Working at the refet is such an interesting experience. Every now and then I remind myself that I actually work 4 hours a day with cows. That I'm covered in cow shit and smiling while romping around in my big rubber boots screaming Hebrew to my boss. I herd, I milk, I help with births, feed them, and clean up after them. And then I remind myself that for my coworkers, this is life. Do they realize how unique this way of living is? First of all, kibbutz life is like no where else in the world. I don't even know how to describe it. But I wonder if these high school kids I work with even think twice about the fact that they milk cows after school...
For the most part, I've been loving the experience - as odd as it is. I've had concerend friends and family ask me if I've returned to my vegetarian ways, but, to be honest, I view it so much as work, that the connection to dinner has been avoided. Well, for the most part. We do sell some of the calves for meat...
But today was the first time I really had trouble working at the refet. After three 4am shifts in a row, I got to sleep in till 7 today. When did 7 become a luxury???
Anyways, after a typical morning of feeding and cleaning the calfs, I had to put ointment on thier stubs of horns to keep them from growing. I looked at the bottle, and it contained various hydroxide compounds. Basically, eating away at the bone so that it won't ever grow. Needless to say, they weren't too impressed...
I definitely have mixed feelings about how the cows are treated - but all in all they seem pretty okay. And 7006 and I are really good friends. She comes up to me and nudges for love. Can't complain about that, can I?
Much love,
Michal
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