The Secret Life of Cows by Rosamund Young. A book described as gentle and meditative and a bit of a shock to those that eat something 'with a face'. But she sells their meat, and studies them with a somewhat obsessive nature.
We went to Helmsley yesterday for a coffee at The Vinery, and as we went back to the car park, which had all the recycling bins, Paul went over to the book bin and found this book in a remarkable condition, (don't think it had been read). I read it yesterday afternoon, and found her stories of families and friends amongst bovine companions, sad as well as funny. If we treat animals right they show us that their lives are as important and maybe as complicated as ours.
The cows are kept until the end of their natural life, allowed freedom between the inside barns and outside fields. This is an organic farm in Gloucester, feed is natural, the goodness of the land built up from 1953.
The farm house, Kitts Farm is a gorgeous example of an old Cotswold House, but probably too large and draughty to live in, I am always happy to see these old houses still existing, their vernacular architecture telling us the story of the geological nature of the area.
Edit; it should be Worcester not Gloucester...
The cows are kept until the end of their natural life, allowed freedom between the inside barns and outside fields. This is an organic farm in Gloucester, feed is natural, the goodness of the land built up from 1953.
The farm house, Kitts Farm is a gorgeous example of an old Cotswold House, but probably too large and draughty to live in, I am always happy to see these old houses still existing, their vernacular architecture telling us the story of the geological nature of the area.
Edit; it should be Worcester not Gloucester...
Sounds a delight Thelma. Shall now see if it is still in print.
ReplyDeleteIt is, republished in 2017, but I can always send you my copy.
ReplyDeleteRosamund's Farm is Kites Nest Farm in Broadway, Worcestershire, although the boundary has meandered between Gloucestershire and Worcestershire over the centuries. Her brother, Richard, has been Chair of the Soil Association and is now acting as researcher with Jane Parker campaigning for the return of small, portable abattoirs and other small farmer support. They credit their introduction to organic farming to their great uncle, William Hodges, whose farm they inherited which enabled them to move to Kites Nest from a Government owned tenancy in Saintbury, just the other side of Broadway.
ReplyDeleteThanks for that information Sarah, I always remember the boundary round Bath jumping from Gloucestershire to Somerset county. Good idea portable abbatoirs, bit like the blacksmith coming to the home to shoe the horses. Transporting frightened animals for miles to much larger abbatoirs is bad. Helen Browning was the other organic female farmer that I remember from Wiltshire.
DeleteI am impressed that you completed a book in an afternoon. I have not done that in years, but I always found it satisfying.
ReplyDeleteIt was quite small, and I read very quickly. One problem with a good book is that you can never put it down, one reason I gave up reading fiction!
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