Learning to Milk a Cow and Homemade Cough Drops

I've always wanted to do this! It is so much harder than it looks. It definitely takes some practice. This fit right into our study of milk cows for the Prairie Primer homeschool unit study we are doing. My friend, Jenny, knowing of my love for raw milk, invited the kids and I to milk her sweet Jersey cow. Afterwards we tried our hand at making homemade cough drops. We had a wonderful time!

Jenny showed us how she uses a little warm bleach water to wash the udder to make sure bacteria doesn't get into the milk.

Wiping down the udder.

Josiah gave it try. I think everyone should have to do this as least once in their lifetime, so they can appreciate where their milk comes from.

Josiah wanted some milk straight from the cow. So Jenny shot some into his mouth. We all got a chuckle out of that one.

Hailey's turn. Cutest milkmaid ever!

We took the milk into the house and strained it through a filter.

She uses several filters just to be sure. I feel very confident drinking her milk after seeing the care she takes to keep everything clean. 

I tried these raw cough drops made from raw honey, slippery elm and marshmallow root powder. They were super easy. But when I tested them out on Josiah later that week when he had a cough, They didn't seem to work. 

Jenny had a more complicated recipe involving a candy thermometer that was more like cough drops you get in the store only they were made with all natural ingredients and raw honey. These seemed to work better for Josiah and he thought they tasted good. 

Trying out new recipes like this is my idea of a fun time, especially if I can do it with a friend.

While Jenny and I were in the kitchen, my two redheads and her son went down to a small pond on their property to fish. I snapped this pic on their way back to the house. Love the shadows on the water from the trees behind them. The kids had such a great time!

Thanks again, Jenny, for such a wonderful day. We will never forget it! 

God Bless,
Jackie