Monday, June 20, 2011

Mostrami la tua Mucca

Lets talk about cows. Lets talk about how I just drank a latte (beware: latte is Italian for milk so you will be judged a moron if you ask for one in a bar and expect to receive a coffee; better just make the switch to cappuccino). Lets talk about how the milk came straight from the teet of a cow in the backyard. I mean, no antibiotics, no pasteurization, no hormones- just free range, grass-fed goodness, freshly aspirated this very morning. Though most westerners I know have developed a societally influenced aversion to this idea, I can testify that this was far and away the most deliciously creamy, sweet, and pure liquid heaven (next to any alcoholic beverage, that is) I have ever tasted. and GUESS WHAT?  I'm still alive.

I was made privy to this cow phenomenon when Giulio nonchalantly mentioned last week that the 500 cows in the backyard had been a part of the family for five or six generations.  I was nonplussed. As a young person raised and educated in a major metropolitan area, I've seldom (read: NEVER) had the opportunity to investigate the origins of my refrigerator milk carton contents. So, I set off for a little journalism.

I learned that these cows are held to strict milking standards- negating the need for hormones that are often used to promote milk production at biologically harmful frequencies so that maniacal farmers can sell sell sell. These cows are given ample space to stomp around and indulge their curiosity, and they actually strike me as happy and silly. Their living quarters are craftily designed in a way that resembles an aqueductal poo river, essentially carrying the caca to a nearby poo dispensary that eventually converts it into reusable energy. Seriously. Said poo-train not only supports sustainability, but maximizes environmental hygiene to eliminate the need for antibiotics.  The best part is that the milk distributed from here isn't even labeled as "organic" - "untampered with" is an implicit property of quality. Once again, superiority bears no catchy slogan claiming to be so, it just speaks for itself.

Should you ever have the opportunity to stare a happy cow in the eyes, I highly recommend it. I was enchanted. 




















9 comments:

Mad Dog said...

Did you get to milk one yourself? It's quite an art.

Kirsten said...

Reminds me of when I was a kid in Denmark! We spent time on a farm and everything you ate was true to the meaning of the word "fresh." Great post, phenomenal photos!

Liv said...

Didnt get to do any milking myself, reckon I'm not that brave or skilled. Glad you like the post Kirsten, I'm finding myself increasingly inspired by the aesthetic of farm life. :)

Mel said...

Oh oh. City girl goes country! Glad you are experiencing real food.

Mad Dog said...

Ali G's take on the countryside:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hshvZf5HSNU

Allie Rose said...

Your blog has always been great, but these days it is Fabulous!! The photos are great, the writing is smart and funny - I Love it!

Liv said...

amazing what a little inspiration can do.

Elyse said...

I like Yankee. He makes me laugh. But I have to say, I was disappointed that there were no photos of the poo river.

Liv said...

Yankee is amazingly ironic, innnhe? I'll return for the poo river at report back asap.