newton's the goats journal

[newton the goat]

Wensday, I officially started my new job. Every morning I wake up at 5, am at work for 5:30, and twice a day milk over 105 head of cows with hand held machines; feed over 100 head of younger cattle including newborns, clean up their stalls and put down new bedding, make up the younger calves milk (quite the recipe for their milk ) grab bales and toss them down from hay storage and place 24 bales in each area. Scrape and sweep the floors after milking then wash out all the buckets and machines... etc etc.... all done by 9 am.... omg I'm dying. It is so much harder than anything I've attempted and I swear by the time I'm done this I'm going to be ripped as heck... if the other barn hand carrissa doesn't kill me with a hay bale first . Today we were throwing them down the hatch in the ceiling from storage and got hit once and had a close call a couple of times. This is going to take some getting used to. The coolest thing about this farmer and his brother have been working 13 years on a master class heifer lineage. Their girls are gorgeous and have won plenty on shows! There is so much I can learn from these guys since they have both won the royal before and many other 4h competitions !! Though they aren't as high tech as other barns but their way of living keeps things going strong and their cattle healthy and happy!
Welp wish me luck... I feel like I'm dying slowly inside and outside

 

[goatgurl]

congratulations on the new job. years ago I worked on a dairy farm and loved it. we started at 4:30 in the morning, milked 120 cows twice a day then it was my job to put out the silage, bottle feed the babies, take care of the teenagers, be the gofor to the vets office and start it all over again in the afternoon. it was the most fun job I have ever had. take advantage of all you can learn and enjoy yourself but be careful too.

 

[CntryBoy777]

Everything gets better once things become routine and ya move from one thing to another without having to think about it....your muscles get used to it too. It sounds like Fun......if your Young and vibrant..........at my age, not so much....

 

[Bruce]

Yeah, what @CntryBoy777 said.

I know you weren't a "lay around the house slacker" (*) before but this is a BIG step up. I think maybe you and Carissa need to COMMUNICATE so nobody is getting bales dropped on their heads. You might be able to come up with a system that is more streamlined and easier on the body with time. Just because it was done "that way" before doesn't mean there are no possible improvements.

* Like some girls I know

 

[Baymule]

Good for you! It sounds like hard work, but work you can stand up and be proud of. Learn all you can, someday you could have your own dairy or your own farm.

 

[Latestarter]

and be a vet too!

 

[newton the goat]

If I could be a vet I would be... but honestly I hate the sight of animals in pain... and blood churns my stomach to no end.there are so many new lessons to learn.... today I learned that with a certain heifer you can't unlock her collar from the chain without her head being up... non of the rest would react if you did... meanwhile her.... she got me in thw chin and I think I peirce my tounge !!! Not gonna make that mistake twice! Today I also met one of my boss's daughter, her schedule is absolute insanity... she gets up at 3:30-4 am goes to a neighboors farm, milks 300 goats, goes to the other neighboors farm milks 120 head of cow, then heads home and milks their now ever growing milking population (as of earlier this week it's at 110, all bull calfs so far this week expecting more next week) and then repeating it all over again in the afternoon... My dad is tell me to rub shoulders with her and maybe some will rub off on me (thanks dad -_-) my muscles don't hurt as much as they did when I started which is good at least. So far I'm satisfied with this job

 

[CntryBoy777]

An investment in a mouthpiece may pay off more than a couple of times in your animal career.....just one of the cheaper sport ones, they can be taken out and put in very easily and will fit in a pocket.....for when ya may need it....and wouldn't have to keep it in your mouth except when working very closely with them.....just a thought. It sounds like you are working to be her Assistant there, cause as ya get accustomed to the process you'll have time to increase the work load.....$$.....just more in your Pocket.....

 

[newton the goat]

An investment in a mouthpiece may pay off more than a couple of times in your animal career.....just one of the cheaper sport ones, they can be taken out and put in very easily and will fit in a pocket.....for when ya may need it....and wouldn't have to keep it in your mouth except when working very closely with them.....just a thought. It sounds like you are working to be her Assistant there, cause as ya get accustomed to the process you'll have time to increase the work load.....$$.....just more in your Pocket.....

True enough, may be a good idea lol. I officially and counting down the days until I have the morning off... tomorrow is one day (thank God!!!!!) And I get to sleep in until ..... *wait for it!!!* ...... 6am!!! An extra half hour of sleep omg who knew there would be a day that I rejoice about an extra half an hour ... I'm hoping that I get a good next pay check with the hours I've been putting in.

 

[Bruce]

Most people your age wouldn't rejoice about getting to sleep until 6 AM. They would be whining up a storm about having to get up that early, especially in the summer.