Meet The Cows

Dairy cows are truly some of God's magnificent creatures. Though a mature Holstein cow averages 1500 pounds, the animals are generally quite docile and friendly. Each of the lovely ladies on the farm has a name, and the babies are named after the first letter of their mother's name. Just as no two cows have the exact same markings, every cow also has a unique temperament and personality (or maybe cow-ality). Here at God's Country Creamery we enjoy and celebrate each cow's uniqueness.

Our original herd of cows, in 2000, was predominantly Holsteins; however, more color came in the herd to customize for the Bachman kid's (Rachel, Philip, and Hannah) 4-H experience. There are seven breeds of dairy cattle that come in every shape, size, and color. The herd at God's Country Creamery consists of Holsteins (black and white), Jerseys (smaller, brown), and Brown Swiss (gray). Here is the reason we have three of the seven breeds!

Rachel wanted to stick with Holsteins because she loved their docile nature. Saundra, her Holstein cow, came from a stylish cow family and they are beloved animals to work with. Saundra’s daughter, Shauna was a special cow, and was the very reason the Creamery started. Currently, there are a number of Shauna’s little offspring around the farm. Rachel gave Shauna to Hannah as a calf because Rachel wanted to spark the love of Holsteins in Hannah as well. Rachel now loves the Brown Swiss and maybe even the Jerseys on certain days.

There are four different Holstein families on the farm today. You will find a lot of Shauna’s offspring. Also, a number of Janet’s babies. Janet was a calf Philip and Hannah bought with their own money. The J family takes a little time to warm up to people, but once you build their trust, they are friends for life. The H and the L families round out the Holstein herd. Both of these families are very friendly and love lots of loving. Sweet rub spots can be found on their necks and heads.

Philip always wanted Brown Swiss, and he ended up getting his first Brown Swiss in 2006. The love was instant between he and his Brown Swiss, Trixie. Even though Philip showed Holsteins and an occasional Jersey, his love for the gray cows ran deep.

You will find two Swiss families on the farm: one family traces back to Trixie and their names will start with the letter T, and the other family will start with the letter M. The M family traces back to a little Brown Swiss calf (Mallory) who came home in the minivan. Mallory was an exchange for Philip's help on his friend's farm.

Hannah wanted to branch out and get the little brown cows, Jerseys, because Holsteins were too big for the little eight year old 4-Her. Hannah showed a number of Jerseys growing up in 4-H, and even learned to love Holsteins with Shauna being a dear friend along the way. Now at the height of 5'11 Hannah loves all three breeds that the farm has because of their individual personalities.

There are three families of Jerseys on the farm. The G family goes back to Georgia who was the start of the family, and a number of her offspring you might have seen at the Potter County Fair. The A family also arrived in the minivan as a calf. Avonlea was a beautiful cow with a stubborn cow-ality. She passed both her looks and attitude down the line! Finally, the D cow family is the sweetest Jersey family that loves to do just about anything.

Holsteins are normally the no-fuss, no-muss kind of cow. They clock in and clock out without causing too much trouble. They are very enjoyable to work with, and are stunning animals to see on a summer day grazing the hillside. Their markings are always unique and different: no two spots are the same. Occasionally, there will be a Holstein that wants to rock the boat. The family that originates from Saundra is especially known for this. This family will sometimes be found opening gates and putting the fences down. Because of the S family, there are bungee cords and extra locks on doors to ensure safe keeping's of the animals when no eyes are on them.

Brown Swiss love routines, hate change, and are always looking at the cameras! "Don’t frustrate the Swiss" is the motto here on the farm. It may be hard to change their mind about something, but they are wonderful to work with once they have set schedules. They are the first to head out to pasture and always love being in the lead!

Jerseys can be called the little trouble makers, however, they just look at you with their big brown eyes, and all trouble is forgotten. They also love saying hi to new visitors and LOVE looking over your shoulder to scroll through Facebook when they are waiting for their time to be milked. Jerseys are the smallest breed and they use their persuasiveness and small size to get into places they want to be... and maybe a few they shouldn't be

If you are in the area, please feel free to stop by the farm and meet some of the cows. They love visitors!

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