Bovine Beauties, Calf Cuties and those other ones

Photo taken by Laura Chase of Chase’s Organic Dairy Farm, Mapleton, ME.

One of the perks of my job as communications manager for the Maine Dairy & Nutrition Council is visiting dairy farms all over the state of Maine – from Mapleton to Kittery to Washington County to the backwoods of the Western Mountains. Each one is different and special in its own way, which keeps my work from becoming monotonous. And as varied as the personalities of all those farms, are the personalities of the cows on those farms. It can depend on the breed (e.g. Holsteins can be extremely gossipy), or it’s just the individual cow. Often those personalities can come across in photos.

There are those who are suspicious:

And those who are curious:

Or downright nosy:

Some want nothing to do with the camera and think you will go away if they do not make eye contact:

While others just eat it up:

Then there are the coy ones, or the ones who know they are pretty but don’t want you to know that they know:

Or the ones who don’t care if you know that they know. They want you to know:

You get some who are downright indignant (do not confuse this with the curious expression seen above):

Or just plain goofy:

Like people, there are some cows who just cannot take a good picture – ’cause their rmouth is always open:

Or their tongue is always up their nose (well, I guess you don’t get that with many people):

Sometimes you can get a good one:

But you had better be quick before they return to their natural state:

Some always looked surprised: 

Even when they have their tongue up their nose:

Then there are always those who are cute and cooperative:

Except for that one who won’t keep her tongue out of her nose:

But my favorite cow photos are the ones that show the love between man and beast:

Jami Badershall

About Jami Badershall

Jami Badershall is the Communications Manager for the Maine Dairy & Nutrition Council and Maine Dairy Promotion Board. She also owns her own small farm. On "The Dairy Dish", Jami ventures to Maine farms, highlights events around the state, and gives you recipe ideas using local dairy products.