R.I.P. Whitey

Here lies Whitey! Well ... half of him anyway. His other half lies one road over in another freezer. He didn't even get a decent burial. He got butchered instead!

I don't know if you remember Whitey, but he was born on a Spring day almost two years ago. You can read about him here. He sure was a great little guy, and we loved him very much! Sadly, he grew up and one day he moved to Dewig's a few miles away. They certainly were not as good to him as we were here on the farm. Once there, he ended up in freezer paper and was stamped with the words STEAK across each package!

Almost everyday for the past two years, I have driven my Littles to preschool or daycare. Every morning we drive by the barn that housed Whitey. Then every evening we drove back by and waved to him while he was eating out in the pasture. Often, we'd sneak a few buckets of feed to him when the higher orders of the farm weren't looking. Not that they'd care, but we overfed Whitey and most of his siblings every chance we got. Here one day .... and gone the next! That's how it works when you have C.O.W. for a last name.




Today I thawed a few packages of Whitey ... and couldn't bring myself to cook him. Now I'm stuck with a freezer full of packages just like this one.

So tomorrow and the next day I'll drive up and down our road and watch my Littles stick their heads out the window and wave excitedly to the big black Bull out in the field, and I'll listen to their chatter about their friend Whitey.

Do I tell them? No ... because I'm a good Mom. Do I lie to them? Yes ... because as far as they're concerned ... Whitey just grew a lot and moved across the road!

I'm not sure I'll ever get used to this farm life. Steaks are supposed to come from IGA or Schnucks or Sam's Club .... or anywhere except our barn!

RIP Whitey Cow! You sure were a cute little guy!

Steaks anyone????