Here we are in the depths of winter at a time when days are short and nights are long. The grass is hardly growing right now and much of what there is lies under water. So it’s hard to think about the time when spring will come and we will be turning our cows out onto lush pastures once again. We still don’t know exactly when that might be – February, March, or maybe even April for some, but it’s something we should look forward to and it might help us get through these dark days once the bright lights of Christmas have faded.
I think we should really celebrate turning the cows out in 2013. After the most difficult year in 2012, we are all hoping for better next time around. Those of us that run free range or pasture-based herds believe our cows deserve the opportunity to live a life as close to nature as we can afford them and the day we turn them out to grass is something we all look forward to on the farm.
So, how about we share that happy event with as many people as possible in 2013? Although it’s impossible to mark the date on the calendar right now, start thinking about how you could engage the public in this unique event. There are already a number of videos of ‘cow dances’ on You Tube and, in The Netherlands, many farmers welcome local people onto their farms to see the cows going out for the first time (you’d be surprised how big an audience they get). Take a look at this video for some inspiration.
TURNOUT TIME – it’s getting closer every day!
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