After trying to avoid it for the first 15 minutes, I realized quite quickly that there is just really no way around it; having cow manure all over your hands and occasionally splat on you is just part of the job. I call it "surrendering to the pooh." It is kind of like walking in the rain. We may try to avoid it for a bit, but if you are in it long enough and just commit to 'being' in the rain, it really doesn't matter anymore and you can then start enjoying yourself. So am I enjoying having cow manure all over me? Well, I wouldn't say enjoy, but it certainly doesn't bother me as much as it once did and allows me to focus on other things... such as not getting kicked in the face from a hoof or getting the right positioning of the milking suctions on the 'teets.' (maybe by Friday I will be able to say that word without a smirk, though I highly doubt it)
The meeting of farmers looking to convert their farms to produce organic milk Monday was pretty informative. I was able to learn a lot about the industry and advantages to organic farming. It was really interesting to see the different dynamic between people and what prevents some from moving forward with it. Some people were thinking more of the benefit to the environment, taking a more holistic approach whereas others were only interested in the bottom line and if they would make more money by doing so.
It made me think about consumer buying power in general, in that we as consumers have a much larger influence than we think. By demanding corporations to be more socially responsible/conscious in their practices, we create an associated benefit for companies to do so that will often help to increase their bottom line. So whether companies want to appear socially responsible because the market demands it and so are forced to, or if they genuinely would like to make a positive difference, at least we are moving in the right direction.
Be sure to check out 'Pledge Your Passion,' and if you agree, sign your name!
-Sean