I asked Ed and Carol Gulley if they would teach me the modern milking process and let me do some milking of my own. I thought it was something I ought to know. I am not a farmer, but a writer with a farm, and there is an enormous difference. I do not care to be a farmer, I could not survive long in that grueling and beautiful and often mystical life.

But Maria and I love the Gulleys and we are close to them both. Ed has just launched his own blog, and he and Carol were gracious to take me to their evening milking round – they milk between 30 and 40 cows twice a day. It’s too late for me to write about it tonight, but I’ll share the experience tomorrow.

I was in the parlor for about two hours, and we also got to see Ed artificially inseminate a cow, a landmark experience.

It was very different than I expected, I am grateful for farmers and even more grateful to be a writer. More tomorrow.