Meet Cheeseburger

She's a one or two week old calf that was abandoned by it's mother.  She's going to be living here at our place for awhile.  We are calling her cheeseburger to remind the kids that she is not a pet.  She is a cute little calf now, but she will grow up to be a great big cow.  Cows have a limited number of purposes.  This cow will not be a pet.  She will be a cheeseburger.  It's best to be honest with the kids up front.  That doesn't mean it won't be hard to say goodbye to an animal that we fed and took care of. 

I remember Cow-van.  He was a little calf, just like this one.  I bottle fed him when I was a young girl.  He grew and fulfilled his purpose of feeding our family.  It wasn't an easy lesson for me to learn, but a good one.

It sounds very cruel, especially to those unacquainted with farm animals.  Cheeseburger will have a good life here.  She will have good grass to eat.  She will be able to run and play as a calf and she will be able to mosey around as a cow.  She will be well fed and cared for.  Compared to the beef cows that live on confined feeding lots around this country (which probably feed you if you ever buy a hamburger at the store or a restaurant), she'll have a great life.  Yes, the end is the same.  It would be regardless.  Beef cows are for beef.  This one will have a relatively good life here.  We will feed and care for her and then she will feed and nourish our family.  That is how it works.

The kids are very excited about feeding her with a bottle.  Mary fed her this morning and really enjoyed it.  They plan to take turns caring for her.  It will be a good lesson for them.  It will also be a lot of fun.

More to come on this grand adventure.