Moving cows

Late summer, I got a call from my neighbour. "Got any extra bodies that can come help move cows?". I jumped at the chance. These neighbours custom graze other people's cattle. They get herds from various farmers, put them together in the same field, feed them up nice and fat and return them in the fall, getting paid for the difference in weight from beginning to end. 

Upon arriving, I was told to stand at the corner, beside the white electric fence Deanna set up. I told her "I've never done this before" (suddenly realizing I could not personally stop a stampede). "Don't wave, don't shout, just stand there so they know not to go that way". I know from reading Michael Pollen's account of Joel Salatin's farming methods that these cattle are moved frequently from field to field, allowed to munch on fresh grass. Because they are allowed to eat the most nutritious part of the grass before the gates open up to the next smorgasbord of grass, they are always eager to move from field to field. 

Deanna opened the gate and started her call for the cattle to follow "Cow Boss! Cow Boss!!" This is what Deanna's husband, Leon has always used to call the cattle.

Slowly at first, then at a fast-paced walk, the 350  1000-ish lb animals went across the road. It was eerily quiet, very unlike the stampede I thought I might witness. 

It was all over in a matter of minutes. I was little help. 

Very shortly after, I read on Deanna's facebook status that the cows had gone back to their owners.

 A great story from Deanna: Husband Leon stood, looking at a herd while talking with a cattle owner at the latter's farm. Some of the cattle they were looking at had been to Deanna's and Leon's farm. Leon shouted "Cow Boss!" and the heads of each of the cows who'd been custom grazed lifted above the backs of the other cows and looked Leon's way. "Well," said the other farmer  "you named them!"