Hello all:
So, there we were in the middle of the afternoon. We had separated into our trip groups and were learning various skills like fire building, stove maintenance, tent construction, and “Leave No Trace” practices when Ashlyn, our farm intern, came running. All thoughts about hiking or working on any other farm vanished. We knew what this meant. Melba was having a baby. Melba is one of our cows.
By the time our community reached the pasture– in a respectful, orderly fashion, of course– baby Moon had already been born. It was a fast, relatively easy birth with Ashlyn only giving minor assistance. A muted cheer ran through the crowd with the announcement that the calf was a girl. The reality of our farm is that we would not have kept a boy, but a girl continues the lineage. That lineage is important to a small dairy farm like ours. Midnight, Makoosha, May, Morning Solstice, Melba (now Moon) and many others have been a part of our farm for over 30 years.
Moon was moved into the barn and we all gathered round. With an amazing instinct left from their days as wild animals, these babies walk after just an hour. So, we watched as she slipped and slid on her wobbly legs, bracing one hoof at a time. Finally, still swaying and teetering, Moon took her first steps. That is an image that few people will soon forget and was truly a unique experience.
So happy birthday, Moon.
My Best,
Medicine Shield Dancer