Meet Buttercup, our new cow

LaurieLovesLearning
LaurieLovesLearning Posts: 7,573 admin
edited February 2022 in Cattle

She's home! πŸ₯°

She was easy to load.

It was a bit of a chilly drive as you can see from her mouth icicles. She's shivering a bit, but she will adjust. We have a cozy place with lots of straw ready for her.

Next up, getting a halter on her and introducing her to the others.

Next, milking, then trying to figure out what name suits her best.

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Comments

  • RustBeltCowgirl
    RustBeltCowgirl Posts: 1,403 ✭✭✭✭✭

    She definitely has a "mellow" look to her. Her expression seems give the impression that not much phases her.

  • LaurieLovesLearning
    LaurieLovesLearning Posts: 7,573 admin

    I think she will be good. She is in the barn getting used to the space before we milk.

    A cat stepped onto her back (she barely flinched and she didn't ever see a cat before. There was an unexpected loud noise which made her jump a little, but when it happened again, it didn't phase her. Hay was welcomed. Barley chop was okay, but better with molasses. πŸ˜‰

    She didn't mind being brushed, but of course, it will take some getting used to for her.

    She has the softest moo. It is beautiful. Some of ours in the past bellowed.

  • vickeym
    vickeym Posts: 2,134 ✭✭✭✭✭

    She is beautiful! She looks curious and calm. Somehow thinking of names "Serenity" comes to mind.

  • kbmbillups1
    kbmbillups1 Posts: 1,390 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I think you should call her Honey. No real reason - she just looks like a Honey. πŸ˜€

  • Michelle D
    Michelle D Posts: 1,465 ✭✭✭✭✭

    She is beautiful and it sounds like she has a wonderful temperament. I agree with @vickeym Serenity seems like a suiting name for her.

  • JennyT Upstate South Carolina
    JennyT Upstate South Carolina Posts: 1,273 ✭✭✭✭✭

    She is a gorgeous girl.😍

    I think Harmony would also be a worthy consideration.

  • Monek Marie
    Monek Marie Posts: 3,539 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Very pretty!~

  • Torey
    Torey Posts: 5,679 admin

    How exciting, to have a new animal! Especially one that is going to provide you with so much.

    She looks quite lovely, Laurie. I'm sure you will come up with a very appropriate name for her personality which seems quite sweet from your description.

  • JodieDownUnder
    JodieDownUnder Posts: 1,483 admin

    @LaurieLovesLearning what a lovely cow. She reminds me of a cow from my childhood, Bessie. My dad tells me that when I was born, mum had trouble breast feeding me, so he raced out & bought a cow! No formula for this kid! A pretty special thing to do really, considering we then lived in Sydney.

  • Merin Porter
    Merin Porter Posts: 1,026 admin
    edited February 2022

    That shape on her side looks kind of like a kidney bean -- so I'm tossing "Bean" into the list for consideration....

    Or actually, now that I'm looking at it again, I see almost a silhouette of a little girl's face. So maybe "Cameo"? ("Cowmeo"? :D )

  • SuperC
    SuperC Posts: 952 ✭✭✭✭

    Smiles. She looks peaceful, curious, and kind-hearted. :)

  • LaurieLovesLearning
    LaurieLovesLearning Posts: 7,573 admin

    She's getting used to her new home & temperatures finally and is working with us a little better. She has not shown any signs of kicking, which is excellent.

    We figured that as much as cow is papered, she's got a little something in certain features (she is slightly taller, has the stripes, the place around her eyes is more pronounced...it sticks out further) that makes her stand out from all other jerseys that we've had. Also, for being winter, her cream is not pale, which is very normal...it is much more yellow, which will give us very yellow butter even in the cold seasons.

    We highly suspect that she has some Guernsey somewhere in her pedigree.

    All things considered, Buttercup is her new name. I have a feeling that she'll easily live up to her name.

  • Monek Marie
    Monek Marie Posts: 3,539 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @LaurieLovesLearning I am so glad to hear she is fitting in and things are going well. And Buttercup is a very nice name

  • Cornelius
    Cornelius Posts: 872 ✭✭✭✭

    She's beautiful! Hopefully she will make you lots of butter 🀣

  • LaurieLovesLearning
    LaurieLovesLearning Posts: 7,573 admin

    @Cornelius Cups & cups!

  • vickeym
    vickeym Posts: 2,134 ✭✭✭✭✭

    So happy she is doing well fitting in and not making things difficult with kicking and such. The butter looks amazing. If we lived in the same area, I'd offer to be a milker when you needed help for a share of the milk, cream and butter. Occasionally the milk I get has enough cream to make butter with. Lately we have not even gotten our milk share. Our provider just had a calf born and there has been so much snow no one could get around well enough to come and get any from her. Their plow broke and her husband is working out of town. Won't get fixed till he gets home.

  • babygrand53
    babygrand53 Posts: 10 ✭✭✭

    Buttercup has such a beautiful face!! Keep on loving on her! 😊

  • Torey
    Torey Posts: 5,679 admin

    Hi @babygrand53. Welcome aboard!

    That is nice looking butter @LaurieLovesLearning. I haven't made butter with my new milk yet. Been busy with ice cream and fresh soft cheese. My new friend gifted me a piece of her homemade cheese, very similar to a pizza mozzarella but more flavourful. It was so good! If Buttercup is giving so much now, you should have lots for cheese after she freshens.

  • LaurieLovesLearning
    LaurieLovesLearning Posts: 7,573 admin

    @vickeym You bet I'd call you as a relief milker! πŸ˜„ She's doing great. Still no kicks. There is a bit of fidgeting near the end, but that's minor.

    Once all the interference has been worked through surrounding your source cow, you will most likely be blessed with an abundance. A new calf usually means great things to come. πŸ₯°

    @babygrand53 I agree! She's so beautiful! We certainly are glad to have found such a wonderful animal.

    @torey The butter color & firmness has now moderated a bit since she is giving a larger amount of milk, but it still equals the look of really good summer butter from a jersey.

    We have our ice cubes (and milk, cream & eggs) ready to go for fresh ice cream. I love real ice cream. Mmm. It reminds me of fun times at my grandparents when I was young. πŸ€—

    Homemade mozzarella is tasty! It is a lot of work (and that water is awfully hot when you spin the cheese!). Unfortunately that cheese never lasts long in our house.

    We have been eating pudding (vanilla, chocolate, tapioca) for lunch fairly often lately, but we had run out of honey. We were just gifted some honey, so we will gladly use that in place of the sugar that we had been needing to use. Our preference is that it's made with honey.

    We also found a source of locally made maple syrup that we can barter for come spring. That's an awesome find. I want to make a few things with it as well, including pudding.

    That brings me to a bragging point. @hedgehog girl used my cheese press for the first time to make some farmhouse cheddar. We used a new recipe this time that skips the cultured buttermilk & meso II starter. The only buttermilk in stores is now all pasteurized and is no longer live. ☹ Anyway, the cheese is young & not aged yet, but we just had to try it at supper. It was tasty!

    Tomorrow, we'll make some quick cheese (I believe the recipe is already on the forum).

    I need to get more yogurt as a starter (we finished all of the yogurt today without saving any). I want to do up some yogurt cheese. I really like its flavor.

    The kids had eggnog for breakfast & plan to keep doing that. Haha

    Give us milk & eggs and we can live like royalty. πŸ˜„

    @Marjory Wildcraft Maybe I'll have to write something for you about cows & dairy one day...I think you're missing that in the grow your own library. πŸ˜‰

  • Monek Marie
    Monek Marie Posts: 3,539 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @LaurieLovesLearning Wow! Buttercup has added so much to your home, including joy.

    I love homemade ice cream too. I need to try making it with honey.

  • COWLOVINGIRL
    COWLOVINGIRL Posts: 954 ✭✭✭✭

    @LaurieLovesLearning She is sooooo beautiful! I am so glad she is cooperating with you!

  • Torey
    Torey Posts: 5,679 admin

    Nice looking cheese @hedgehog girl. Congratulations on your first round.

    What a nice looking cheese press @LaurieLovesLearning. When I did mine years ago, it was a homemade attempt. It worked but nowhere near as nice and sanitary as yours.

  • vickeym
    vickeym Posts: 2,134 ✭✭✭✭✭

    LaurieLovesLearning Yes, the milk will definitely be worth the wait. We have had cow shares with these folks for several years now.

    Would love your recipe for the cheddar without needing the buttermilk and meso II. And also your ice cream recipe. Have not had homemade ice cream since I was very young. Not made with the good stuff at least.

  • LaurieLovesLearning
    LaurieLovesLearning Posts: 7,573 admin

    When we came across the cheesepress on sale at PeavyMart years ago, we got it. There was only this one left (I think they only ever stocked 2 or 3), and they haven't had them since. I wanted stainless steel for the extra cleanliness factor.

    I have plans from thecheesemaker.com, but this was already ready to go.

    @vickeym I'll have to post them for you under Recipes. But first, we have a seed saving video to watch this afternoon. πŸ˜‰

  • LaurieLovesLearning
    LaurieLovesLearning Posts: 7,573 admin

    An update on the fresh mild cheddar...

    We only let it sit 24 hours, coated in salt. Please understand, we missed real cheese. Haha Maybe we will age some, but not immediately!

    It formed a thin rind already.

    It tastes very good as long as you wipe the salt off.

    It grates well, but doesn't melt well, leaving more of a patchwork like a woven grated cheese that picks up all at once.

    Considering, we tried making a sauce by adding it to warmed up milk. It formed a couple melted balls instead of melting into a sauce. These curds squeaked really nicely when chewed and the milk took on somewhat of a whey flavor.

    I guess we will stick with other cheeses for our melting needs. I have some recipes that we've tried before, but found new recipes to try on a couple other sites. My sources this tome were: Practical Self-Reliance, Cheesemaking.com, culturesforhealth, & theprairiehomestead. Glengarry Cheesemaking and thecheesemaker.com has had recipes in the past & of course, there are many more. Thecheesemaker.com used to have free cheese press instructions.

    @vickeym Here is the cheddar recipe:


    My grandma's ice cream recipe can be found here:


  • vickeym
    vickeym Posts: 2,134 ✭✭✭✭✭

    LaurieLovesLearning Thank you for sharing. Can't wait to get a chance to try these recipes out.

    Which seed saving video were you watching? The class on TGN or one of the many others on Youtube or somewhere?

  • LaurieLovesLearning
    LaurieLovesLearning Posts: 7,573 admin
    edited March 2022

    @vickeym It was a very simple one. It was put on by UrbanU.