Two Rules Before Hugging a Cow

Finding fun activities to do as a family during COVID is a challenge. Finn pretty much "goes with the flow" and will do most anything outside of the house. Hudson is a bit more fickle, however. He has always enjoyed the Science Center and the Museum of the Earth, but those places have lost their luster with the restrictions on tangible activities during the pandemic.

While sipping coffee and scrolling through Facebook one morning, I stumbled across an event that I had never before seen...

Cow Cuddling.

Conveniently located in Odessa, NY (and only a few miles away from us) is Sunset View Creamery. They have been well-known for their cheeses, having recently hosted a successful series of annual Cheese Festivals that had become a smash hit during the summer. Last summer, they hosted a weekly farmer's market where we could purchase fresh produce in an open setting. A stop into their store is always accompanied with a friendly smile and incredible service. If you're ever passing through the area, it's worth a stop for sure - https://www.sunsetviewcreamery.com/.

But back to the Cow Cuddling...

Hudson has always had a fear of anything remotely close to his size - or bigger. When we ask what kind of dog he wants, his answer is always "a pug; they're cute and small." So when I brought up the idea of going to cuddle some cows, I fully expected the hesitation that we got from him.

"No, no, no... I don't want to do that."

Luckily for us, one of his favorite classroom aides happens to work part-time at the farm, and we knew that she was working that day. When we told Hudson that Ms. Case would be there, he instantly smiled and said "Ok! Let's do it."

When we arrived for our reserved session, we were greeted by two farm dogs in the parking lot. Hudson instantly froze. The dogs were friendly and sociable, but Hudson wasn't so sure. Kayla and I had to reassure him that everything was fine, and that there was no need to be scared. We checked in with Ms. Case (who promptly greeted Hudson with a warm hug) and were soon on our way to the barn.

The barn contained a large pen with several smaller cows. Another couple was already inside, lavishing up the unique experience. There were only two rules we had to remember before entering;

Walk slowly.

Don't be too loud.

Hudson and Finn both acknowledged that they understood the rules before we walked in. What happened next had Kayla and I in awe.

Hudson was naturally hesitant and stayed as close to us as possible as we first walked through the straw floor. Our guide pointed each cow out by name while giving Hudson a brush to use on the cows. Kayla and I fully expected that Hudson would cling to us and avoid any contact with the cows whatsoever, but we were wrong. Less than a minute later, he was petting and brushing the cows! The excitement in his eyes was incredibly euphoric. He walked slowly and quietly as he moved from cow to cow, and made sure to give each one a gentle touch. Ironically enough, our little "daredevil" Finn was the one who clung to Mommy and Daddy the whole time.

Our guide saw how much fun Hudson was having and offered to take us to see a baby that had just been born that morning. We followed her to small corral, where she instructed Hudson to walk inside and see the baby. And he did exactly that.

Hudson thanked our guide for the wonderful experience, and talked about it the short ride back home. After dinner, he and I went to his room to play. This is a common thing for Hudson, and he typically predetermines the script for our play time before we begin by selecting one of the themes that he likes to repeat. The story that we acted out that night was refreshingly unique, however...

"We're a family going to see some cows. And there's just two rules..."