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Keeping A Family Cow [Paperback]

Joann S. Grohman , Bret R. Luick , Max J. Luick
5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)


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Book Description

March 1, 2012 0963181440 978-0963181442 5th
Keeping a Family Cow (together with its early edition The Cow Economy) has sold more than 20,000 copies since 1976. Thinking of getting a milk cow? Wonder how much space you'll need, and if it's OK to drink raw milk? This book contains practical advice for the everyday, thoughts on farms and small farming, and procedures for cow emergencies. Plus, answers to FAQ's like, 'Should I get a cow?' and 'How Much Space do I need' etc. A lifetime of practical experience, bound into one volume. Find out more by searching for Keeping a Family Cow Heifer Diary, and happy milking!


Editorial Reviews

About the Author

At 85, Joann still milks her cow every day. If you want to know more, read The Heifer Diary, a daily diary of cow milking - the oldest blog on the web - just search for Keeping a Family Cow Heifer Diary, and find Joann on Facebook at Keeping a Family Cow.

Product Details

  • Paperback: 280 pages
  • Publisher: Coburn Press; 5th edition (March 1, 2012)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0963181440
  • ISBN-13: 978-0963181442
  • Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.8 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
  • Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #652,179 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars
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I'm so glad that she wrote this book, and even more glad that I own it. Laura Grout  |  6 reviewers made a similar statement
It is well written and full of knowledge on this subject. D. Burgher  |  7 reviewers made a similar statement
Keeping a Family Cow is the best book on raising cattle I've found. venusflyer  |  6 reviewers made a similar statement
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
139 of 143 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Convinced me to leave the city and buy a cow! March 23, 2004
At the time when I ordered this book, I was living in a trailer park, and researching nutrition carefully. I am a mother of five children, and our family keeps growing, so I want to be sure that our family gets the best nutrition we can. I feel that good nutrition is something every mother should strive to give her children, no matter how rich or poor.

So, after learning that untreated milk (unpasteurized, unhomogenized) is better for your health, I went looking for a legal way to obtain raw milk for my family. I started out at [...] (the Weston A. Price organization is aimed at getting nutrient-dense foods onto America's dinner tables) and could not find any suppliers in my area.

I started looking at the possibility of getting my own cow to milk, and ordered this book. In the first few chapters, Joann explains the value of the cow, and untreated dairy products. Then, she goes on to explain all the how-to's of having a cow. This book alone convinced me that I wanted to leave the city and the trailer park and have some land with a cow!

Since owning the book, I have referred to it often. When my cow got bloat, I quickly referred to the book to find out what to do. I saved my cow's life because Joann's words were right there, even though she lives far away from me. I'm so glad that she wrote this book, and even more glad that I own it. Joann also has an online diary (which I LOVE to read) and an online discussion forum that has been very helpful.

Oh, and one more thing, there is nothing comparable to the taste of food that you've raised yourself, not to mention the superior nutrition and absence of hormones, antibiotics, pesticides, and herbicides. It is a wonderful life, and this book helped me to have the confidence to jump in with both feet and do it!

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84 of 85 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars no family cow should be without it June 5, 2003
By wyomama
This is an excellent book! It covers all areas of keeping a milk cow for your family practically, clearly, and concisely. It covers caring for your cow, feeding and health concerns, milking, breeding and calving. It also covers caring for your milk, making butter and other home dairy products. My copy is dog-eared and butter-stained, I refer to it often.
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91 of 102 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Why is modern America so dissatisfied with life? We're rolling in wealth to the extent that we can afford vacations to Europe, boats, swimming pools and $100 concert tickets. We don't have to bother raising or even cooking our own food, because multinational corporations continue to discover ways to produce technologically advanced, highly processed food products at lower and lower cost. We don't have to repair our own cars, clean our own houses, or mow our own grass. We own multiple automobiles, televisions, computers and even places to live. We take advantage of a standard of living that exceeds most other countries on the planet. To quote a popular song, "The Future's so Bright, We Gotta Wear Shades." Why then are so many of us taking Prozac, seeing therapists, and finding less and less joy in our daily lives? It's difficult to contemplate, but many of us somehow feel disconnected from our daily existence. Despite being surrounded by incredible riches, we somehow long for a lifestyle that no longer seems attainable. Something important seems to be missing. No only can't we identify what's missing, we don't have a clue on how to restore it to our lives. Joann Grohman's book, Keeping a Family Cow, provides a great deal of insight into this very issue.

Keeping in character with the book's premise, the author provides a detailed guidebook for nurturing and managing a dairy cow while successfully integrating such a creature into a modern lifestyle. Presented in an easy-to-understand, straightforward manner, the book offers up a plethora of information designed to turn the most inexperienced neophyte into a competent dairyman....

Even though these technical topics make the book worth the price of admission, I strongly believe that there is more to this book than initially meets the eye. During my undergraduate years, I stumbled upon a book called The Continuum Concept (authored by Jean Liedloff) that contrasts Western child rearing techniques with those of more primitive cultures. Even though I was not yet married, and had no interest in starting a family, I realized that there was something about her ideas that resonated with my innate sense of right and wrong. I couldn't identify why I could so easily relate to her views on nurturing infants, but it just seemed as if Liedloff had illuminated obvious truths about human nature that no one had previously discussed.

Joann's writings resonate in the same fashion. The first couple of chapters in the book seem to emanate from someone who shares Liedloff's understanding of human nature. Keeping a Family Cow demonstrates a remarkable insight into the cultural, technological and market forces that have produced the frenzied pace that we all take for granted, and demonstrates how the acquisition of a family cow can restore some of the "rightness" that seems to be missing from our daily existence. There's something incredibly satisfying about Joann's arguments to support the family cow concept, and her writings offer a glimmer of hope that we can somehow find our way back to a lifestyle that is more in tune with our expectations, our evolutionary experience as human organisms, and our hopes and dreams for the future. I can't recommend this book enough. Read more ›

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20 of 20 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars New to farming January 14, 2009
We're city folks who have just gotten our dream place in the country. I've gotten all kinds of books on everything about gardening, livestock, cooking, canning, farm ponds, biofuel, windmills-you name it..I've been reading it. I've gotten several books on cows and cattle, and this is by far the best. Totally full of practical and useful information for the novice. Everything, step by step...How to milk by hand, how to feed her properly, problems to be aware of, emergency care when a vet is not readily available. Not just general information (I have another book that ends vertually every page with "contact your veterinarian or county extension agent)but complete with every detail and all the little tips that only come with experience. It may be a small point, but I especially liked the fact that Joann Grohman's cows have names. She lives with them, works with them, talks to them, and respects them.
We don't have our cow yet. We need some better fencing, and I'm not really satisfied with the quality of our pasture (too many woody weeds), but I do believe she will become a reality in the not too distant future.
Thanks Joann-your book is an inspiration.
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17 of 17 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars New cow owner March 8, 2007
By Corinne
Amazon Verified Purchase
Even though my cows are beef and not dairy I found this to be one of the most valuable books I have read. Easy to follow information that applies to anyone thinking of raising cattle on a small scale. Highly recommend !!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars Coming out on Chelsea Green in the fall
Joann's book Keeping a Family Cow is coming out in the fall on Chelsea Green, that is why it is no longer available. Read more
Published 1 month ago by M. Grohman
5.0 out of 5 stars Another very helpful book
I ordered this book at the same time that I ordered "The Family Cow" and I gained great information from both of them. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Janice Cox
5.0 out of 5 stars Very helpful
We just bought our own cow in July and this book has been so helpful! I love her down to earth view of things but still with the best intrest of the cow in mind. Read more
Published 4 months ago by J Shalene Werzinski
5.0 out of 5 stars Buy it, read it - you will be glad you did!
If you have ever considered keeping a family milk cow but have no experience - this is the book for you. Read more
Published 11 months ago by D. Rankin
5.0 out of 5 stars A serious conversation with practical approaches
Ya know, when I bought this book, I thought, "okay, this will tell me what to do for my cow." Not only does it do that, it also tells so much more!! Read more
Published 11 months ago by venusflyer
5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Book
This book is wonderful. Joann is a real genius when it comes to diary cows.I wasn't sure I could do this when I began to read her book, but she has given me the knowledge and... Read more
Published 18 months ago by donaldkrueger
5.0 out of 5 stars The #1 Book You Need if You Have/Want/or Dream about owning a diary...
Keeping a Family Cow is the first book you should think about getting even if you are dreaming about getting a family milk cow. Read more
Published 18 months ago by BilOregon
5.0 out of 5 stars MUST READ BEFORE YOU GET THE COW
KEEPING A FAMILY COW~ Wow what a book! Yes I have read it cover to cover. Once I started, I just couldn't stop. I was amazed at how such a dry subject could be made interesting. Read more
Published 21 months ago by Dody Bush-Retherford
4.0 out of 5 stars Know Before You Leap
A lot of people would just like to "Do It" and say "We have a Family Cow and milk her ourselves...", but there are many things to consider before you even look at actually going... Read more
Published on March 27, 2011 by H.S.B.
5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful
Its was all I expected and more! Highly recommend it. You would have no need to buy another book on this topic as the information is very detailed and covers all topics. Read more
Published on November 6, 2010 by Marie Costello
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