Holy Cow!

I know women who hide certain purchases from their husbands--the kinds of purchases that guys sometimes don't understand, like expensive handbags. Unfortunately for me, the Wrangler doesn't mind when I buy handbags but takes a very conservative approach to stuff that would be impossible to hide. Like, say, cows.

I had not given a lot of thought to keeping a cow on the ranch but, as of late, I'm seriously considering a nice Jersey cow (or two, as I think it is nice for animals to have a familiar companion). Averaging just 900 pounds, a Jersey is quite small...for a cow, at least. They are known for their delicious milk, which is high in butterfat. They also are known for their pretty faces and relatively docile (although somewhat nervous) dispositions.

A typical Jersey gives about five gallons of milk a day. There are miniature Jerseys, but I'm not going to go there. I'm not building a hobby farm of miniature animals; miniature sheep and goats will suffice. Plus, I'm confident that I won't be overwhelmed by a standard Jersey. They are sort of a "starter cow," in that novice cattlemen with small pastures can do well with Jerseys.

The Wrangler is very supportive of the beekeeping and chicken coop plans. He's moderately on board with the sheep and llama/alpaca, meaning that he isn't necessarily eagerly awaiting their arrival, but he isn't protesting. He has said no to donkeys and the verdict is still out on pigs. Once in a while he will mention randomly that "goats are the worst," and I'm not entirely sure what that's all about.

He speaks well of bison, so who knows where cows will fall on his spectrum. But think of all the lovely fresh butter, cream, milk, yogurt, cheese, and ice cream that our bovine pets would provide. Thankfully, the idea practically sells itself. Because I can't think of a way to sneak a cow into the backyard.