This discussion is very interesting. I was glad to hear Charles' description of the home-made stanchion designs. I remember the stanchions in "our" barn (Eaton, Madison County, NY in the 1950s), and I think "our"stanchions must represent a slightly later manufactured version using, I think, iron or cast iron parts. I don't remember my dad replacing any or talking about them much. What I've been especially thinking about during this discussion are the watering "containers" (for lack of a better word) that each of our cows had to its right as it stood in the stanchion. Yes, that's right, each cow had her own water source. All it took to get drinking water was the slight pressure of that soft, silky, gentle muzzle on the pressure plate. We didn't know how good we and the cows had it. It was difficult when the temperatures dove down below freezing, because of course the cows were without water until the freeze let up. This is a great list! Can anyone elaborate more on the watering devices? Debbie Smith Zorach. > From: "charles Page" <cpage@americu.net> > Reply-To: NYMADISO-L@rootsweb.com > Date: Mon, 28 Feb 2005 16:50:46 -0500 > To: NYMADISO-L@rootsweb.com > Subject: Re: [NYMADISO] Missing > Resent-From: NYMADISO-L@rootsweb.com > Resent-Date: Mon, 28 Feb 2005 14:48:26 -0700 > > Pat, Were you referring to me? --about not being on the list lately? If > so --we are doing fine, (or finely, Heh!). > I got a chuckle out of the question about stanchions. Not that I > blame anyone for not knowing what they were. Even many of the modern farmers > don't use them any more, what with loose hausing and milking parlors, etc. > I have built many of the old stanchions when I was farming.(my grandfather > called them "stanchals"). We built stanchions after we moved to our present > farm, and I still used the old design in my grandfather Jones' barn. They > were simple and cheap. I always used 1" x 6" basswood boards if I had it. It > was soft wood and not "splintery" and soon wore down any sharp edges that > might bother the cows. A leather strap was used as a hinge on the block of > wood at the top of the frame, to lock in or unlock the cows. The left side > of the stanchion was a stationary upright board. The right hand board was > fastened by a single bolt at the bottom so it could swing free when the top > opened or closed. Very simple but effective. > Once in while a bull or a cow with horns would learn to twist its head > around, hook the locking block up, and open the stanchion, and then have a > good time running freely around the barn where they could get into mischief. > Grandma Jones told in her diary about this happening with a dangerous bull > when the "men folks" were away once. ( See the story "Minnie LLoyd Jones" on > my web site.) > Nice to recall times long gone, Doggone! > Chas > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Harold Jaquay" <hjaquay@twcny.rr.com> > To: <NYMADISO-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Monday, February 28, 2005 9:41 AM > Subject: Re: [NYMADISO] Missing > > >> I haven't seen Charles on line lately, does any one know if he is OK? >> Sincerely hope neither he nor his wife are ill and they are just away on >> vacation. >> >> Pat J. >> >> >> >> >> -- >> No virus found in this outgoing message. >> Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. >> Version: 7.0.300 / Virus Database: 266.5.0 - Release Date: 2/25/2005 >> >> >> ==== NYMADISO Mailing List ==== >> To post to this list - send email from the address you subsribed to the > list with to this address - NYMadiso-L@rootsweb.com >> > > > > ==== NYMADISO Mailing List ==== > To post to this list - send email from the address you subsribed to the list > with to this address - NYMadiso-L@rootsweb.com > >