Farm Days



A childhood visit to my Papaw Roy's also granted me a farm day.  It was a few hours of freedom to run, play and take in the environment.  At that age I wasn't quite thinking in terms of the "environment" but simply thinking about all of the things that made me happy on those lovely farm days.  First and foremost, getting to run and hug my papaw was the greatest part of the visit.   After a warm greeting from Papaw Roy,  I would bolt towards the fence and watch the cattle.  Yes, I was so impressed and infatuated in learning everything about the herd. 




Cow on Friends Family Farm

 

Being an animal lover from day one, I took to the big, spotted and muddy beast like a child to a cute little kitten.  Granted I never ran up and squeezed a cow between my little girl arms or gave it a big kiss on the nose, but I did enjoy "naming" the numerous heads of cattle.  I even named a three legged baby calf that had been in an tractor accident.  I was so disturbed when I learned the story of the wounded calf, "The farm hand fell asleep plowing the fields and the calf didn't move fast enough," explained Papaw Roy.

Heartbroken and devastated.  How could someone fall asleep driving a tractor with all of those cows so close? 
I worried about that three legged calf everyday in between farm visits.  The discovery I made on the next visit will be one that I will never forget.  I discovered that my baby calf was missing.   Only then did I learn the true operations of a real farm.   The more I learned about the cattle, the more confused I became.  What was a little girl to eat after a day like that? 
I still to this day believe that the three legged cow triggered my vegetarianism.  This day was the beginning to the end of my meat eating days.

My childhood adventures on Papaw Roy's farm blossomed into a passion for animals and my quirky eating habits today.

My name is Lauren and if you haven't figured by now, I am a vegetarian.  To be precise I am a lacto-ovo vegetarian.  I incorporate eggs and dairy products into my diet.  Within the last couple of years I have also began to add seafood on occasion. I guess with  the seafood thrown into the menu this blog should have been titled "Kentucky Fried Pescetarian"?

This is my first blog and I am really excited about all of the things I will be learning.  Just writing this first post made me remember so much about my childhood.  It is so interesting to take the time and look back.  The scary part is realizing how much a childhood truly shapes your future.  Just think, if I never went to the farm and saw that poor little calf than I might be at the drive-thru eating a Big Mac for lunch.  Instead, I'll order a double cheeseburger without the meat.  :)
You never know how one day will shape the next!