Speaking of organic dairying

I absolutely LOVE this.

It's fun, it's funny, it's clever. All good things. Plus it's about organic dairying, treating your cows well, and combines two generally opposing things -country life and hip hop. More good things. I don't know anything about Yeo Valley Dairy (except what they mention in the music video) and I'm not here to shill British yogurt.

I just want to bring a little sunshine to your day.

Here and now.

As you know, I'm back in Minneapolis. I've actually been back for a few weeks now. And things are good.

I'm living with some old friends and some new potentially future friends. Everyone seems very friendly. And I'm loving being back in the city. The buildings are tall, the people are plentiful, and the weather has been fantastic enough that I can get outside and enjoy all of the sights and sounds that Minneapolis has to offer. This could be the start of a great new year.

But it's hard to throw myself into it all. I spend nearly all of my time writing coverletters and that makes for a simultaneously boring and tense life. Thankfully, I've had some success and I've gotten a few promising interviews, but they've been out of state. Knowing that I might be moving away soon makes it seem pointless to put effort into being here. I haven't finished unpacking -what's the point if I'll just need to pack it up again. I can't bring myself to live in the present -all I can think about is the future. And yet, not putting effort into being here and ignoring the present is going to make the here and now a disappointing place to be.

So sue me.

Yeah, yeah. I know you're judging me.

Monday I made ratatouille and zucchini bread. Chock full of delicious farm fresh veggies and organic goodness. It was amazing and there are still leftovers.

Yesterday I made eggplant parmigiana. Chock full of delicious farm fresh veggies and organic goodness. It was scrumptious and there are still leftovers.

Today. Well today, I picked up a $5 pepperoni pizza from Little Caesars. Chock full of things I don't want to know about from places I'd rather be ignorant of. And it was tasty.

So you just keep on judging.

I want to milk your cow.

Seriously. I want to milk your cow.

Now I realize that you probably don’t own a cow. I don’t know many people who do. And the cow owners I do know probably aren’t reading this. BUT. If you do have cow, this is for you.

I’ve wanted to milk a cow for a while now. Mostly for the novelty of it. It seems so quaint and rustic. But I’m sure quaint and rustic don’t quit cover it –I’ve heard it killer on the hands. Now that I’ve lived as a farmer however, this desire has mushroomed. As have my reasons for wanting to do it.

I want to get my hands dirty. I want to meet the cow that is making my food and I want to know the effort required of her and of me needed to milk her. I want to see the process from start to finish –cow to bucket to fridge. That’s right, no fancy milking machines here –that would be too easy. I want my hands to hurt, I want the full experience. I want my hands there when she gives up her food for her baby so that I can enjoy it. If that’s too much for me and if I can’t handle the reality of the experience, then maybe dairy isn’t something I deserve to enjoy.

Also, I want to see where and how the cows live. It’s important to me that they get to lead happy lives and that they have the opportunity to do cow things with their cow friends and families. Being in the sun, grazing, sexing, mothering, socializing. The least I can do to show my gratitude for their sacrifice for my table is to ensure that they have a chance at a decent life.

So, if you have a cow that you will let me milk. Let me know!

Only Happy Cows need apply.

Full Circle

My first week at the farm we spent days in the blistering sun hauling metal stakes out to the tomato field, pounding them into the ground at regular intervals, and stringing the tomatoes up. My last week here we are cutting all of the lines, pulling the stakes up and hauling them out of the field, and ripping up the tomato plants. Talk about a fitting end.

It has been an amazing summer. I’m still hoping to share more of it with you. There is definitely more worth sharing. I met some amazing people, I spent nearly every day outdoors enjoying the summer weather, I worked really hard and amazed myself with the physical capability of my body, I learned a lot - about growing vegetables, about where food comes from, about the importance of sustainable agriculture, and about why everyone should know their farmer or be one. And I plan to take that all with me when I leave. And I’m going to incorporate it into my daily life. I plan on having an amazing garden someday...maybe even get involved with the urban agricultural movement. I’m going to start with a potted herb garden. I can keep you posted on how that goes…hopefully.

As for the near future…it’s hard to think that far ahead. I leave the farm tonight and will spend a few days in Madison before heading back up to Minneapolis to reintegrate myself into the commune I previously lived in. Then I’ll be penniless and unemployed and I’ll spend all of my time writing cover letters or aggressively avoiding writing said cover letters. Which sounds awful and I am not looking forward to it. I am looking forward to meeting new roommates and seeing old ones, having some time to lounge around in my pajamas, and reacquainting myself with an amazing city.

I’ll keep you posted on any changes and in the meantime I should have plenty of time to finally get around to those summer updates.