Summer 2003

Hornwort

Famous Gate Pose (photoshop)

Cob

These are some pictures from the summer of 2003, that glorious, hot summer and one that I'll never forget. Here came one very special individual who I called 'Hornwort' (the first picture).

Every herd of cattle, whether it's a huge herd or small, there's always a leader and Hornwort was the boss! But he wasn't immediately tame, it took some working on him to gain my trust which I finally achieved after a week or so. That evening, the sun was going down, the birds singing and millions of flies buzzing around and he and I stood by the gate. I was talking to him while giving him hazel leaves when suddenly he came very close to me and started to lick my hand and then he let me stroke him, and all of a sudden he was nudging me and pushing his head against my hand. It was a wonderful moment. Soon we were best friends and he always came up to see me (I didn't go into the field that year, they were all big and powferful - I was a little nervous). I spent 6 weeks that year with him and of course when I left I was distraught. I still dream of him sometimes and still cry over him at my most low. He was special to me.

Someone left a comment yesterday on this blogs first post, asking if all these cows were free. I wish they were. All of these animals are bred for either beef or breeding. After the long summer months outside, they are taken out of the field, either to be kept and fattened up during the winter or sold straight to market and eventually to be slaughtered. A cows life is a short one, two and half years I think is the most they're kept for. They travel hundreds of miles all around the country, changing hands and usually they are slaughtered a long, long way from home. Each animal has a 'passport' and every time they are moved the passports have to be kept up to date. One mistake and they have to be destroyed outright. They are slaves to human kind and I keep saying, once I've made my fortune (yeah, when?!) I'll set up a huge organic farm in Devon and save as many as I can. Then they would be free. Free to live out their 'long' lives with me.