It’s time to feature another one of our cows this month!
Let me introduce you to Pomegranate, February’s Employee of the Month.
She will turn six years old this spring—33 in cow years. This time of year, she’s in the barn staying warm and munching on the hay we stored for winter.
Let me tell you what makes Pomegranate special.
Four Generations Deep
Here’s what gets me. Pomegranate’s great-great-grandmother was Poppy—one of my favorite 4-H show cows growing up.
Poppy was born in 2001 when I was still a kid learning this whole farming thing. She helped me win a Master Showman plaque at our local show.
I showed Poppy every year until she passed away in 2010. Now I’m working alongside her great-great-granddaughter.
Lots of special memories with this cow family!
She’s Got Personality
Pomegranate is half Jersey, half Milking Shorthorn. That’s not an accident. It’s science meeting farming.
Jerseys give us rich, creamy milk with high butterfat. You’d think that would be perfect for cheese. But actually, too much butterfat turns to butter as I make cheese and then gets washed out with the whey.
Milking Shorthorn cows give less butterfat. They are also tougher to handle our Pennsylvania weather better and live longer on pasture.
When we combine these two genetics, we get a cow like Pomegranate, who is perfect for producing cheese from pasture.
What Happens in Winter
Right now, our cows aren’t grazing. They’re eating hay—grass we purchased and stored last summer. Think of it like saving summer sunshine for February. The cows stay in the barn where it’s warmer and take a break from producing milk while they get ready for their new babies to be born.
If you’ve been following my posts since last spring, you might remember Pomegranate’s daughter, Peach Bottom—the first calf of 2025.
We expect the new babies to start arriving in mid-March. And we’ll have our raw milk back in stock by the end of the month.
The Big Picture
When you eat our cheese and drink our milk, you’re tasting decisions we made years ago. You’re tasting crossbreeding and pasture management, and stored sunshine.
You’re tasting Pomegranate’s work.
So here’s to Pomegranate – our well-deserved February Employee of the Month!
0 Comments