I remember my first day working with the cows through the UMADCOW program the day before classes started this January. I felt comfortable working with the sweet cows who love being visited by their human friends, but I was overwhelmed by the number of instructions I needed to remember for setting up the milk house, sanitizing the system, taking care of the animals and heat watch. After the first few days of the program, I began to feel at home with the cows and the milking routine including being covered with slobber from cow kisses and the scent of manure lingering in my every pore after milking and chores were complete. After driving home from milking, I used to immediately take a shower so that my roommate wouldn't complain about my stench.
It has now been two months since I started working with the cows. That “stench” I used to feel I had to immediately wash off of my body I have started to embrace.
I can smell Renee who shows you what she is eating at all times because she has the most ridiculous under bite you have ever seen and I can see her staying right by my side to “protect” me during heat watch. And this week, when I smell that “stench,” I can see Paco entering this world and I can see his sweet mom, Rookah, helping clean him off after his birth. |