This is a photo taken at Far Guys Grandparents farm. Left to right: Far Guys Dad( Marvin), Grandpa ( James). and Uncles (Jim) and (Ron) I believe that this was taken sometime around 1927..in that year the boys would have been 13, 6 and 9. It looks like they were all helping with the milking. That is what I would call a cream can ( because of it's size) being carried between the Father and his oldest son. I would guess and this is just a guess that they only had a few cows..perhaps three or four..as they have three milk pails and three of them could have milked at the same time...perhaps a few of their milk cows were in the process of drying up before they freshened. You cannot milk a dry cow..and they all dry up four to six weeks before freshening or the birth of a calf. It is like a mini vacation for the cow and for the farmer too..if you rely on milk everyday like I am sure this farm family did then you want to stagger the breeding of your cows so they don't all dry up at once. So much for milk cow info deep inside this old brain!
I think that this photo is a wonderful example of teamwork and farm families that worked together everyday:)
Cream Cans! I have my grandfathers on both sides. The milk truck would come by and pick up a full cream can and take it to be processed. Brought a little check in when we had too much milk. They would place the names, embossed on a metal plate on the can, along with the community name so they could return the can for refilling.
ReplyDeleteI cannot imagine milking a cow twice a day in this weather, I have grown soft.
We milked twice a day for the first 28 years of our marriage. One day I asked Hubby how much it would take for him to sell the dairy cows and that week I sold them. No regrets!
ReplyDeleteI have one of the old dairy cans in my cottage garden. You always stir up memories from the past. I love coming over here. :o)
Have a terrific day!!!
Very cool, I love the old shots of our historys..:-)
ReplyDeleteLots of memories and the way things were. I can still taste that rich cream that we poured on top of homemade chocolate pudding. It is a great photo.
ReplyDeleteLooks to me like the younger man is wearing his army uniform jacket from World War I.
ReplyDeleteInteresting info. My uncles raised cattle, but not dairy herds. I never knew that dairy cows "freshened". It certainly takes a lot of work and dedication to be a farmer - especially a dairy farmer. The work never ends - even when it is cold and snowy like in the photo.
ReplyDeletevaguely remember some of those facts. don't think I have any photos of my dad that are quite that clear and in good condition from his childhood (born 1900)
ReplyDeleteA fascinating peek into the past. The picture makes me want to look around the corner and see what else is there.
ReplyDeleteA wonderful nostalgic photo!!! Loved it!
ReplyDeleteLove this picture!! My dad use to milk cows..she wish I had written down everything he told me..and now it's too late!!
ReplyDeleteLove that photo! I especially like to look at the details...the sliding door on the shed behind them, the clothes, hats, boots (are the two on the left wearing army coats? looks like it to me); the snow is well-trodden, but I don't see any tire marks...the pines all around in the background. I wonder what the occasion was, that their photo was taken during the everyday chores? It's all so interesting to me.
ReplyDeleteI love all the details in that photo! And who knew you had so much cow info in your brain? ;-)
ReplyDeleteThat is a neat photo and explanation. Farm families then had such fresh milk and other food.
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