Cows

 I grew-up near a lot of farms and was a member of the local 4-H club. Spending a good deal of time around farm animals including cows was something I loved to do. I think that cows are an impressive animal, maybe not my favorite farm animal but I do like cows, spending their days in the green fields dotted with shade trees and the meandering stream.


 So when saw this add-campaign last year about "Happy Cows come from California"  it made me think about the cows from my childhood. They didn't seem unhappy so I thought that the cows in California must be really happy then. This pasts' summer vacation plans took me to California, so I was looking forward to seeing these very "Happy Cows."

 After a few days in California when traveling from Sequoia National Park to Monteray Bay I got my first sight of cows. Much to my horror they were all on what I believed to be "factory farms."  My view was only from the road but I never saw such repulsive conditions. Thousands and thousands of cows crowded under metal roofing, standing  in what looked like mud, not a blade of grass, a tree or stream in sight for miles around.

Now to be fair I don't know if cows have the ability to be happy or sad but if they do the cows in Pennsylvania, from my prospective, are much happier then those in California!