Contented Cows and Others

As we walked around some of the farms that make up the Camp Hill Community in Pennsylvania yesterday, I was constantly struck by how content the animals were. They were clean, quiet, and obviously very happy with their environment.

The cow above is one of the 55 cows that produce the milk that becomes Seven Stars yogurt, delivered by our CSA and also sold by Whole Foods.



A young CSA member was comparing her height to that of a very small and friendly donkey.



These three large and very pregnant sows live together peacefully in the woods on Sankanac Farm, the farm that produces most of our summer produce. Their diet is enhanced by food from organic grocery stores that is destined to be thrown out otherwise. They don't care if the veggies are wilted.



Meet Norbert, a charming goat who was rescued from slaughter and now acts as king of the goats.



This gorgeous black horse pulls a lot of weight on the farm, where mechanization is at a minimum.



Here is a portable chicken coop, pioneered by Joel Salatin of Polyface Farm, featured in The Omnivore's Dilemma. By moving the chickens around the farm, the farmer can get natural fertilizer and insect control, while giving the chickens a continuous supply of fresh grass to eat.



This hen has more grass than she knows what to do with. Compare her life to that of a Purdue bird, which can barely stand up in its little indoor cage.



Here is a young calf getting acclimated to life on the farm. He/she will soon be turned out to leisurely graze with the bigger ones.

This all seems so idyllic when compared to the large commercial enterprises that produce most of the meat consumed in this country.