A "Real" Milk Cow

Geranium waiting to charge in and be milked (note the crazy gleam in her eye)

We are always talking about whether or not Geranium is a "real" milk cow.  Our Jersey, Matilda, usually walks in demurely, swishing her tail in an easy-going, coy way, and starts eating.  She is easy to milk and makes it easy for you.  Geranium, on the other hand, usually charges snorting into the milking area with head tossing and heels flying like a rodeo bull (this must be the reason they use bulls and not cows?).  While Matilda is being milked (first, because she is the Queen, and makes a big fuss if she isn't), Geranium lurks by the gate with a crazed gleam in her eyes.....waiting, waiting, breathing heavily.  I open the gate for her and stand back.  Ethan says we are trying to re-create the Aurochs - if not in size, at least in temperament.

She isn't mean, she is actually a very nice cow, she is just SO excited to come in and be milked, to the point that she doesn't act like a cow you want to milk.

Even though she kicks up her heels, Mirin has trained her to let him ride on her back.  Because she is  so stubborn on going back after being milked, Ethan started leaning heavily on one side to get her going.  Mirin helped by jumping up on her back.  The result is that she is now used to being ridden on, although it usually looks like a water buffalo race.  Mirin has been trying to suggest we rent her out for little kids birthday parties - for his amusement rather than anyone else's.

Mirin's friend Nicholas came out to visit a few weeks ago, and of course Mirin convinced him that Geranium was tame: