Knolltop Farm Wife (Melissa Hart)

Welcome to my blog! I'm a wife, mother of four and a self-employed freelance writer. In addition to writing, I am involved in producing several dairy magazines and am the editor of Dairy Agenda Today where I have a blog there as well! This is a place where I can get what's in my head, down on paper (the internet). I hope you find encouragement and maybe a giggle or two!
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Thursday, October 25, 2007

Lots of informants and a full moon

I asked and I received!

I didn't realize what great informants you blog readers were! I was sent descriptions and pictures of the devastation on the Larry and Sandy Place farm in Perry. It doesn't look good. So today, I hope to find out more details on where the cows are being milked because it sure doesn't look like they could be milked in what's left of the barn. If any of you know that much...please let me know.

Yesterday I was in a dairy supply place, J&M Dairy visiting with Jan and Marv Sober...yes, they both hail from my home town of Fowlerville and Jan was a Copeland, just in case anyone was wondering.

Anyway, we were discussing the BST issue and what the dairymen are saying down on the farm. As we visited Marv stated that he had heard there was a test being developed at Cornell to detect rbst in the milk. I disputed that fact and swiftly came home to check it out with the rBST guru, Terry Etherton of Penn State. After reading some research I found out that there is NO test that will detect rbst in milk from cows given rbst. Cornell is not working on it at all. A professor from Cornell wrote a letter stating that a professor had been working on it for a few years and applied for a patent in 1997 for the test, but it was not rigorous enough for FDA standards and therefore was not valid. He tested six samples of milk. One sample from conventional milk and five samples from cows who were given rbst. He came up with nothing conclusive. Just thought you might want to know this...I think my column will be on this very subject today.

As I came across the road after milking this morning the moon was on the western horizon and it was big, bright, full and beautiful! There wasn't a cloud in the sky and every star was shining brightly. Boy it was fun to see such a sight.

So, as you can imagine, it's clear and cool here on the Knolltop and a hat was necessary this morning for chores.

Better get to breakfast and I think I'll perk the coffee this morning.

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