AN: I really hope you enjoy this chapter because it is well...rather long. Yes it took off. But here we go the trip to the farm, learning to milk, and other fun facts. Enjoy. dark rolling sea.
Chapter Eighteen: Fun on the Farm
It was just after one in the afternoon when they arrived at the farm. Kyler and Renee were out of the car as soon as it stopped with Kate yelling after them to be careful. Gibbs stood with Hunter in front of him, gripping the boy's shoulders lightly. Kate smiled.
Abby got out of the car and had a smile from ear to ear on her face as she looked around. Tony got out and made a face. Kate looked at him and shrugged. Tony walked up beside Gibbs and stood looking at the various buildings.
"What's that smell?" Tony asked. Kate smiled and shook her head.
"It's a farm, Tony, that is manure."
"Manure?"
Gibbs reached over and smacked him on the back of the head. Tony closed his eyes and tilted his head a little before smiling. Kate led the way to the house. Kyler and Renee were already inside when they opened the door.
"Kate!" an older woman said with a warm smile. She walked over to Kate and embraced her. Kate returned the gesture before stepping back.
"Aunt Patty, I'd like you to meet, Jethro, his grandson Hunter, and then Tony and Abby," Kate said pointing to each respectfully. The woman gave a smile to each.
"Welcome to the farm," she said cheerfully. It was then that a man entered in from the back entrance and smiled when he saw Kate. They went through introductions again.
"Welcome home, Kate, been awhile. Becca should be around outside somewhere," Jules said with a smile.
"Well, Hunter here would like to see how the farm works, maybe help milk?" Kate said.
"Good, I'm going to start the parlor up in about two hours, so you can cruise around the cows and the younger stock until then," Jules replied as he grabbed a glass of milk before downing it and heading back outside.
Kate rounded up the three kids and asked Abby and Tony if they wanted to join them out by the younger stock on the farm. Abby was enthusiastic and stood with the three children. Tony was a little skeptical but agreed anyway, and Gibbs sighed, as Kate forced him out the door.
They made their way to a smaller barn with only three walls. The wall on the front of the building was actually a doorway, Gibbs noticed as they circled around to the open wall. The back wall had an opening in it that at one time looked like it could be closed off.
There were individual pens lining the left wall as well as the middle of the barn, with a walking aisle between them. On the other side of the middle pens there were two larger pens each with about five animals in them.
Hunter smiled as he saw the babies in the individual pens. Abby grinned as she walked up to the first one. Kyler and Renee made their way outside around the barn and out of sight.
"Look!" Abby said excitedly. She was reaching into the pen and the calf smelled her arms.
"That's nice, Abs," Tony said with little interest. He was standing in the middle aisle with his back to a pen. He suddenly felt his shirt tugged from behind and he stumbled backwards a step before regaining his balance. "HEY!" he shouted.
Everyone looked up at him as he whirled around towards the culprit. It was a tiny calf that had taken a chunk of his shirt into its mouth and started chewing on it. Tony tugged his shirt from the calf and groaned.
"Look! It's all…soggy now," Tony said with a slight whine. Gibbs smiled and shook his head. Abby giggled before turning back to the pen she was standing in front of. She stuck her fingers out for the calf to smell and instead it started to suck on them.
"Whoa, cool," Abby said. Kate walked over to her and shook her head.
"She thinks she can get milk, Abs," Kate said with as she passed Abby.
Hunter was standing at the gate of the far pen watching one of the animals. Kate walked up beside him, glancing back at Gibbs, who was standing in the opening of the barn just watching. Hunter had locked eyes with a red one.
"What are those spots on his head?" Hunter asked.
"What spots?" Kate replied.
"The brown spots on either side of that lump," Hunter said pointing towards the head of the animal.
"Oh, that's where they took his horns off and that lump is his pole," Kate said.
"Horns?"
"Yes, most cattle have horns. They do what we call dehorning when they are young."
"Why?"
"So they don't hurt us or each other, specially since this one is a boy."
"So?"
"In cattle when the boys get bigger they can get an attitude and become mean."
"Hey, Kate!" someone said from the back entrance to the barn. Kate turned to see her cousin Becca standing leaning against the gate. She smiled and walked over. They hugged over the fence.
"Becca, been a long time," Kate said softly. Becca scanned the barn.
"Which one?" she asked quietly. Kate laughed and nodded towards Gibbs. Tony was standing far enough away from the calves that he didn't have a repeat as he talked to Abby.
"Good pick," Becca said. "Who's this little guy?"
"That's Hunter. He's Jethro's grandson," Kate replied with a smile.
"He's interested in Masyn there I see."
"Masyn the red bull?"
"Yep. Breeder I'm going to sell here in a couple months."
"Didn't know you guys had red ones now."
"Dad still doesn't. He's still got the blackies in the barn. I crossed over, got Ayrshires."
Hunter reached through the gate rails and held his hand still. Masyn watched him a moment before he gingerly stuck his nose out a little further and sniffed the air. He pulled back, but Hunter remained with his hand outstretched. Masyn took a step closer and repeated the sniffing gesture. Hunter remained still. Masyn took a third step and reached with his nose and gently touched Hunter's hand. He then pulled back and snorted softly. Hunter smiled.
Masyn shook his head then stepped up to the fence. He licked Hunter's hand. Hunter giggled and then reached out and touched the animal on the head. Masyn leaned into his hand and rubbed against it.
"Looks like he knows how to make friends," Becca said with a smile. It was then that Tony walked up beside Kate and smiled at Becca. He put his foot down and it slipped to the side before he regained his balance. He looked down to see what he stepped in.
"Kate?" Tony asked slowly.
"Yes, Tony?" Kate asked. Becca had already looked down and had a smile crossing her face.
"What's that?" Tony asked pointing to what he had stepped in.
"Umm, Tony, you really should watch where you step out here," Kate said stifling a laugh. Tony groaned and looked skyward, throwing his hands up in defeat. He forcefully smiled at Becca, glared at Kate, and then turned and walked from the barn into the yard.
"I'll be out here if you need me," Tony grumbled as he passed Gibbs. Gibbs simply shrugged and moved slowly through the barn towards Kate. He came up beside her, avoiding what Tony had already stepped in, and smiled softly. He looked over and Hunter who was still petting Masyn.
"Hi," Becca said extending her hand. "I'm Becca, Kate's cousin."
"Jethro, soon to be cousin-in-law," Gibbs said grasping her hand tightly before letting go. She smiled at his comment.
They spent another hour with Becca telling them all about the animals in the barn and then the yearlings in the lots around the barn. She even took them out into the dry lot and told them each cow's name that was in the pen.
"Was it called a dry lot?" Hunter asked as he petted a large red and white speckled one named Galaxi.
"Because all the girls in here are pregnant and going to have a baby with in the next sixty days. Therefore they are no longer producing milk. We call them dry cows," Becca explained.
"Why don't they make milk?" Hunter asked as Galaxi rubber her head along his shoulder when he stopped petting her. Gibbs stepped a little closer but Kate grabbed his arm and gave him the 'he's fine' look.
"They are focusing all their attention on keeping the baby healthy. All the nutrients and minerals that would normally go into the milk are going to the baby to make it strong," Becca continued. Hunter nodded and then stepped to the side to avoid Galaxi. She stepped with him. Becca stepped up between them.
"Gali, you need to behave," Becca said softly to the cow. Galaxi snorted and shook her head before turning away from them and standing a few feet away. Becca checked her watch; it was about time for the parlor to start up.
Kyler and Renee were running around. Kyler had found the St. Bernard puppy and was playing with him, while Renee was petting the hoard of cats that had gathered around her. Hunter was watching the two as Abby stood next to Kate and Gibbs. Tony was still off by himself staring at something. They heard the rumble of a tractor and everyone looked in that direction.
"Dad's feeding, he'll start milking in a few minutes then," Becca said with a smile. "I'll leave you with him then, I got work to get done before super."
They walked over towards the milk house and this time Tony followed. Hunter was excited as they walked into the small room, which contained a large metal basin with two ports, a washing machine, and two large bulk tanks, one with a knob on the top that continued to turn making a slight humming noise.
They all turned to look when the door opened behind them and Jules squeezed his way past them. He smiled down at Hunter and ruffled his hair before squatting down to his level.
"You want to learn how to milk?" he asked the boy. Hunter beamed up at him and nodded eagerly. Abby stepped up next to Hunter.
"Me too," she said enthusiastically. Jules stood and smiled.
"Anyone else?" Jules asked looking at the two men.
"I'll watch," Gibbs said with a nod. Tony thought about it.
"Maybe," Tony said hesitantly.
"Oh, don't be grumpy like Gibbs, Tony! Get in there with us. Have some fun," Abby said walking up to him and taking hold of his arm.
"Abs, I have slime on my shirt, sh…manure on my shoes, what more do you want?"
"Come on, Tony! It'll be fun, I promise," Abby said with a smile, leaning her head on his shoulder. Tony only nodded slowly.
"All right tour starts now then," Jules said clapping his hands. "First thing is the sanitizer. Make sure everything is set from this morning, the line is out of the tank and in the basin, the safety switch is on, and the box is set to sanitize. See the dial? Ok, turn it on and flip the switch right here on the bottom over to wash, and…" when he flipped the switch water started rushing into the first port in the large basin.
He then grabbed a coffee cup and walked to a white tub with a pump on the top. "Next you fill this cup up with the sanitizer soap, which kills all the germs that have grown since this morning," he said as he pumped the soap into the cup then dumped it into the basin. "While that's going we need to set the towels out and make sure the dip cups are full."
He led the group through a doorway and into the parlor. It was small, four milkers to a side, and between them a deep pit. The front was wide enough for the cows to walk through but not wider, and a pair of metal steps lead down into the hole. On the other end were a set of cement steps leading back up to a large garage door. There were three white tubs in the pit, two of them having a dip cups clipped to the side.
Jules looked into one and smiled pulling out wash clothes. Hunter, Abby, and Kate went down in the pit with him, but Tony and Gibbs stayed at the top, as it was a bit crowded. Jules started to lay the clothes out flat in four stacks.
"I lay the clothes out like this," Jules began, "and when I get twenty in each stack, I stick them up on the shelves up there. Two on this side and two on that side. That way when I'm cleaning up cows there right there and I don't have to worry about getting clothes." After they had the clothes out and up on the shelves Jules walked up the cement steps and pushed a green button. The garage door went up exposing a large pen.
"Next," Jules continued, "we have to round up the girls into this pen so we can get them down the line. We call where the cows go the line. Anyway, come on out if you want, but watch where you step, gets a little messy in the cow lot."
They opted not to help him round up the cows, since the manure was everywhere in the cow lot, with very few places to step not covered by it. Once Jules had the cows into the holding pen and the gates closed on them he circled back around to the parlor and came in a side door. At that point the milkers had drained.
"Sanitizer is done," Jules told them. "Next we pull the black jetter cups off the milkers," he explained as he went from milker to milker pulling the black covers off the bottoms. Abby and Kate helped him on the other side. "And make sure they are all in the off position. On the top this black knob that turns, make sure it is up and locked on the tabs so it stays up when the system kicks on.
"Then I also have to change the plug on the milk line down there," he said pointing to the front of the pit. He pulled a long plug out and replaced it with a short one. "And change the sleeve here that filters the milk." He walked out of the pit and between Gibbs and Tony. He opened the door and reached through it along the wall and pulled a white sleeve from the box. He then went down and unscrewed the clamp, pulled the used sleeve out and set about replacing it with the clean one.
"Eww, that's kinda gross," Tony said as he started at the used sleeve.
"Catches the heavy stuff that goes through the line," Jules explained as he banged the sleeve back down the pipe and fitted the clamp back in place. After that was completed he reached up. "Lastly we turn this switch to the upright position to turn off the jetter cups and we're ready to go into the milk house."
They followed him up the steps and back into the milk house where he grabbed the line from the wash basin. "Watch your heads," he said as he swung it around and towards the tank. "This goes in the hole here," he said as he removed the rubber stopped and plunged the pipe into the hole. "Then we have to release the safety switch," he said as he flipped a metal stick off a hook. "And turn the chiller on," he said as he flipped a red handle up.
"After all that, we flip the switch on the bottom of the box to milk," he said as he moved the tab to milk. There was a loud thump then a high pitched rumbling came from the door at the back of the room. "And grab our gloves from up here," he said as he pulled down a box of latex gloves. Abby grinned as she pulled her pair on like a pro. Kate slipped hers on and then helped Hunter. Tony took a pair but Gibbs passed. Kate gave him a look and he simply shrugged his shoulders.
He led the group back into the parlor and they could now hear the pulsators clicking in rhythm. He nodded as he listened to them hum. He then looked at his dip cups and noticed that they were both full.
"Right, and now we're ready to start. We have to get four cows on each side then close up the gates," he said as he walked up the stairs and into the holding pen. "In you go, girls," he said as the cows started to move in when he touched them on the rump.
Once he had four on each side he closed the back gates and came back down the stairs. He looked the cows over and motioned for Abby and Hunter to follow him. "These two will be good to learn on. They stand pretty good."
"Stand?" Abby asked.
"Some of the cows don't stand too well," Jules said with a shrug. Abby creased her brow but let it drop.
"Can I do one?" Hunter asked.
"Sure, cept looks like I'm going to have to lift you since you're so short," Jules said with a smile. He reached down and hoisted Hunter up so he could reach. "First thing you need to do is dip her with the pre dip."
"What's that?" Hunter asked. Jules reached over and grabbed the dip cup with the brown liquid in it.
"It's a sanitizer for the cow. Helps clean her up and prevent her from getting sick. Just dip the cup up like this on the teat," Jules said as he showed Hunter. Abby watched over his shoulder. "Get all four."
Hunter slowly dipped all four of the teats on the cow and set the cup aside. "Next we need to strip her."
"What's that mean?" Abby asked with a wicked smile. Jules glanced at her and laughed.
"Strip the teat means to squeeze the first three squirts of milk out. Like this," Jules said as he placed his thumb along one teat and curled two other fingers around and gently squeezed. A stream of milk hit the ground. He moved his fingers so Hunter could try.
"Whoa," Abby said bouncing a little. Hunter reached out and placed his thumb like Jules had and squeezed, but nothing happened. His brow furrowed as he tried again, still nothing.
"It doesn't work," Hunter said softly, his head tilting to the side.
"Try a little bit harder," Jules said. Hunter did and a little bit of milk came out. "See?"
Hunter smiled and did it again, but this time nothing happened. He continued to try and Abby grabbed up the dip and moved to the other cow Jules had said. She dipped like Hunter had and then placed her fingers like Jules had showed. Her first three attempts warranted nothing.
"Look!" Hunter squealed in delight as he made the cow spray milk. Gibbs smiled and shook his head, while Kate stepped closer to Hunter and congratulated him. Tony smiled and took a few steps down into the pit. Abby finally made some milk come out and started to bounce up and down.
"Oh! I did it too!" she said excitedly. Gibbs put his hand to his mouth to stifle the laugh, but the smile was large that crossed his face. "Tony, you have to try this!"
Tony gave her a skeptical look as Abby turned to him and smiled. Kate slid in beside Abby and squeezed two of the other teats, three times each. A prefect flow of milk squirted each time. Gibbs was amazed.
Hunter had managed to move on to another teat and was slowly getting the hang of making milk come out. It didn't work every time for him, but he could get it a couple times. Abby was tugging at Tony's arm pulling him closer and closer to the cow. Kate was laughing at his face.
Finally Abby convinced Tony to try it. He reached out slowly, and placed his thumb on the teat. "Like this?" he asked.
"Yeah, now stop stalling," Kate said punching him lightly in the arm. He made a face at her before turning his attention back to the cow. He squeezed but nothing came out. He frowned.
"Keep trying, Tony!" Abby said with a giggle. Hunter had given up and Jules stripped the rest of that cow out quickly. Tony made a squirt of milk on his forth attempt and he smiled. Abby smacked him on his back. "See!"
"That's kinda cool," Tony said shaking his head. It was then that the cow decided to relieve herself and the manure cascaded down to the ground. When it hit it splattered. Kate and Abby both ducked in time but Tony got splatter on his chin. He stood frozen staring at Kate with a look of horror on his face.
"Tony?" Abby asked as she looked over his shoulder. She saw the splatter on his face and smiled. "Oh that's not good."
"Not good? Not good! Abby I have crap on my face," Tony said through clinched teeth. Jules looked up at Tony then and smiled. Gibbs stepped out the door into the milk house when he realized he wouldn't be able to control his laughter. Kate smiled and held out a towel for him.
"Hazard of the job," Jules said with shrug of the shoulders. He moved in and quickly finished striping the cow. "Once we have her dipped and stripped, we have to clean up the teat. That's what the towels are for," he continued reaching up for a couple towels from the first shelf.
He reached under the first cow and wiped at all four teats before doing the same to the next one. He tossed both towels into one of the empty tubs in the middle. "Once that's done and the cow is clean," he was saying.
"Why you have to do that?" Hunter asked.
"What wipe them?"
"Yeah."
"You don't want the poop going into the milk do you?"
Tony looked at his hands and saw the dark mess on the gloves. He took a deep breath. Abby just nodded and Kate smiled. Hunter nodded that he understood.
"Right, once that's taken care of, you put the milkers on. You want to help with this one, Hunter?"
"Yeah!" Hunter said as Jules whisked him up again.
"All right hold it underneath like this," Jules said showing Hunter how to support the bottom while he put it on. "Then push the black knob down and turn it so the tabs go under the plastic…good job," Jules said as Hunter turned the contraption on. Once the black knob was depressed the milker emitted a hissing noise. "Now each one of those sliver things goes on a teat. There you go, just like that," he said as Hunter slowly put the cups up on the teats.
Abby was already grabbing the next milker and turning it on, flipping it over and holding it by the bottom. She reached under the cow and put the cups up one by one with a smile on her face. Tony just watched standing back a bit. Kate looked for Gibbs but he was still in the milk house, she went up the steps and snuck through the door quickly.
She found him leaning against the outer door with a smile on his face. Kate walked in front of him and waited. He didn't say anything at first.
"You ok?" she asked.
"Great, that was just," he said, but couldn't finish because a laugh started and he couldn't stop it. Kate laughed with him as she glanced back towards the door.
"Tony's got rotten luck," Kate said as she turned back for the parlor. Gibbs nodded.
"I'll be outside," Gibbs said as he stepped out the door. Kate nodded as the she turned her attention back to the others.
Jules had moved swiftly and had the rest of the one side on and was moving along the other side. Abby was watching fascinated as Hunter was completely enraptured in the process. Tony was looking a bit dejected. The first milkers that they had put on were finishing up as Jules turned to them.
"Oh here we go, see how there isn't any more milk coming down on this clear part of the milker?" Jules asked. Both Hunter and Abby nodded. "That means she's done. Just reach under and turn the knob so it releases and pops up, then when the suction quits, drag it off like this. Next is post dip. That's this orange liquid. It closes up the teat and keeps the germs out," Jules explained as he dipped the cow.
"You ever get hurt doing this?" Abby asked. Kate cringed at the memories that floated up.
"Oh yeah, I've had my hand smashed between this here rail," he said patting the front gate, "and a hoof. Hand swelled about three times should have been and the entire thing was black. 'Nother time I got kicked in the face, split my lip open, course I was leaning under her to dip her and she kicked back. Once, see this ledge here?" he asked as he patted the top of the concrete. Abby looked closer and saw a good three or four inch drop on the other side. "Well I had my elbow here on the ledge and my hand down there on the flat. Cow stepped right in the middle of my arm. Bone bent but didn't break. Was weird looking at my arm bending like that though. Been worse too."
Abby stared at him in wonder shaking her head. Hunter was impressed too. "You still get in there and milk them?"
"Yep. Still milk the one that smashed me up too. Her name's Storm. Got her tamed down a bit now, don't even kick much, just stomps around."
"Wicked," Abby said with a smile.
"All right, guys, I think we should let Uncle Jules get his work done. You've seen what happens, I think it's time to head back and see about diner and the family," Kate said. Tony immediately bounded up the stairs but both Abby and Hunter groaned. They grudgingly left the parlor after saying good bye and thank you to Jules.
Kate rounded them to the cars and then found Gibbs and had him head back to the car before capturing Kyler and Renee. She then herded them to the car before circling around and telling her Aunt goodbye. Becca caught her on the way to the car.
"Kate," she called out. Kate stopped and turned. "Your mom invited me to the house tomorrow. I might swing by."
"We're having the rehearsal dinner at the house; you're welcome to swing by. I think mom's having it catered."
"I'll see. If not see you Saturday," she said with a smile.
Kate then got into the car and they were headed back towards Syracuse. Kyler and Renee were talking quietly with Hunter when Kate looked up in the rear view at them.
"Have fun, Buddy?" Kate asked. Hunter looked up and grinned.
"Awesome, Kate, that was great," Hunter said giving her two thumbs up. She smiled.
"And you?" she asked looking over at Gibbs. He smiled as he watched her.
"It wasn't as bad as I thought and DiNozzo provided some good humor," Gibbs said.
"Glad it was better than you thought," she replied.
TBC…
AN: Hey gang, just a few things...any names of cows used...real cows. Umm, the 'blackies' I refer to in the story are Holsteins...that's just what I call them because I prefer the pretty red and white ayrshires to the black and white holsteins...anything else? ummm of the injuries that Jules has suffered are real...they happened to me over the years...i think that's it...any other questions, just ask I'll answer the best I can! hope you enjoyed! dark rolling sea.
