Shared work, shared friendships

Within the farm compound, cows are queen (it is a dairy after all!). David Isuvi manages the herd for quality milk production and has worked hard to get the best dairy animals. His choice of genetics both in purchased stock and his use of artificial insemination for breeding, have been very successful. The cows are fed chopped maize and Napier grass twice a day along with hay, molasses and a dairy meal. Milking is in the morning and evening. Some days I would go down to the dairy barn to shovel feed, or its byproduct. Cows can be entertaining, but my favorite time was spent visiting the dairy hands. Rose is a Nandi who sets the standard for dairy fashion. She wears a necklace and a dress every day. Her smile is bigger than Lake Victoria and her laugh could make Mona Lisa giggle. Steven is thin like most Kenyans, but strong and good natured. Both became great friends.

Milking the old school way





The surrounding Miwani valley is chameleon like as it takes on a different character with the changing light. Early morning with the sun rising and a slight breeze, the cane fields running to the escarpment reminds me of Kauai, yet in the evening, under thunderheads and shadows cast over the fields, the surrounding farmsteads have the appearance of hayfields and ranches buttressed against the west slopes of the Madison range in Montana. No matter, it was always changing and always beautiful. This evening was particularly memorable as Hanna and I rode bikes to Miwani village. Returning at dusk, weaving by cattle and goats being herded, we passed others returning home from the fields. Long shadows cast on a broken road touched amber by last sunlight. Simple, and beautiful.











July 27