We woke up on Saturday morning and went out to a farm to buy items for dinner, feed the animals and cut some flowers for the house. This was a small working farm that had vegetables, as well as chickens, cows, sheep and pigs that were raised to provide food. (Of course we didn’t tell the kids this) Faith and Wilson pet some of the animals and then fed them as well. I really enjoy getting outdoors and this was a great place to just walk around and “be”.
As we were waking around the kids noticed two calves in a pen. They were very cute little cows. Faith asked where the babies’ moms were. I was told that the moms were put else where, away from the babies because they would drink the mom’s milk. This made me sad for the calves. Being a mother I couldn’t imagine my baby being taken from me. The calf was taken because she would have drunk all the milk that was to be used to sell and make money. I understand this, but thought, “How sad. The calf is away from its mother, is probably sad, and is now being fed by the farmer instead of its mother. I would rather go without milk than have this happen to every calf on a money-making farm.”. (what does the farmer feed it anyway?) It really reinforced my belief that we humans can get our vitamin D from so many other sources. Milk is not “nature’s perfect food” for humans. It is “nature’s perfect food” for cows. My family already drinks rice milk instead of cows milk. Rice milk has more vitamins in it than cow’s milk and according to “the China Report”, doesn’t cause cancer. After this experience we will continue to drink rice milk instead of cows milk.
On a lighter note…. we went to another farm immediately after and picked the most beautiful flowers. It was only $4.25 for as many flowers as you could fit into a medium sized cup. We took the cup and a pair of scissors into the field and had fun. Will/Pa compared the process of cutting flowers to that of picking out a Christmas tree: can’t be crooked, no bald spots, etc. Yes, I was being picky. There were too many to choose from. My search for perfection paid off! We ended up with a beautiful bouquet of wild flowers.
I have a new favorite flower. It looks like velvet and is very dense and compact. I wish I had taken a picture of the vase that we put together. It was beautiful.
Day two of our trip was a success!
Faith is learning to pose…this is one of her favorites!
Nothing says “farm” like a tire swing that looks like a horse
Wilson and Faith were showing us their muscles. Arrrgggghhhh….