Memo to Cows: The Grass Isn't Always Greener

We live in a rural area in an acreage subdivision. It's surrounded by ranches which are running mostly Black Angus cattle in their pastures. It's been a banner year for calves. In the past two days, we've been experiencing a phenomenon that we haven't seen in the three years we've lived in our house. Cows are getting loose all over the place. I know it's a full moon. But the cows aren't jumping that; they are jumping cattle guards, breaking down fences and in some cases leaping over fences!

Before you applaud their agility or resourcefulness, understand that the road we live on winds and is a series of hills large enough that a driver coming over a hill cannot immediately see what's in the road before him. My nephew came over a hill last night after visiting his grandparents, to find 10 black cows huddled together in the middle of the road.The speed limit on the road is 40mph and he drives a big red four-door Ford diesel dually. I don't know who was more startled ... Ryan and his girlfriend or the cows. We had a calf break through a fence behind our house and her momma jumped it to join her. There were two cows out this morning in our side yard and I just stared down a big ole momma cow this morning on the way to work. I drive a tomato red car and I think she considered it a challenge. Eventually, I coaxed her to jump back over the cattle guard from whence she came.

We're lucky. None of the cows have been hurt and so far there have been no accidents. We've reported all of the incidents, contacting our neighbors immediately and they've been mighty thankful. But cows ... Listen to me ... The grass isn't always greener on the other side of the fence! Sometimes, it pays to stay home.

Memo to Cows: The Grass Isn't Always Greener

We live in a rural area in an acreage subdivision. It's surrounded by ranches which are running mostly Black Angus cattle in their pastures. It's been a banner year for calves. In the past two days, we've been experiencing a phenomenon that we haven't seen in the three years we've lived in our house. Cows are getting loose all over the place. I know it's a full moon. But the cows aren't jumping that; they are jumping cattle guards, breaking down fences and in some cases leaping over fences!

Before you applaud their agility or resourcefulness, understand that the road we live on winds and is a series of hills large enough that a driver coming over a hill cannot immediately see what's in the road before him. My nephew came over a hill last night after visiting his grandparents, to find 10 black cows huddled together in the middle of the road.The speed limit on the road is 40mph and he drives a big red four-door Ford diesel dually. I don't know who was more startled ... Ryan and his girlfriend or the cows. We had a calf break through a fence behind our house and her momma jumped it to join her. There were two cows out this morning in our side yard and I just stared down a big ole momma cow this morning on the way to work. I drive a tomato red car and I think she considered it a challenge. Eventually, I coaxed her to jump back over the cattle guard from whence she came.

We're lucky. None of the cows have been hurt and so far there have been no accidents. We've reported all of the incidents, contacting our neighbors immediately and they've been mighty thankful. But cows ... Listen to me ... The grass isn't always greener on the other side of the fence! Sometimes, it pays to stay home.