The Family Cow Workshop
Where: Earthwise Farm and Forest, located in Bethel, VT
* MInimum of 6 paid registrants needed to hold the class. Room for 15 people.
Interested in having a milk cow to feed your family and friends & wondering how to get started? Interested in managing your land and livestock sustainably/ecologically or organically? Curious about the current VT regulations for selling raw milk?
This class will cover the ins and outs of owning a family cow - from health & nutrition, to breeding, milking (hand milking), setting up a rotational grazing system, calf care, udder health, milk quality, raw milk sales, and more.
Join us and learn some important points for your new adventure.

Topics to be covered during the workshop include:
Nutrition: what should you be feeding your cow? How do you know how much she needs to eat each day? What about supplements?
Health: what are some important points in keeping your cow(s) and calf (calves) healthy year 'round?
Hand Milking and the Bucket Milker: We will cover important points to be aware of when milking a cow by hand or using mechanized equipment, and will demonstrate how to hand milk. A bucket milker will be on hand; provided by Bob White Systems.
Milk Safety, Milk Quality & Testing Your Milk: The Alternative Dairy Initiative (located in Royalton, VT) will be participating in this workshop to discuss milk quality and milk testing services.
Developing a Grazing System for your animals: Lisa McCrory of Earthwise Farm and Forest will show participants the rotational grazing system and cover some important points in maintaining productive pasture and a quality feed ration for your grazing livestock.
Milking Processing: What additional equipment do you need to process/filter and chill your milk for sale and/or personal consumption?
Breeds and Breeding: What are your options for milk cow breeds? How are you going to breed your cow (natural or artificial insemination)?
Marketing your Milk: what do your need to do to qualify for Tier 1 or Tier 2 raw milk sales in Vermont? Earthwise Farm & Forest is a Tier 1 milk producer. We will show you how it is done on our farm.

Cost: $70 per person, $130 for two people (includes handout & other resources)

If you have questions or would like to register for this class, contact Lisa McCrory at Lmccrory560@gmail.com or call: 802-234-5524.

Jan 31, 2025, 6:30 to 8:30 PM

Feb 3, 2025, 10:30 to 11:30 AM

Feb 3, 2025, 4:30 to 5:30 PM