water pump. All placed on top of hills so once the water is pumped, gravity feeds the paddocks.

I can't answer the cost question right now on well vs mains. The main question over the well would be will the water be good enough quality. Mains connections can be quite spendy, heard of one north of €60,000 which is madness, not sure what the average cost is.

---------------------------------

Photos.

I always feel I should apologise for the state of the land below, but it's only recently under my management and my new thinking! So, I'm not gonna this time

Quite well rested, would not be the average, but demonstrates with good management what the place can grow.

View attachment 915724

Drone shots, contrasts the unimproved land around my land. It needs significant work, but needs to generate income to pay for that work also.

View attachment 915725

Are we close to the sea, a bit. All these places can grow lots of grass, without fertiliser. The quality of which, I don't know? Not all of the land is great, obviously.

View attachment 915727

Currently setting posts in the field below, of around 18 acres, so I can use electric fencing to make paddocks of 1 acre or more at a time, or strip graze. I'll do the same in the photo above, already mapped it out. Working on the other place but the walls make it more work again.

View attachment 915729

Almost forgot, here is where the water get's pumped from, centre top and top rght. Be surprised how much it holds, even pumping 1 or 2 thousand litres during the height of our "drought" didn't make a dent in the water levels.

View attachment 915730

plenty of examples of thé set up you are thinking of over here. 10 to 15 cows. local breeds, outside all year without concentrateur.

little breeds too, liké thé 'bretonne pie noir'.

some use a mobile parlour. some use a single milking machine and milk outside.

all make cheese. which gives far more room to play with sell buy dates than milk and a better added value.

they all make a decent living.

 

[Kiwi Pete]

@JohnGalway I may offer my services for holiday cover. I quite like the idea of a micro dairy relief job on the West coast of Ireland. Somehow, it seems idyllic.

You can be just behind me on the "list of keen relief-milkers"

 

[Kiwi Pete]

I'm in no hurry to start, first I have to trial the egg layers and I want to get that right before I jump into something else. There is also a finite budget for all my notions. I doubt I'll have a milking cow on the place in 2021.

I have no relief milker. There are certainly issues with the plan as it stands. I had thought of leaving calves on cows and only taking a % of the milk, realistically there are large holes in my knowledge that I need to plug. I doubt calf on cow would work on the Kerrys as they aren't prolific milkers compared to commercial cows.



Having processed your application through our tough selection criteria, you're hired



And wet gear.



What's the deal with Jerseys compared to other breeds? I have read the bulls can be wicked. I have a couple hundred sheep, tick the patience box.

I'm calling a micro dairist today, so will question her re regulations, and water, though I think that issue may be particular to myself.

I intend to start small and test the market. If it doesn't work out then ok, I will have a few cows and some second hand gear to flog. I had always intended to move away from sheep, so a lot of the infrastructure will also suit beef cattle or fit in as storage or workspace for other things.

"The public" tramp over a lot of my land every year so I get to meet them whether I wish to or not. May as well try to make a few bucks off them.

Jersey bulls are alright, they are full of yacht fuel, and can be a bit grrrry if left to manage themselves (dig, paw at the ground etc). Like anything else, they get bored and have a funny complex that you're only there to stress them out.
But if you move them often enough then you end up with great dairy bulls, like the ones we had made a bit of noise... but really that's it... I would hate to be some people's livestock

 

[Nick Adams]

Another vote for Jerseys, not knowing anything about Kerry's. Spring calving will match yield to demand and help with wintering and time off for you. Can you access an AI service for in field cows in July? Or run a flying herd with a hired beef bull. Jerseys will handle BB or Charry calves but probably at the expense of yield, Angus best or Limmy in my experience. In field milking bale can be very simple and light, just bring milk and clusters back to base for cleaning and processing - trailer behind a quad? A little concentrate will make milking and handling much easier. Shipping container is ideal for a sealed clean building for the dairy. Fresh milk is good, but cream and especially butter are simple and extend product range and life - butter and milk can be sold frozen. Don't throw anything away feed it. We fed pigs and calves but hens might take to it - or even back to the cows? I assume it's a low/no risk TB area?

Once a day milking, calf at foot dairying is all possible. Cows are adaptable it's your neighbours that aren't!

https://www.facebook.com/coldeatonjerseyicecream/ These are friends near my local town. Ice cream has been grant aided here so probably over done but could work for the summer tourists and people susceptible to sunstroke.

New entrants should be doing this here where we have the population to sell to.

Great project. Good luck. Will watch with interest and would love to visit one day - I might remember how to milk.

 

[onesiedale]

. . . Ice cream has been grant aided here so probably over done but could work for the summer tourists and people susceptible to sunstroke.

Which is why a bit of diversity to the processing helps.
#100%grassfed butter and cheese

 

[Fenwick]

some

Another vote for Jerseys, not knowing anything about Kerry's. Spring calving will match yield to demand and help with wintering and time off for you. Can you access an AI service for in field cows in July? Or run a flying herd with a hired beef bull. Jerseys will handle BB or Charry calves but probably at the expense of yield, Angus best or Limmy in my experience. In field milking bale can be very simple and light, just bring milk and clusters back to base for cleaning and processing - trailer behind a quad? A little concentrate will make milking and handling much easier. Shipping container is ideal for a sealed clean building for the dairy. Fresh milk is good, but cream and especially butter are simple and extend product range and life - butter and milk can be sold frozen. Don't throw anything away feed it. We fed pigs and calves but hens might take to it - or even back to the cows? I assume it's a low/no risk TB area?

Once a day milking, calf at foot dairying is all possible. Cows are adaptable it's your neighbours that aren't!

https://www.facebook.com/coldeatonjerseyicecream/ These are friends near my local town. Ice cream has been grant aided here so probably over done but could work for the summer tourists and people susceptible to sunstroke.

New entrants should be doing this here where we have the population to sell to.

Great project. Good luck. Will watch with interest and would love to visit one day - I might remember how to milk.

good advice there.

generally those i know of doing it sell thé calves at 15 days as thé milk is Worth far more than a fait calf.

 

[BobTheSmallholder]

You can pasteurise small amounts cheaply and quickly using a homebrew all-in-one system like the HopCat or Grainfather. Hopcat 65L version is only £500 and has a pump and temp controller etc to get accurate pasteurisation. You can also make beer with it when not milking! Also an undercounter beer chiller like a Maxi 110 would work as an inline cooler. Both of these are available secondhand quite cheaply, are food grade and run off a single 13A plug so could be powered by a small generator.

Water is important, you will need to make sure you are filtering water (particles and UV) prior to use as dairy requires regular water quality testing. For a small supply and small use this won't be expensive. You will have to use cleaning chemicals though, how would you dispose of the dirty waste water?

Small batch milk sold direct from farm achieves up to £2/litre whether it is pasteurised or not. There are also companies out there who sell small quantities of 1L milk bottles with a screw lid and nice looking labels. Personally I think doing the bloody paperwork will be the hardest bit!

 

[JohnGalway]

plenty of examples of thé set up you are thinking of over here. 10 to 15 cows. local breeds, outside all year without concentrateur.

little breeds too, liké thé 'bretonne pie noir'.

some use a mobile parlour. some use a single milking machine and milk outside.

all make cheese. which gives far more room to play with sell buy dates than milk and a better added value.

they all make a decent living.

Where to milk is one of the things on my mind. There's a company in one of the Baltic states that make a mobile parlour type trailer than an ATV could pull. However, my thinking is leaning towards a static *low cost* parlour in what could be a multi purpose shed - no point in building in huge cost if the job doesn't work out. The other points pushing me against being mobile is hauling the thing around in the first place. My late father and I always disagreed about this, he would put feed troughs in far off spots, where my thinking is the sheep are 4 leg drive and I ain't. Not that one side of the argument in my context has 100% wins in all categories, I feel I need to know more yet.

You can be just behind me on the "list of keen relief-milkers"

Alright, alright, form an orderly queue!

Jersey bulls are alright, they are full of yacht fuel, and can be a bit grrrry if left to manage themselves (dig, paw at the ground etc). Like anything else, they get bored and have a funny complex that you're only there to stress them out.
But if you move them often enough then you end up with great dairy bulls, like the ones we had made a bit of noise... but really that's it... I would hate to be some people's livestock

I heard over the years Jersey bulls can be a little nasty, it's something to think about, particularly being a solo operator. I do agree that handling quietens a lot of stock. It's often stock that hasn't been seen in a fortnight, or have experts waving sticks, hitting them, and shouting that cause issues.

Another vote for Jerseys, not knowing anything about Kerry's. Spring calving will match yield to demand and help with wintering and time off for you. Can you access an AI service for in field cows in July? Or run a flying herd with a hired beef bull. Jerseys will handle BB or Charry calves but probably at the expense of yield, Angus best or Limmy in my experience. In field milking bale can be very simple and light, just bring milk and clusters back to base for cleaning and processing - trailer behind a quad? A little concentrate will make milking and handling much easier. Shipping container is ideal for a sealed clean building for the dairy. Fresh milk is good, but cream and especially butter are simple and extend product range and life - butter and milk can be sold frozen. Don't throw anything away feed it. We fed pigs and calves but hens might take to it - or even back to the cows? I assume it's a low/no risk TB area?

Once a day milking, calf at foot dairying is all possible. Cows are adaptable it's your neighbours that aren't!

https://www.facebook.com/coldeatonjerseyicecream/ These are friends near my local town. Ice cream has been grant aided here so probably over done but could work for the summer tourists and people susceptible to sunstroke.

New entrants should be doing this here where we have the population to sell to.

Great project. Good luck. Will watch with interest and would love to visit one day - I might remember how to milk.

Starting to think I may need to work out a relief milker roster such is the growing demand

I would go with a bull I think, AI is grand but if you miss time if then production takes a hit - not that there's never an issue with bulls, but I think he may be the more conservative bet. A lot of beef guys here buy in a bull for a period of time and he's for sale again directly after, possibly the route I'd take. I'm not sure what the AI service is like in our area, but it wouldn't have a dairy focus either way.

Kerrys, from what I read, seem placid enough. Their production would be low compared to modern dairy breeds. What I like about them is they're genetically adapted to places like here, where as a modern dairy breed isn't. That's a large concern for me if I'm being honest. Winters can be long and the weather harsh - there's a weather station just a handful km down the coast and we often get the highest winds and high rainfall as well. Currently there's SFA shelter for cattle, which is why my late father never ran cattle on this part of the land at least in my lifetime. I plan to plant many trees, starting with 250-500 this February. Even with the trees I'm matching species to the area so I am limited in what I'll plant, Alder being a top species.

Very little TB here that I know of, I know the local vet quite well.

I've never seen much in the way of figures comparing fresh milk to other products like cream, butter, yogurt etc. I'm at the keeping it simple, keep them alive stage

The only concern I have regards neighbours is the bull! We've butted heads a little too much of late regards fencing, some don't like a neighbour who won't be taken for a fool.

I'll check out the FB page. There's a guy in this village doing ice cream already, so I'm reluctant to step on toes, yet anyway!

Which is why a bit of diversity to the processing helps.
#100%grassfed butter and cheese

I'm open to ideas on products for sure, but they have to make sense for the triple bottom line.

some


good advice there.

generally those i know of doing it sell thé calves at 15 days as thé milk is Worth far more than a fait calf.

Calves, a book I read recently suggested keeping dual breed cows for milking, to get a beefier calf as a result instead of a "by product".

You can pasteurise small amounts cheaply and quickly using a homebrew all-in-one system like the HopCat or Grainfather. Hopcat 65L version is only £500 and has a pump and temp controller etc to get accurate pasteurisation. You can also make beer with it when not milking! Also an undercounter beer chiller like a Maxi 110 would work as an inline cooler. Both of these are available secondhand quite cheaply, are food grade and run off a single 13A plug so could be powered by a small generator.

Water is important, you will need to make sure you are filtering water (particles and UV) prior to use as dairy requires regular water quality testing. For a small supply and small use this won't be expensive. You will have to use cleaning chemicals though, how would you dispose of the dirty waste water?

Small batch milk sold direct from farm achieves up to £2/litre whether it is pasteurised or not. There are also companies out there who sell small quantities of 1L milk bottles with a screw lid and nice looking labels. Personally I think doing the bloody paperwork will be the hardest bit!

It's only this year I started drinking Guinness, so you could be on to something here Bob, used to brew my own cider and had plans for other things but not the required taste expertise, that's enough about that

I thought I had two questions about water, it now appears I have three. The value of this thread, it's bringing up things I didn't know I needed to ask.
First water question, the water the cows drink, would the aforementioned "bog water" do the job, the sheep drink it, and beef cattle would drink it. It's only brown due to it coming from peaty soil.
Second question I have pretty much answered already, that I'll need potable water in the dairy for hygiene.

Now the new third question, waste water!
In the field I intend to locate my "yard" for want of a better term, there are rushy areas, I may plant them with willow. I wonder would this work as a type of treatment system. Other options, how do dairy washings get disposed of normally, I would assume spread on land or into a tank - I won't have a tank and spraying would only be out of a hand hose here It's a good question.

Paperwork is everyones favourite hobby I thought

 

[Kiwi Pete]

Where to milk is one of the things on my mind. There's a company in one of the Baltic states that make a mobile parlour type trailer than an ATV could pull. However, my thinking is leaning towards a static *low cost* parlour in what could be a multi purpose shed - no point in building in huge cost if the job doesn't work out. The other points pushing me against being mobile is hauling the thing around in the first place. My late father and I always disagreed about this, he would put feed troughs in far off spots, where my thinking is the sheep are 4 leg drive and I ain't. Not that one side of the argument in my context has 100% wins in all categories, I feel I need to know more yet.



Alright, alright, form an orderly queue!



I heard over the years Jersey bulls can be a little nasty, it's something to think about, particularly being a solo operator. I do agree that handling quietens a lot of stock. It's often stock that hasn't been seen in a fortnight, or have experts waving sticks, hitting them, and shouting that cause issues.



Starting to think I may need to work out a relief milker roster such is the growing demand

I would go with a bull I think, AI is grand but if you miss time if then production takes a hit - not that there's never an issue with bulls, but I think he may be the more conservative bet. A lot of beef guys here buy in a bull for a period of time and he's for sale again directly after, possibly the route I'd take. I'm not sure what the AI service is like in our area, but it wouldn't have a dairy focus either way.

Kerrys, from what I read, seem placid enough. Their production would be low compared to modern dairy breeds. What I like about them is they're genetically adapted to places like here, where as a modern dairy breed isn't. That's a large concern for me if I'm being honest. Winters can be long and the weather harsh - there's a weather station just a handful km down the coast and we often get the highest winds and high rainfall as well. Currently there's SFA shelter for cattle, which is why my late father never ran cattle on this part of the land at least in my lifetime. I plan to plant many trees, starting with 250-500 this February. Even with the trees I'm matching species to the area so I am limited in what I'll plant, Alder being a top species.

Very little TB here that I know of, I know the local vet quite well.

I've never seen much in the way of figures comparing fresh milk to other products like cream, butter, yogurt etc. I'm at the keeping it simple, keep them alive stage

The only concern I have regards neighbours is the bull! We've butted heads a little too much of late regards fencing, some don't like a neighbour who won't be taken for a fool.

I'll check out the FB page. There's a guy in this village doing ice cream already, so I'm reluctant to step on toes, yet anyway!



I'm open to ideas on products for sure, but they have to make sense for the triple bottom line.



Calves, a book I read recently suggested keeping dual breed cows for milking, to get a beefier calf as a result instead of a "by product".



It's only this year I started drinking Guinness, so you could be on to something here Bob, used to brew my own cider and had plans for other things but not the required taste expertise, that's enough about that

I thought I had two questions about water, it now appears I have three. The value of this thread, it's bringing up things I didn't know I needed to ask.
First water question, the water the cows drink, would the aforementioned "bog water" do the job, the sheep drink it, and beef cattle would drink it. It's only brown due to it coming from peaty soil.
Second question I have pretty much answered already, that I'll need potable water in the dairy for hygiene.

Now the new third question, waste water!
In the field I intend to locate my "yard" for want of a better term, there are rushy areas, I may plant them with willow. I wonder would this work as a type of treatment system. Other options, how do dairy washings get disposed of normally, I would assume spread on land or into a tank - I won't have a tank and spraying would only be out of a hand hose here It's a good question.

Paperwork is everyones favourite hobby I thought

Good food for thought there

I certainly wouldn't be shy to run a Jersey bull or two based on what other people say, just get an extra one and if one turns out to be a pain, then get rid. Sounds easier when you live on the mainland with a meatworks 20 min up the road but if you are good with bulls they will be right.
Some people just shouldn't be within 2 miles of them!

 

[onesiedale]

Where to milk is one of the things on my mind. There's a company in one of the Baltic states that make a mobile parlour type trailer than an ATV could pull. However, my thinking is leaning towards a static *low cost* parlour in what could be a multi purpose shed - no point in building in huge cost if the job doesn't work out. The other points pushing me against being mobile is hauling the thing around in the first place. My late father and I always disagreed about this, he would put feed troughs in far off spots, where my thinking is the sheep are 4 leg drive and I ain't. Not that one side of the argument in my context has 100% wins in all categories, I feel I need to know more yet.



Alright, alright, form an orderly queue!



I heard over the years Jersey bulls can be a little nasty, it's something to think about, particularly being a solo operator. I do agree that handling quietens a lot of stock. It's often stock that hasn't been seen in a fortnight, or have experts waving sticks, hitting them, and shouting that cause issues.



Starting to think I may need to work out a relief milker roster such is the growing demand

I would go with a bull I think, AI is grand but if you miss time if then production takes a hit - not that there's never an issue with bulls, but I think he may be the more conservative bet. A lot of beef guys here buy in a bull for a period of time and he's for sale again directly after, possibly the route I'd take. I'm not sure what the AI service is like in our area, but it wouldn't have a dairy focus either way.

Kerrys, from what I read, seem placid enough. Their production would be low compared to modern dairy breeds. What I like about them is they're genetically adapted to places like here, where as a modern dairy breed isn't. That's a large concern for me if I'm being honest. Winters can be long and the weather harsh - there's a weather station just a handful km down the coast and we often get the highest winds and high rainfall as well. Currently there's SFA shelter for cattle, which is why my late father never ran cattle on this part of the land at least in my lifetime. I plan to plant many trees, starting with 250-500 this February. Even with the trees I'm matching species to the area so I am limited in what I'll plant, Alder being a top species.

Very little TB here that I know of, I know the local vet quite well.

I've never seen much in the way of figures comparing fresh milk to other products like cream, butter, yogurt etc. I'm at the keeping it simple, keep them alive stage

The only concern I have regards neighbours is the bull! We've butted heads a little too much of late regards fencing, some don't like a neighbour who won't be taken for a fool.

I'll check out the FB page. There's a guy in this village doing ice cream already, so I'm reluctant to step on toes, yet anyway!



I'm open to ideas on products for sure, but they have to make sense for the triple bottom line.



Calves, a book I read recently suggested keeping dual breed cows for milking, to get a beefier calf as a result instead of a "by product".



It's only this year I started drinking Guinness, so you could be on to something here Bob, used to brew my own cider and had plans for other things but not the required taste expertise, that's enough about that

I thought I had two questions about water, it now appears I have three. The value of this thread, it's bringing up things I didn't know I needed to ask.
First water question, the water the cows drink, would the aforementioned "bog water" do the job, the sheep drink it, and beef cattle would drink it. It's only brown due to it coming from peaty soil.
Second question I have pretty much answered already, that I'll need potable water in the dairy for hygiene.

Now the new third question, waste water!
In the field I intend to locate my "yard" for want of a better term, there are rushy areas, I may plant them with willow. I wonder would this work as a type of treatment system. Other options, how do dairy washings get disposed of normally, I would assume spread on land or into a tank - I won't have a tank and spraying would only be out of a hand hose here It's a good question.

Paperwork is everyones favourite hobby I thought

I'm beginning to think we need a virtual site visit. Got the overall picture of the area, but not the specifics fir the infrastructure stuff we're talking here.
Is your place located on the Wild Atlantic Way?
Does the route pass over your farm?

 

[onesiedale]

Good food for thought there

I certainly wouldn't be shy to run a Jersey bull or two based on what other people say, just get an extra one and if one turns out to be a pain, then get rid. Sounds easier when you live on the mainland with a meatworks 20 min up the road but if you are good with bulls they will be right.
Some people just shouldn't be within 2 miles of them!

We run jersey and Jx bulls with the heifers. When they were 'set stocked' the bulls were lethal after 6 weeks of service (they were getting bored) and would have to go.
Since doing daily moves they have become much more manageable. Although, best advice is never to trust a bull 100%

 

[Kiwi Pete]

We run jersey and Jx bulls with the heifers. When they were 'set stocked' the bulls were lethal after 6 weeks of service (they were getting bored) and would have to go.
Since doing daily moves they have become much more manageable. Although, best advice is never to trust a bull 100%

You have to spice up their existence or they do their best to ruin yours I like bulls because I am still a boy at heart, I can empathise and like to give them entertainment.
A big block of wood, a couple of tyres or a ball keeps them amused pretty well if you have to park them up those medicine balls are excellent if you farm on the flat, just gives them something to do

saves them doing you

 

[onesiedale]

The one time we had a group of 5 to pull out from the heifers was a day to remember. It was like a spanish bull run in Pamplona! Quite exhilarating!!

But on a serious note,, a friend of ours had a fatality occur with a public footpath crossing a field with a bull in. Not something to be taken lightly.

 

[Swaley]

Interested in this thread, can I ask what are the regulations for selling pasturized milk in glass bottles.

Many Thanks all

 

[The Ruminant]

This was my set up from a few years ago. Generator and clean water tank in the Land Rover, and a water boiler (one of those 20 litre tea urn type heaters)

Single milking unit in one half of a horse trailer with the cow standing in the other half. From exit so milking one cow at a time. Worked really well and was putting a dozen or so through on once a day milking

 

[Jaffa Cakes]

View attachment 920276View attachment 920277View attachment 920278
This was my set up from a few years ago. Generator and clean water tank in the Land Rover, and a water boiler (one of those 20 litre tea urn type heaters)

Single milking unit in one half of a horse trailer with the cow standing in the other half. From exit so milking one cow at a time. Worked really well and was putting a dozen or so through on once a day milking

That looks really good, how did you get the milk cooled?

 

[The Ruminant]

That looks really good, how did you get the milk cooled?

Stood the churn(s) in a trough (moderately succcessful) or stood them in the river (much better) before taking them home and putting in a fridge set to 0.5C

 

[Jaffa Cakes]

Stood the churn(s) in a trough (moderately succcessful) or stood them in the river (much better) before taking them home and putting in a fridge set to 0.5C

Sounds good. Were you pasturizing? How were/are you selling? With limited land this small scale approach is really interesting. . .

 

[The Ruminant]

Sounds good. Were you pasturizing? How were/are you selling? With limited land this small scale approach is really interesting. . .

No, I was selling raw milk. A lot of hoops to jump through but I’d had some decent past experience of milking and cow management and the dairy inspector could see that. (The main problem came when I moved the mobile parlour to a different linked holding, as it was the original holding and not the parlour that was approved....!! Effectively it meant I would have had to go through registration again from scratch, and could produce milk for consumption until I’d passed! Fortunately my dairy inspector was blessed with lots of common sense and we found a way round it.

The drawback was all my land at the time was on grazing licences so I couldn’t put a vending machine anywhere. I was selling some at the front door and a lot as mail order, packed in ice and couriered for next-day delivery

 

[Tim G]

No, I was selling raw milk. A lot of hoops to jump through but I’d had some decent past experience of milking and cow management and the dairy inspector could see that. (The main problem came when I moved the mobile parlour to a different linked holding, as it was the original holding and not the parlour that was approved....!! Effectively it meant I would have had to go through registration again from scratch, and could produce milk for consumption until I’d passed! Fortunately my dairy inspector was blessed with lots of common sense and we found a way round it.

The drawback was all my land at the time was on grazing licences so I couldn’t put a vending machine anywhere. I was selling some at the front door and a lot as mail order, packed in ice and couriered for next-day delivery

I followed your posts when you were doing this, it in couraged me to get into micro dairying too, thank you!