Milk money has educated dairy farmer George Thompson's two children and built his humble home at Fiddler's Dream in Arima.
His story is one of sacrifices, success, and struggles.
But now, Thompson wants to give up the very trade that propelled him for 35 years. As a result of floundering sales and customers who want to cheat him, Thompson has become stressed out and frustrated.
As a labourer with the Ministry of Works, Thompson's meagre salary pushed him to venture into a trade that could supplement his income.
A lover of animals, Thompson invested in a $600 cow over three decades ago which earned him the nickname "Milkman." Thompson, 70, never anticipated that the four-legged animal would have been his cash cow.
With no experience in milking cows, Thompson said his first try turned into a disaster.
However, through persistence, trial and error he was able to perfect the art of extracting the milk from his cow who he nicknamed Betsy.
The milk was pasteurised in Thompson's kitchen, cooled and placed in two dozen 750 ml bottles which he sold for $3 each to his colleagues.
"In those days I didn't have a car to transport the milk. I used to put the bottled milk in market bags and tote it from home to my workplace every day. It was a lot of hard work and sacrifices. But I did it to make ends meet," Thompson recalled.
Over time, the demand for Thompson's milk grew and he started selling in and around the Arima Market on weekends.
Expectant mothers and parents with young children have been Thompson's biggest customers and he delivers to their dooorsteps at no additional cost. It was one way Thompson ramped up his sales and built his customer base.
"When I collected my milk money I bought building materials for my house. It also helped to educate my two children. I used that money to buy their school books, shoes, and uniform. One of them working Massy and the other is employed at the Ministry of Agriculture," Thompson said.
Over time, Thompson said he saved his money and invested in a herd of 30 cows and bulls.
He has now bought a second-hand bicycle with a metal basket to transport his milk which now fetches a price of $20 a bottle, while half a bottle is sold for $10.
Thompson became Arima's first roving milk man, a position he still holds with pride.
But despite making a mint selling milk over the years, Thompson no longer sees it as a profitable business, cutting his days of sales from five to two and his herd to 13.
He is now advising potential farmers to run from the industry.
"Customers want milk but they ain't have no money. They want to trust. You make a mistake and trust them milk is an enemy you have. I have enemies up the road for $10. They don't talk to me...they don't even watch me when my bicycle passing them.
"These people wan to dig out your damn eye. To put it nicely, they want everything free. So the advice I would give is don't get into dairy farming. Run from that! Do something else.
"Right now I want to sell out my cows. It makes no sense. The business is no longer profitable," Thompson said.