Milk Maiden

    So I have started milking cows! I cannot say that when I left for four months to India that I knew I would be milking cows, but I am! I have become friends with the manager of the hotel that I am staying at. His family owns that hotel, another hotel down the road, and a more upper (utter) crust hotel that they have been working on for ten years! In the basement of the more upper crust hotel they keep cows. Apparently Accrams’ father likes the cows. So they keep them around. One day, as Accram and I were chatting he mentioned the cows and asked me if I would want to go milk them. I excitedly agreed and we arranged that I would milk them the following day at 5pm! Woo hoo!
    The next day at 5pm I was ready to go! I went into the basement of the hotel. I must admit I was quite intimidated. All of a sudden it was me, alone, with the cows. Accram was meeting me there shortly. I barely stepped foot into the basement area. I stood there, by myself, and said “hello cows. I am Stephanie”. They didn’t seem too bothered or interested in me. Just kept about their business; chewing their cud, eating grass. A few minutes went by and I grew a little concerned. Not knowing what to do, what to say, where to step, or not step. Avoid the cow dung ;) Soon enough Accram showed up with two metal pails, ready to show me the ropes!
    First he cleans the utters with water. He made mention that Hindus do not do this. They just milk the cows right away. Accram found this point humorous; the difference between Hindus and Muslims. After the utters are clean, then we can milk. Just for the record I have been doing this for at least five days now, and I am still getting the hang of it! it’s a little tricky. My first time was very uncomfortable and I felt very awkward. Extremely awkward. The first cow, the brown one, I tried to milk doesn’t really like me. Accram says she thinks I am a doctor, past trauma I assume, so she keeps her distance and is shy. This makes it difficult for me to attempt to milk her as she moves around a lot! So I decided to step back and just observe. Accram finished with the brown cow. Then we let the littlest of the calves, I want to call her Betsy, feed from her Mom.
    Then we move on to the older, white cow, who I am now calling Lavender. She recently gave birth to a little calf who is blind. The blind calf is about two and a half months old. The poor thing is still so helpless. She tried to move around and constantly stumbles. I do mean constantly. Hopefully her sense of smell kicks in and he learns to cautiously take steps. The white cow is patient and calm. I tried to milk her. I did terribly! I fumbled, much like the little blind calf, I couldn’t get any milk to come out. When I did my direction was off. Accram showed me how to hold my hand. Still couldn’t get it. I stood back and watched. Accram makes it look so easy. He uses both hands, not one like me, milks the cow, fills up the bucket and is on to the next one!
    The last cow, the black one, has her calf feed a little bit first. I don’t know if it stimulates the milk to drop down, or what, but she feeds first. Then Accram cleans the utters, then milks her. To date I have not cleaned the utters, and I am fine with that. The black cow is very difficult to milk. Even Accram thinks so. I believe he has tendonitis in his hands from milking this one particular cow. On the one hand the black cow is easier to milk because her utters are larger. However, I don’t know if there is more muscle, or tissue, but she is extremely difficult to milk. It takes a lot more pressure and muscle strength from me to milk her. My forearm gets tired soo quickly. Clearly I need to develop this muscle group!
    Everyday I go and try again. I learn a little bit more and bond with the cows. Accram laughs and laughs at me. I must look so awkward, or like I am trying to hard, which I probably am. Ha ha ha! I practice for awhile. Then sit back and watch. Then I practise again until my muscles gets tired. Then sit back and watch again.
    My favourite part of the experience is spending time with the little calves. They are awfully cute. The little one is very jumpy. Whenever I motion forward to pet her she jumps back. Lately she has gotten more comfortable with me and moves towards me. I let her smell my hand, she often licks my clothes. I’m not the biggest fan of calf slobber, but whatev’s?!?!?! I practise my Hindi with them “op ka nom ka hey?” What is your name, I say to the little one. It just licks my pant leg and waits to feed.
    Yesterday, the routine shifted. Accram was to milk the cows at 7am, not 5pm. He rotates this responsibility with his brother Hussein. I set my alarm for 7ish. Got myself together and made my way down to the makeshift barn. To my surprise there were two very elderly Indians there. A couple, I presume. They arrive there every morning to gather all the cow dung, which the woman makes into cow patties. The man lifts the, very heavy, bowl of already prepared cow patties, walks them over outside of the barn and sets them out into the sun to dry.  They do this for the better part of an hour. The woman keeps perfect balance squatting the whole time she makes these patties. She mixes the dung with a bit of broken up straw and debris. It kinda looks like dough, but entirely inedible. This couple must be into their 90’s. It looks like the frail hubby uses all of his strength and energy to lift the bowl up and onto his head before he walks it a few feet over into the sunshine. Its remarkable. I wonder how long they have been doing this??? They use the dried cow patties as fuel for a fire.
    I have names all of the cows now. The little one I call Bobby or Billy. I really wanted to call him Betsy, but found out she was a he. So Billy or Bobby it is. Maybe Bilby, or Bobly. Bobly sounds more appropriate as the little one is so jumpy and frolics all the timeJ Maybe even Bilbo, Bilbo baggins?? This calf could be a Hobbitt??? The next oldest is the blind one, who my friend Michele said I should call Stevie, because he is blind. So Stevie it is!!! He is also a he, so it makes sense. The eldest of the calves I wanted to call Gerard. But found out he was a she so now it is Geraldine. I am still thinking of names for the other two cows. One is quite shy, she is the one that is scared of me, thinks that I am a doctor. Then there is the one with the tough utters. Any suggestions??? Hahahahahhahaha J
    This morning, half asleep, I was doing much better. Definitely getting the hang of it! I am enjoying my time learning how to  milk the cows, spending time with the calves, practising my Hindi, and having Accram laugh at me. Life is good !!!