Soule: Children + Calves = Self-Confidence

I love sharing Miles Smith Farm with young people each summer. And the kids love it too. They learn how to feed the goats, the donkey, sheep, Tazzy, the pig, rabbits, and chickens, and they each get a calf assigned to them for a week.

Last year the campers waited eagerly to see if they’d get Sophie, Autumn, or Jay Jay, that season’s favorites. This year the barnyard talent will include Millie, Peaches, and Jerome, who are tame enough to be safe, but impish enough to be fun.

Last year Henry, age 13, chose to snuggle with his calf rather than fiddle with his phone or run through the sprinklers with his buddies. His calf was his new buddy.

Calves do that to you. They steal your heart and make you a better person.

Read More

Carole Soule's book, "Yes, I Name Them," will be available in September. She is co-owner of Miles Smith Farm in Loudon, N.H., where she raises beef and shares the joys of her farm with kids and adults. She can be reached at carole@soulecoaching.com.