Remember, way about when, when flies didn’t bother us? (Well, rather, flies didn’t bother Adam and Eve…) Can you even imagine what that must’ve been like? 

Yes, I think of those times… when Adam was in the Garden, milking his sweet Jersey cow, frolicking in meadows of green grass, squirting milk into his perfectly clean pail (I’ll bet she didn’t ever kick at him either) and enjoying those sweet, blissful moments of complete peace. 

Can you even imagine? 

Unfortunately, that time of complete communion with nature passed. Sharks eat people. Zucchinis die from squash bugs. And flies reek so much havoc during milking time, it’s enough to drive a dairy cow (and her milker… and her pantless bucket carrier…) half mad. 

HALF MAD I TELL YOU! Hence the homemade fly spray. 

The Problems With Commercial Fly Sprays

Last summer while we were milking Sally, the flies eventually got so dang bad (no matter how many of these or these that we put up) that we finally broke down and bought commercial fly spray. It worked – totally! 

…but then, the next day, her milk tasted hoooorible. Baaaaad. (I’m stretching out the words to let you know just how disgusting it tasted. Like thiiiiiiiis bad.)

Realizing that diet hadn’t changed, we thought… maybe, just maybe, it was the fly spray. So we stopped using it. And in a days time, the milk went back to it’s normal, creamy, delicious self. Fluke? Maybe? Let’s try again. Because obviously I have a thick skull and it’s very difficult for me to retain information. 

Once again, we used the fly spray. And once again, after about a day, the milk was undrinkable. Bleh. Plew. Gah. (I don’t know how to type out gross sounds.)

I’m sorry… does this freak anyone else out? What on earth is in this stuff that could seep into her body and cause such a reaction? I bet it was pure poison. Poison, I tell you! I won’t pretend to know what’s in a commercial fly spray- because I don’t. But I do know it was tainting my milk. 

Eek. No thank you. Homemade fly spray, please! 

The Perks Of Homemade Fly Spray

While homemade fly spray may not be as nuclear as commercial fly spray, I’ve gotta admit – of the five different recipes I tried and mixed, this one wins HANDS DOWN.

My not-so-crunchy husband was astounded at how well it worked. (I love it when that happens. Muah ha ha.) We use it twice a day – spraying Sal and Lyle down in the morning and again at night, at milking. 

My favorite part about this homemade fly spray is that it utilizes the natural power of essential oils to be effective. There are certain compounds that flies don’t like, man. So I’m exploiting their weakness and harnessing the natural power of… well, nature. 

Homemade Fly Spray 

You will need: 

 – Squirt bottle (I really want this one!)

 – 4 cups raw apple cider vinegar

 – 15 drops rosemary essential oil (check out my favorite oils HERE)

 – 15 drops basil essential oil (check out my favorite oils HERE)

 – 15 drops Peppermint essential oil (check out my favorite oils HERE)

 – 15 drops repellent blend essential oil (check out my favorite oils HERE)

 – 1 tablespoon dish soap (I like this one!)

Combine the ingredients together in the squirt bottle and gently shake to combine. 

Well now, that wasn’t very complicated – was it? Almost no work at all. And considering the cats, dogs, turkeys, chickens, ducks, sheep, pigs, and little humans all need to be fed, I’d say less work at this very moment may be a very good thing.

While I’m running around doing chores this morning, I think I’ll dream of what life was like for Adam and Eve in the Garden. I bet there wasn’t nearly as much poop involved in their days as is involved with mine. 

And flies.

Lucky ducks.

And Amen. 

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