01 Oct Companions to the End: A Compassionate Look at the Benefits of Bovine Power
As Americans continue to distance themselves from the farming lifestyle of a century ago, it becomes increasingly difficult for most to imagine the bovine species as anything more than a source for beef or milk. In some parts of the world, however, the bovine is still an important, and necessary, component for survival.
One Animal, Fulfilling Many Uses
Symbiotic in nature, the possibilities for a partnership between one man and one cow are clearly, yet painfully, illustrated in the recent Korean documentary, Old Partner, presented by StudioNurimbo. It depicts a relationship spanning several decades between one bovine and one farmer that is both poignant and thought-provoking to watch.
Photo from video by StudioNurimbo
The animal, purchased and trained by the farmer as a calf, has provided the elderly man and his wife with their sole source of transportation and farm power for nearly forty years. In return, the farmer has faithfully provided for food, shelter and care. Devoted to each other, both man and animal are clearly declining in health, yet each one’s willingness to labor on for the sake of the other seems to motivate and propel them forward each day.
The Relationship Endures
In many ways, the man and the bovine’s life are so closely entwined that it becomes apparent that their very existence is dependent on each other, a relationship that the man’s beleaguered wife both understands and resents. In her eyes, the animal provides an unwelcome excuse for her elderly husband to avoid embracing modern, labor-saving farming practices, such as the use of chemical insecticides and mechanical tractors.
Their nine grown children, all reared and given the benefits of the farm’s profits in the form of a modern education, feel that the farmer’s bovine companion is no longer beneficial. They lobby their father during each visit, pressuring him to sell the animal, for the sake of his health. After a visit to the doctor for a potentially debilitating injury, the farmer acquiesces and tries to sell his companion at the local cattle market place. Dejected by the response, he holds true and returns home again, along with the animal, much to the dismay of his wife.
The End Comes
As the health of his bovine companion deteriorates, the elderly farmer realizes that the end is near for both the animal and the farm they have worked so diligently together. As the animal passes on, both the farmer and his wife contemplate the devotion of the animal and how much its labor has helped to provide for them. The farmer understands that the death of the animal also means the end of the farm and the only lifestyle he has known for more than eighty years.
Lessons Learned
Although parts of this documentary are painful to watch, there are many valuable lessons to be learned from it.
- Lesson 1: Animals, particularly bovines, are adaptable, willing sources of power suitable for many small farm or homestead settings. With training and compassionate treatment, bovines are capable of learning and performing many of the daily hauling, pulling and traction tasks involved in the small farm setting.
- Lesson 2: Bovine power, when managed humanely and responsibly, can be an economical asset in a small farm setting. Unlike their mechanical replacements, training and using bovine power removes dependence on oil or electricity and eliminates the expense of maintaining equipment and the incurrence of the massive debt often required to pay for modern tractors.
- Lesson 3: Utilizing bovine power is an investment of time and training that benefits both parties. Farming with bovine power is a more forgiving way of farming, because it offers real benefits in the form of exercise and companionship for both the farmer and his bovine workforce, as well as less soil compaction and damage to the farm itself.
- Lesson 4: Bovine power has value for future generations. Learning to use and appreciate bovine power on your farm or homestead is more than a way to honor the past. Instead, it provides current and future generations with the knowledge, techniques and tools to farm productively, with a relatively small initial investment. As each farmer teaches their children these important skills, they are preserved for future generations.
We know from experience that working alongside an intelligent, well-trained cow is a rare pleasure with many unexpected benefits. Just like the farmer and his bovine in the documentary, we know that we are forming valuable relationships capable of lasting for many decades.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]