Good Smells on an Ozark Dairy


Another day in March...another NaBloPoMo list post...

So much is always said about how dairies stink...I agree. You can't get away from it; when you have a collection of large animals you are going to have a stink. However...there are also good smells on a dairy that are rarely talked about.

1. Alfalfa...one of the best smells in the world.

2. The creek (see above picture). I love the smell of water. Not all dairies are fortunate enough to have running water, but we are. Down in the creek bottoms is one of my fav hangouts. It's gorgeous in spring.

3. The cow smell...no, not the poop smell, just the bovine smell. You know how horses have their own smell and dogs and cats, too. So do the cows. It's warm and homey.

4. The cold milk in the bulk tank. I don't like the warm, fresh milk smell, but the cold milk smell reminds me of ice cream.

5. The smell of the woods in spring and fall. It's a spicy, heady, almost intoxicating smell.

Comments

moe said…
Oh, thank you for doing a smell post! Smells are one of the undercelebrated aspects of life. I really liked your list of smells. Q : do you think that cats have a general smell (not cat pee or litterbox, but the CATS)? My favorite alltime cat smelled naturally nice, almost bath powdery or flowerish. I thought it was specific to that one (er:CUJO), though.
March 5, 2008 at 8:23 AM
Calfkeeper said…
moe-you are welcome. I think cats DO have their own smell...I've always thought it more like clothes dried on a clothesline smell. Matilda the cat here often smells like hay, or if she's taken the notion to go under the house, rather dusty. Depends on where she's been napping.
March 5, 2008 at 9:54 AM
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