Its been a crazy few weeks though that's for sure. My cousin finally called the local news crew that looks into things, and lets just say it turns out there's some political connections here.
It probably won't save the farm, but it could put a pretty black eye on the State Environmental Coordinator at USDA Rural Development person here. Apparently his family farm, that his father still runs got some of the stolen milk.
The dad went to school and was in the FFA with my great uncle (who actually physically owns the farm and land, just doesnt run the daily operations anymore). And they HATED each other. Never once got along.
Anyway...the news reporter had some good dirt and will be shinning a light onto all this maybe in the next couple of weeks.
Meanwhile, we are having to find farms willing to take our milking heifers, our pregnant dry heifers, and our calves.
The ones that don't get homes....well, lets just say that they will be no long for this earth. We would have no other option, they would have to be sold to slaughter.
My cousin is pretty much beside himself, farming is all he knows how to do.
Sending mojo to you
He's made no real plans for anything.
I asked him what his next step is, and he said sort of jokingly that killing himself is always an option.
Knowing him - most of me doubts that this would not happen.....but I told DH, i told my great uncle, and asked my great uncle to mention something to my cousins father just in case.
I realize that we will no lose the land, we will not lose the 'farm' just his current way of life.
I explained that there WERE options. Apply for some grants, change the type of animal he farms, change the whole operation....but he's circling the drain and all he can see is the bottom rather then looking up to see if anyone is throwing him a rope.
Why are they shutting it down
If there is no one to pick up our milk, then there's no reason to have dairy cows.
So, next week we will start contacting local sources for the herd.
Makes me want to egg and TP every Dean's place i can get to.
