Animal Farm
Every day, another reason why we live here.
Leaving Manhattan for the Hudson Valley was more than a shift from solids to plaids in my wardrobe. It became about light, space, sound, views—and smells. You’ve heard in my podcast Cidiot about “farm smell” —that waft from the farm next door that arrives a few times a year.
I love it, not because of how it smells (one definitely winces), but how it reminds me where I am. No matter how bougie towns such as Rhinebeck and Hudson become, this area at its heart is rural. This is farmland.
Nora’s first boyfriend
At our first home in Tivoli, Nora became close to Ernie, the donkey next door. For a long time, we would visit him every day and bring carrots. Ernie would come running to her, and they would have this moment together, which was clearly joyful from the sounds they both made, the foot movements back and forth, and the tails that wagged. Sadly, a neighborhood dispute got us banned from visiting Ernie (long story, read the ebook). Nora quickly recovered and moved on, but she’s great that way.
History doesn’t repeat as much as it builds
Our new place is again along a creek, and this time, two apple orchards. Naturally, the crops and water attract a ton of deer. We regularly see one family of them. Now, deer are a polarizing neighbor to have up here. If you have an ungated garden, you hate them; if you don’t, you think they’re beautiful. Nora has mixed feelings when she sees the deer, one of whom we’ve named Elmer. Sometimes, she’ll freeze and just stare at him, and other times she’ll bark. There is never a physical approach by either.
Now that I think about it, this was a similar reaction to the goats on the other side of our house in Tivoli. She’d stare at them, but not want to befriend.
But now in our new home, the deer weren’t enough stimulation. Luckily, we realized that we could bring her to visit cows at Churchtown Dairy, a stunning farm just a mile away, featuring an awe-inspiring round barn—and a big herd of cows. Churchtown actually has three kinds of cows: Jersey, Guernsey, and Brown Swiss. Give me two more months, and I can tell you the differences.
If you didn’t know, cows and donkeys are completely different animals. So that personal relationship with Ernie may not repeat in the same way, but something is happening, as you can see in the photo above, taken on a recent lunch break at the dairy. I need to ask the staff if there’s something we can bring for the cows. I’m guessing that some might be more approachable than others, though I know that sounds full of bias.
Tourist note: You can visit, attend events, browse the farm store, schedule a tour, or book the guest house at Churchtown Dairy.
Watching and learning about animals
The grace of animals interacting has always stopped me in my tracks, but when it’s your own sweet dog saying hello, it just touches my heart. Animals communicate through not just vocal sounds but also body language, touching, and chemical signals like smells.
I studied English and creative writing at Cornell University. No regrets, but had I known where I would end up decades later, I would have taken more classes in the famous College of Agriculture & Life Sciences. I’d know more about what I was looking at—and smelling.
Listen to my many episodes about animals, or for an in-depth scientific view, my friend Jessica came on Episode 113. Her podcast “Resilience Gone Wild” is amazing.
Cidiots again
What I also realize, seeing this photo, which is so similar to one of Nora with the donkey, is that Brian and I are also repeating our own learned behaviors.
As you’ve heard on the show, after 10 years in one town, we moved another 20 miles north to Hudson, NY. We have had to start all over, getting acclimated—new house, new friends, new favorite places, new spots for Nora. We are newcomers in a new land. We are cidiots again.
Discovering new places in and around Hudson has been a game for me. I am constantly driving down roads I’ve never travelled. Don’t think I’m too adventurous; I have Apple Maps on and prioritize paved roads. Part of what fuels me is curiosity. What’s down that street? What kind of houses and people live here? Some of it is more utilitarian. What’s open on Monday? Could I find a new place to get lunch? I also keep a list of spots to walk, or even hike, with Nora throughout the week. She likes routine and novelty.
And in case anyone has a four-legged animal looking, she’s open to new relationships.
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Let me know what you think. Want to know more about the Hudson Valley? About cows? About farm smell? Much more to come across my intersecting worlds of marketing, writing, and life in the country.