Penelope didn't work out. She wasn't healing like we wanted her to so we felt like it was better to pass on an animal that probably had some serious long term issues. So we continued the search and Lord willing tomorrow we will be going to pick up a Jersey calf. His name is Ferdinand (named after the popular children's book The Story of Ferdinand )... he is 5 months old and he has been used as an animal ambassador to elementary school children to teach them about farm animals. He is super friendly, loves people and should make a good start out cow for our little farm. Joshua is SO excited to get a "cow". He keeps asking about it. The person that we are getting Ferdinand from is very excited that he will be going to a home with kids and also she loves our idea of starting a therapy farm for special needs families. Of course the economic side of us knows that Ferdinand will only be a pet for about the next year, then be replaced with a smaller cuter version and then he will provide us with many warm meals on cold nights. We'll see how that goes when his time is up... but for now he will be loved on by children and adults alike and enjoy grazing in a lush pasture. I know you are probably thinking "does the person you are getting Ferdinand from know that he will someday be beef in the freezer?" And to answer your question, yes she does. She is one of those people that believe in treating an animal humanly, but also realistic in the fact that animals have purposes and you can't keep a full sized cow as a lawn ornament.
Since we do not have a livestock trailer yet, we will be hauling him in our work van... or which we so lovingly have named "Ghetto Van". Believe me, it's surely a sight... if Ghetto Van is still working in the next couple of years we are going to let the kids do a spray paint camouflage job on it! :)
p.s. if you are not familiar with the story of Ferdinand the bull... check out this video.... It's a great story
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