Soule: Kids and Calves: the Perfect Combination

The kids hooted as they pulled on lead ropes and dashed around the barnyard, each with a calf in tow. They didn’t need any encouragement to run in this competition; what child doesn’t want to race about with a calf? The calves were just as eager. It’s true. Kids and calves love to run.
After the third race, everyone was exhausted and ready for a nap, even me, and I was just an observer.

These kids and some calves were graduates of farm summer camp at Miles Smith Farm. In July, the children spent three weeks training calves, doing farm chores, and getting dirty. Twelve graduates were invited back for five “advanced calf training” Saturdays, working with five Belted Galloway heifers (female calves) I’d purchased a few weeks earlier. These heifers joined ten trained summer camp calves.

After naming the new heifers after Greek goddesses Athena, Circe, Hera, Venus, and Iris, we put a halter on each, tied their lead ropes to a solid post, and stood back. Venus leaped in the air while Hera dashed to the end of her rope, turned, and ran the other way. My star pupil, tiny Iris, quickly calmed down and watched her sisters’ antics.

After 20 minutes, they got tired of fighting the tether, but the battle was not over.

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Carole Soule is co-owner of Miles Smith Farm. Visitors are welcome to smash pumpkins to feed the cows on Saturday, November 4, between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. Bring your own pumpkins or smash ours. Find us at 55 Whitehouse Rd., Loudon, NH.