Happy Cow, Happy Boy

Today we visited the Happy Cow Creamery just a few miles outside Greenville.  The Happy Cow Creamery is a dairy farm that provides milk and other dairy products to South Carolina.  But that's not all... they're open to the public for tours, samples, trolley rides and picking.

Marco knew all morning we were going there.  On the way, we had to travel down many long back country roads, with pastures on both ends.  Marco kept yelling "Vaca?, Vaaaaaaaaaacaaaaaaaa! Moooo"  ("vaca"= "cow").  He was so excited!

Our play group made arrangements to head out there this morning... we were a group of about 7 moms all with kids under 2 years old.  But there was also a school field trip AND another play group with moms of multiples. So, needless to say, it was insanity... but still a lot of fun!

Upon arrival, all the kids were able to play out in the yard and run around.  They had this wooden cow with water-filled utters for the "milking".  Marco thoroughly enjoyed milking this cow, and hogged up all the space for a while.

I then discovered that Marco had a listening problem when I turned around and found him standing near the street, alone, looking at the cows.  When I called to him, he ignored me.  My fear was that there were a ton of farm equipment, tractors and other trucks, coming in and out, as well as an ELECTRIC fence that kept the cows in!  Oh, toddlers.  So I decided to restrain him... yes, with a book bag leash.

Don't judge me till you have an independent toddler running around AND a baby strapped to your chest.  You would do the same. 

We took a tour of the milking stations and got samples of their creamy milk.  They do things a bit differently there.  After watching many documentaries on the subject, it's really refreshing to see a dairy farm with integrity.  It was very interesting and I tried to listen as best I could while pulling Marco off the menure washed floor.  

We then got to go on a trolley ride, being pulled by a farm truck with hugemongo wheels.  Marco loved it, "Mama, truckkkkk".  We had some snacks and enjoyed seeing all the cows from a distance.  When we got back, we ate the rest of our snacks, had some ice cream and were set free to pick strawberries.  In the spring they have strawberry picking; in the fall they have pumpkin picking.  

Marco ate while he picked and he was excited to fill up our box with fresh strawberries... some were so fresh they were still green! 

Overall, it was a fun day, but exhausting.  By the time we were done, it was 1:30... well into nap time.  We were stinky, hot and sweaty... but happy to have spent the day at Happy Cow! 

http://www.happycowcreamery.com/