One hears a lot about women and their horses. Someone once gave my sister a sign that reads, “Next to the horses honey, you’re number 1,” the honey, of course, being her husband. If you know a woman with a milk cow, you know the relationship is just as strong. Debbie Campbell didn’t know she was going to be milking three cows when she got her first milk cow again a couple of years ago but isn’t that how hobbies always begin?
Debbie first learned to milk a couple of decades ago when she and her husband Barry ended up with a milk cow from a local farmer who was selling his herd. “Ruthie” (for local old-timers, the cow was named after Monticello woman Ruth Weed) stayed on their farm for a while with Debbie taking over the milking. Potatoes come first, life got busy, and they ended up selling her.
A few years ago, when her granddaughter Darcie was first getting into building her own herd of beef cattle, online research led them to a milk cow that even came with some milking accessories. That cow ended up in Debbie’s barn and started her journey to what is now an on-farm licensed creamery, where making butter is the primary focus but also glass jars of whole raw milk and thick cream are available.
Most people look to retire or have less responsibility when they reach a certain age. I asked Debbie why, at this stage of her life, does she want to milk three cows and have a creamery? She replied, “That’s the same question Barry asks me.” I mentioned that he could read her response in this column. Part of her answer is economical and part philosophical. Economical because when raising a couple of pigs and flock of hens, it seems a natural extension to have a milk cow to help raise the other animals on the skim milk.
Also, since she wanted to make and sell her cow’s butter, milk and cream, it seemed to make more sense to have more than one cow to have the amounts needed for outside sales. Economics aside, Debbie said that the philosophical aspect of owning a milk cow(s) is the “me” time with the cows and the “me” time in the creamery. The spending of time doing what she loves to do.
Debbie admits that at times on cold winter mornings when she is headed to the barn and it’s freezing with the wind howling she’ll think, “What am I doing?” But then, as she says, she’ll open up the barn door and smell that “sweet manure hay cow smell and I shut the door and let the wind howl outside.” Everything feels right again. Milk products from Debbie’s girls Claire, Barbara, and Melissa, along with other on-farm produce, are available direct from their Littleton farm to consumer by calling 538-9583.
Angie Wotton loves her work as district manager for the Southern Aroostook Soil and Water Conservation District. She also raises pastured pork and vegetables with her husband on their small West Berry Farm in Hammond. She can be reached 532-9407 or via email at angela.wotton@me.nacdnet.net
