This summer my writing detoured in the direction of teen boys as my grandson grows ever nearer to the double-digits (age 10). The series of short stories I began in June seems to be blossoming into a novel about two teenage cousins. It’s been a fun journey so far with generally positive responses to initial readings.
One of my characters’ exploits involves calf roping on a dairy farm. All of my relevant past experiences were quickly tapped for this one before I launched into research. When my available resources were tapped, including conversations with my sister who once owned a non-dairy farm, I still had a few doubts about my story’s accuracy. I needed to know how the calf in my story would be likely to respond to the situation presented.
Question: where does a city girl find someone with expertise about Jersey calves?
Answer: the Minnesota State Fair Dairy Barn.
It didn’t take long to find a young lady who was managing her family’s livestock at the Fair. I introduced myself, explained what I was writing ,and asked if she would answer a few questions. My subject matter expert graciously confirmed all of my assumptions about the personality quirks of a Jersey calf, and she appeared to enjoy being consulted on the topic.
This encounter reinforced some valuable lessons for me and other grandparents:
- We are never too old to learn something new.
- Give credit to younger generations for the things they know.
- A friendly inquiry is a handy tool for conducting essential research.
Many thanks to the young lady who shared her expertise about dairy farming, especially Jersey cow behavior.
Visit my website at: www.spirituallegacymemoir.com.
BarbHowe.org 