At an age when most girls would want an animal, they would likely choose either a dog or a cat.
Not with Ella McGuire.
At age 10, she requested a milk cow. Her parents – Wayne and Jessica McGuire – asked her and other relatives who was going to milk the cow. Ella’s reply was that she would do the milking.
After being taught how to milk a cow by her grandfather, Jim McGuire, Ella – now age 11 – has taken over all responsibility of taking care of “Jewel,” including milking and feeding her.
Ella feeds Jewel hay, grain and soybean meal, and says Jewel is partial to sugar cubes. While school was in session during the winter, this involved getting up at 6:30 in the morning – while it was still dark – and milking and feeding Jewel by flashlight, and then getting ready for school.
In the meantime, Jewel has had two calves that Ella has named Hershey and Sweetie.
As unusual it is for a young girl of this day and time to be this dedicated to the hard work of doing farm chores, the story gets more unusual.
Ella has a small business going with her milk products. She sells butter and cheese to some locals and uses a butter mold, handed down through the family from Judy Davis.
She has plans of expanding her business and forming a small co-op with a cousin that is in the goat business. This cousin will be featured in a future story.
Look for these girls at the Graham County Farmer’s Market, where they plan to sell corn along with their products.
Marshall McClung is the historical columnist for The Graham Star. He is retired from the Graham County Rescue Squad. Email him at mcclungs@email.com.