Does the cow stink?

A few days ago, a Facebook post from a farming couple started circulating, reporting how their child was mocked in kindergarten. The child was called a “farm kid” and said to “stink” of cows.

The report affected me personally and stayed with me for a long time. It shows that there is still a great deal of educational work to be done about life as a farmer.

I was reminded of my own school days – which weren’t that long ago: We were only a few farm children in the class. And probably precisely because of that, we were teased. If there had been more farm children in the class, it probably would have been different, because our life would have been seen as more normal.

Did you just come from the barn? Did you even wash yourself?

These and other mean comments were thrown at us throughout the school morning. I myself could never understand my classmates’ behavior. Why did they think that way about farming? Did they have any idea about our life? Yes, I was often with the animals! But afterwards I washed myself and changed my clothes! Quite normal. Just as you do in everyday farm life.
At first I didn’t dare tell anyone at home about it. I didn’t know what the reaction would be. What would happen. And whether I would be teased even more afterwards.

But eventually I did tell. We were lucky that my uncle came to the school class and cleared up the whole situation. And our teacher also took care of the problem.
After that we had our peace and the tables turned: The schoolmates were invited to the farm and they realized that we actually had a great life. The farm has a beautiful view, countless play opportunities were all around, and we were envied for the many animals.

I think there is nothing more beautiful than having a farm, even if you have to do without many things and, like every other self-employed person, must earn your bread daily. But just the access to the animals is something wonderful, being able to run outside and the connection with nature – simply irreplaceable.

Many children also come back quite “different” when they’ve been with the cats, rabbits, pigs, or calves – they are more balanced, experience joy, and have found really good animal friends to whom you don’t have to explain and tell much. They just understand you and “absorb” problems. Our guests usually bring along separate barn clothes for the children and are happy that the children have such joy with the animals, and the barn smell is completely secondary.

Many guests said to us: “Children, you live in paradise” – I often made fun of that a bit; as a child I didn’t see it that way. We did go down to the village with the sled and skis, but there was always a bit of a walk until we got to school or could meet up with friends. When you’re older, you wouldn’t want to miss that time at all, remembering fondly the adventures going down, the funny stories that were told.

Currently I notice a trend that farm children are again proud to grow up on a farm, and that’s a good thing. They know the characteristics of alpine farming, can identify with the surrounding nature, and appreciate life outside of media consumption. And precisely this original experience awakens people’s longing to open themselves to farm life and to experience all its facets themselves.

And with that, a foundation is laid for us farmers that we can build on. It is part of our everyday farm life at Zittrauerhof to bring our values, traditions, and simple ways of life closer to our guests and thus anchor a new image of farm life in society.

If you’re interested in reading the farming couple’s report, feel free – here is the link.

All the best from the Gastein valley,
Farmer Katharina from Zittrauerhof
www.gasteinurlaub.com