Happy Irish Cows!

Happy Irish cows.  There's no other way to describe them. I just returned from a weeklong tour of Southern Ireland, and while there were many things about Ireland that I loved, one of my favorites were the pastures full of happy Irish cows.

Why are they happy do you ask? How do I know? You could see it on their big old faces. They were what we might describe as "fat and happy!" I expected to see sheep grazing on the rolling hillsides, but there were as many cows and about as many horses. The cows in particular stood out to me.

If you read my post in the mom's council week before last, you'll know that I'm slightly obsessed with learning as much as I can about food production in the U.S. After seeing the movie Food Inc., these Irish cows stand out in contrast to the ones pictured in the documentary. They roam the hillsides eating grass, napping, and watching tour buses travel by. They even caused a bit of a traffic jam for us one day. I expected the sheep to do that, but alas it was the happy Irish cows ambling their way through town.

For those of you who don't know me and might worry that I really believe cows can be "happy," rest assured that I'm just being a bit facetious. I do love the thought though. I would love to see happy American cows all over this great country. I know there are some, but I fear they may be the minority. It's just my opinion.  

You can make up your own minds. I'll attach a picture or two. See what you think! (and watch Food, Inc. if you haven't done it yet!)