hey guys. . . bad news. our dairy is going to be officially gone as of tomorrow. We used to live on a dairy in California, then it failed due to dropping milk prices and sky-rocketing feed prices. We moved away to another state with our heifers after we sold all of the adult cows, and tried again with one of my dad's old friends who still had a dairy. That too... failed. And we were left with three calves -one descended from a bull that my grandpa in Holland owns. Now, just after one of them has had their first calf, a lovely bull who is huge for the fact that it is that cow's first calf, I have found out that my parents will be selling them all. I may sound weird for being obsessed with bloodlines, but these cows have been bred for fourteen years to get higher protein content in their milk, and now all of my father's work is literally going down the drain. I even had a show cow who won first prize and got me reserve champion end up being sold off with her sister and mother (glad they stayed together but am still sad) to a far away place. WHY!? Why must big corporations ruin those who try so hard only to fail!? *can no longer type cuz im breaking down crying*
Hi Keitsumah, Sorry to hear of your pain. Not sure there's a lot I can say that will take it away but the one thing I do know from personal experience is that pain goes away. You will get through this. Cheers, Greg.
That's sad. You obviously care a lot about your father and his work. Is he doing OK? Give him a hug for me. Ginger
Now may not be the time but this would make an amazing story, especially when backed with the passion you clearly have. Pose your question to the general public. Get your experiences out there so people can see what's happening (I'd never even considered that what you're going through is happening). You might be able to rally support for the non-corporate dairies or it might help you slip into the support that's already out there. The cows and the dairy may be gone (or nearly so, as the case may be) but the fight doesn't have to be over. Educate us. Fight the ignorance that's helping fuel this tragedy.
Keitsumah, I feel your pain. I took over my mums rabbit breeding business [think 400 rabbits of all different breeds] and after 3 years I had to sell and cull them all, all the special lines, the pets, the possibilities.. The calisi virus was released in NZ, the food prices doubled, so many things out of my control. I've also farmed all my life, including 3 years dairy-farming. Farmers put so much hope and love into their animals.. You need to grieve and cry and allow yourself to feel that stuff. If it helps, when you are feeling up to it, try writing about how you feel, get it on paper and somehow that can help a lot. I'm sure it's no comfort now, but surviving stuff like this is making you a stronger, deeper, more compassionate and wiser person and someday this understanding you gained through pain may really help some other person.
Not at all weird. In fact far from it. It's very special. Cows are pretty neat critters but never had the opportunity to be around the ones you don't eat. Always hated to hear the moms wail for a day or two after their little ones were hauled off to market. Glad to hear the family could stay together. Must have been really special to raise a blue ribbon heifer. New Zealand has more cows that people and makes a bad situation worse here by flooding the market with whey and milk protein isolate. Everyday small farms are being forced out of business. Know it's the free market system but can't walk into Wal-Mart and look at all the cheap stuff without thinking about all the small businesses they snuffed out. US Shoe bought Lens Crafters many years ago and it was nothing but a tax write-off. They researched and decided a dollar amount for each store to give away free glasses. One store might get 100k while another got 300k. The objective was to have no prescriptions walk out the door and starve the little guys out of business. A win-win situation.....unless your the little guy. Your in a special place to have had that way of life and hope it can continue in some form. Have you ever read "All Creatures, Great and Small?" It might help.
That's terrible. Hang tough, it must be really, really bad right now, just heartbreaking, but there's really no other choice but to trudge on :/ Situations like this frustrate the hell out of me. I try to support small producers -- whose life has been made more and more difficult in Finland as well, thanks to the EU -- but as a student, I just don't always have the money. All the best to you, can't rain all the time!
So sorry, Keitsumah. Small farmers put such heart and soul into what they do; in many cases they've been doing it for generations. It's just pathetic that they aren't supported enough.
This is sad to hear. Although the support local farmers/grass fed pastured cows movement is building, it hasn't grown fast enough or large enough to save farms such as the one that belongs to your family. I am sorry to hear of this.
This is sad to hear. Although the support local farmers/grass fed pastured cows movement is building, it hasn't grown fast enough or large enough to save farms such as the one that belongs to your family. I am sorry to hear of this.
i, too, am s0 sad for you and your family... i hope writing about it can help soften your pain a bit, at least... love and hugs to you and your parents, maia
