I saw something funny the other day.
In this area, there are two big operations - farmers who raise chickens in their big long chicken houses for Tyson, and farmers who raise cattle (presumably for hamburger and steak). It is important to know that for the purposes of this story.
Recently, I had gone into town in the car. Coming back from town on the dirt and gravel lane that the county confers with the lofty title of "County Road", I came across the trail of little digested black squishy stuff that I identified as cow pies. Did you know that cow pies look different from horse dookie? Some of our neighbors own horses and sometimes ride them up and down the roads. Thus I have experience with both. The trail of cow pies began next to the property of a neighbor who owns cattle.
Driving further down the road, I came across a farmer in his truck coming my way. Behind his truck he was hauling a trailer. In the trailer was a small bale of hay.
The next thing I came across was a cow coming my way. The cow was in the process of chewing on a mouthful of hay, her mouth moving side to side in the comical fashion used by cows in their first round of eating and digestion. I wish there was a way to describe the look on the cow's face when she saw me. I don't know who was more confused and amused, me or her.
Using the logic I gained from years of college education, I deduced that the cow had escaped the confines of the farmer's property.
The farmer, being the smart guy he was, developed a plan to lure they cow back. His wonderful plan included loading some hay into the trailer, going to the cow, then allowing the cow a mouthful of hay. The farmer would then move the truck and trailer and hay a little closer back to his farm, wait for the cow to move up to the trailer to take another mouthful of hay. The farmer would then do this as many times as it took, until the cow was finally back on his property. The farmer appeared to be in no hurry, filled with much patience. The cow seemed to be in no hurry either.
Being the impatient city slicker I am, I'd have probably started hitting the cow at some point. I am trying to learn things from the farmers around here. Maybe by the time I retire, I'd be able to do what I saw that farmer doing.
