Ready for winter to be over? Do early darkness and painfully cold weather depress you, as they do me? Well, I’ve found the antidote: Cuddling a cow.
Mountain Horse Farm in upstate New York offers an hour of cow-cuddling for $90. That sounds pricey, but then farming isn’t cheap. It costs more than $1,000 a day to run my little farm. In therapeutic terms, that’s about $125 an hour each eight-hour day. Yikes! My cow-cuddling therapy is expensive.
At first, it seemed curious that folks would pay good money for quality time with a cow – but maybe not.
When I’m not sure I can pay the mortgage, or the Bobcat (it’s a machine) won’t start, I’ll find Topper – my favorite therapist. Born on the farm six years ago, Topper and his partner, Stash, are a team. Topper will walk up to me and put his head on my shoulder while I scratch his neck. He’s just like a dog: a 1,500-pound dog.
My goal is to connect to a time when it was common to raise a backyard cow for meat or milk. Bonding with my cattle makes me feel better, and I want to share. The rhythmic breathing of a cow, her sweet breath on your face, and the warmth of her body can restore your soul. If you want to cuddle a cow, you can; free of charge. We hold regular farm events at which cattle hugging is an option.
Stop by Miles Smith Farm in Loudon, and I’ll introduce you to Curious Bleu or Missy, two of our ambassador Scottish Highlanders. On Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., you can celebrate Valentine’s Day by hugging or even sitting on one of our more placid bovines. For more and to see what else is on the agenda, visit milessmithfarm.com/valentines-day-cows.
Cow cuddling is free here, but if you buy locally raised meat you’ll support our fuzzy cows, you’ll help preserve the landscape while eating delicious meat raised by a farmer who cares.
Celebrate Valentine’s Day early this year. It’s all about love, so why not let the 101.5-degree body temperature of a cow warm your heart?
(Carole Soule is co-owner of Miles Smith Farm, where she raises and sells local pork, lamb and grassfed beef. She can be reached at cas@milessmithfarm.com.)