Field Trip!

Last week Karen, Colton, and I skipped work and took a field trip. One of the things I like about living in Portland is how quickly the city ends and farmland begins. Our trip led us to pick up beef at Sheila's farm. Sheila raises happy cows that become the best beef.

But she also raises yaks. (Of course when I say Sheila, I mean Sheila and her husband, he was most obliging in convincing the yaks to come near the scary strangers.) How often do you get a chance to meet yaks? They have definite personalities, and were very entertaining during our visit. After hiding in a far pasture out of view, the first yak appeared, following a bucket of apples. The next appeared at a run, 'wait for me, I want some' like a puppy after a ball. One yak tried to cuddle with the man with the apples, or push him away from her apples or something. I had to ask if she was really trying to stab her master. Apparently not. The cows looked genuinely frightened. They sounded frustrated which they were. The apples were yummy, but the yaks seem to be in charge of such bounty and don't like cow drool in their food. Who could blame them, really? So the poor cattle had to wait their turn.

In addition to the gorgeous and entertaining yaks, we saw sheep, some rare spinning wheels, and rare wools. What a great day!