Worked 5AM to 10AM and learned so much that my head is still spinning. Dairy farming is a very physical job, but I'd prepped with some pain medications and ice water for drinking, and while I'll be sore tomorrow, I wasn't in pain doing the actual work. Got covered in piss, shit, spittle, milk, and my own sweat. The cows bullied me.
I'M JUST. A LITTLE OVERCOME. That I've been given the opportunity to learn this ridiculously complicated work, make industry connections, and take a helluva first step towards running my own (much smaller) farm operation in a few years.
Also one of the cows came from a breeder who got her addicted to oxytocin and now she has to be given a HAPPY COW SHOT before she's milked. Ruby, you are a funky lady and I love you already.
Thirty-four cows! And they marked me immediately as a soft touch and tried to boss me around. There were also several barn cats and I made immediate friends with one of them. She brought me a mouse and was very proud of herself.
I loved it.