Chapter 51
‘Good morning!’ I announced, smiling at the group of eight people gathered in the private dining space we’d now named Cow Café.
‘It’s the first day of September and it’s my pleasure to welcome you to the very first cow cuddling encounter at Hazelwick Farm.
In February this year, I got to experience something like this on another farm and it was one of the best things I’ve ever done.
The amazing farmers who set it up – Paula and Glen Naylor – had a change in circumstances and could no longer offer the experiences so it’s a privilege to have some of their gorgeous Highland cows and all of their cuddle cows here as part of the growing Hazelwick Farm family, and to put our spin on what they started.
‘Let me introduce you to the team. This is my mam and business partner Frances, my daughter Maddie, and my best friend and business partner Jude. The four of us come from farming and equestrian backgrounds, I’m an animal-assisted therapist, and Maddie’s about to start studying psychology and counselling through the Open University. ’
I paused to smile at Maddie.
‘I want to be just like my mam,’ she said, smiling back at me. ‘She’s amazing.’
I hadn’t expected her to say that and it took me a moment to gather my composure and finish the introductions.
‘This my partner, Caleb,’ I said, pushing past the lump in my throat.
‘He’s really a vet, a farrier and a blacksmith but, not content with having three jobs, he’s decided to add farmer and professional cow cuddler to his CV.
And, finally, this is Lindon, Maddie’s boyfriend and a graphic designer, illustrator, photographer and social media guru so also greedy with the jobs.
‘Our role today is to make sure you and the animals are safe and happy and to answer any questions you might have. Lindon and Maddie will be taking photos for use on our socials and, if you want them to take photos or videos on your phones, please just ask. So let’s all enjoy a cuppa while I tell you more about the exciting experience we’ve lined up for you… ’
As planned, we’d run trial sessions with family and friends and, once we were happy with the format and logistics, we’d invited some of our regulars including sisters Becca and Gabby to a free encounter in exchange for honest feedback, photos to be used for the press launch and a promise to promote us to friends and family.
Some small further adjustments had been made and today was our first official paid session.
We’d liked all the activities that Paula and Glen had included in their experiences but had made a decision to change the order for ours.
After trying various different combinations, we’d settled on a welcome talk and drinks followed by grooming the fluffies, the halter walk, the feeding of the fluffies and a further break for drinks, scones and cake back in the Cow Café.
The cow cuddling was the final event after which the customers would visit the shop before returning to the Cow Café for a final drink, a Q&A session and an opportunity to give us feedback.
Maddie was now officially our social media manager, keeping the platforms fresh with photos and videos of the cows, assisted by Willow and Lindon.
The three of them were planning to set up a podcast and a YouTube channel once we were a bit more established and I was more than happy to let them get on with it as all of that activity, although important, took me away from the thing that made my heart sing – spending time with the animals and seeing the healing effect they could have on our visitors.
We’d chosen today’s date for two reasons.
Firstly, schools had returned and it was a child-free activity, although the downside of that was that Willow couldn’t be here with it being her first day at college.
She’d been fine with that, especially as there’d be plenty of future opportunities for her to be involved.
The second reason for selecting today was because it carried special meaning for me.
It was exactly a year from when Laurie had his redundancy confirmed – a key moment in my life changing beyond all recognition.
My old life was behind me now and, even though there’d been many difficult, painful moments during the final months of my marriage, I didn’t regret a single one of them because they’d brought me to this beautiful, magical place where I was always meant to be.
The devastating decision by Laurie to end our marriage had returned me to my family and healed the rift between Maddie and me, turning her into a stronger, kinder, more considered woman.
It had led me to new branches of an inspiring, fulfilling career and it had brought me a business partnership with my mam and best friend, giving both of them renewed purpose and enthusiasm.
It had brought two beloved friends together who, to my delight, were now engaged and planning their wedding for next year.
And it had delivered me the most incredible man who, despite our shaky start, had turned out to be exactly what I’d wanted and needed at a time when I wasn’t sure if I could trust my heart with another man ever again because I believed I’d somehow caused the end of my marriage.
* * *
‘Is it how you imagined?’ Mam asked in a hushed voice when we were an hour into the cow cuddling session.
‘It’s even better,’ I said. ‘Just look at them all. They’re loving it – the cows and the customers.’
One of our Guernsey cows, Maisy-Moo, had her head in the lap of one of the female customers and the pair of them looked so cosy snuggled up together, as though they’d always been the best of friends.
Another customer was sitting with his back to Buttercup – a Highland/beef shorthorn cross, an expression of bliss across his face.
The other six customers were brushing, stroking, cuddling or taking selfies.
Maddie and Lindon had taken lots of photos and videos for them to take home as memories of a special day at the farm and a truly unique experience.
Half an hour later, most of the cows had stood up – an indicator that they’d now digested their food and were ready to venture outside to graze once more.
I called an end to the session, my heart singing as the compliments came thick and fast. Best thing ever.
Feeling so relaxed. Definitely booking again.
I’ll be telling all my friends to come. I couldn’t have asked for anything more.
While Caleb and Jude led the cows back to their pasture, I took the visitors to the café and encouraged them to look around the shop while we made drinks for those who wanted them.
I was so delighted with the shop. Ned’s consultancy work didn’t require full-time hours so he’d taken it on as a project, sourcing the most fantastic range of dairy and Highland cow-themed merchandise as well as hoodies, hats and scarves with the cow cuddling logo on them which Lindon had designed for us.
We also had horse-, guinea pig- and goat-themed goodies including stationery, mugs, tote bags and soft toys, plus a gorgeous range of greetings cards and small pictures using Lindon’s illustrations.
When they’d finished browsing and making their purchases, the visitors returned to the Cow Café for their drinks and the Q&A session.
I had a few items to show them that were vital to the management of the fold and herd such as the equipment used for double-tagging their ears with the codes needed for identification, traceability and disease control and the equipment used for artificial insemination – something we’d just done for our Highland cows in preparation for calving next spring.
There’d been a lot of laughter when we’d chosen the sperm donors from a catalogue – or cowtalogue as Caleb called it – with Maddie later recording a video for the socials about Tinder for cows.
‘I’ve got something for you all to take away,’ Mam said once the questions had dried up, drinks were finished and it was time for our first cow cuddling guests to say goodbye. ‘As you’re our very first cow cuddlers, I’ve made each of you a special cake.’
Maddie and Lindon handed individual cake boxes to each person.
Mam had found a passion for decorating cupcakes and, across the summer, had been experimenting with increasingly complex fondant figures with great success.
For today, she’d created an adorable red Highland cow sitting on a buttercream swirl and the detail was fantastic with a wavy dossan and even a nose ring, worn by the bulls for handling and control. I was so proud of her.
* * *
Half an hour later, everyone had gone, the table had been wiped down and Mam, Jude, Maddie and Lindon had taken the crockery and cutlery through to the kitchen to be washed while Caleb and I straightened up the stock on the shelves.
‘I think we’ve earned our cakes,’ Caleb said, picking up the two cake boxes Mam had given us with our names written across the tops. ‘Fancy taking them outside so we can thank the farm for sending cow cuddling our way?’
‘That’s a great idea.’
Despite the sunshine and blue sky, the arrival of September had brought the slightest dip in temperature so I pulled on a jacket before heading outside with Caleb.
The horses were in the back pastures now, giving the front ones an opportunity to rest and regrow.
We settled by the gate to Barn View and stroked Athena and Hera when they wandered over to see us.
‘I think we can safely call that a resounding success,’ Caleb said. ‘How are you feeling?’
‘I’m on top of the world right now. This morning was better than I could have imagined and I’m so proud of what we’ve all achieved here but it’s not just the cow cuddling that has my cheeks hurting from smiling.
It’s everything that’s happened since I moved here.
It’s funny to think that this was the place of Doug and Anna Garstang’s dreams but it didn’t work out for them.
It became the answer to my prayers and it’s fulfilled all my dreams – even the ones I didn’t know I was dreaming.
It might have taken from the Garstangs but it’s given to me over and over and over again. ’
‘You know what I think happened? I think it took from them because they took from it and gave nothing in return. It’s given to you because you gave yourself completely and unashamedly.’
I loved his use of Mam’s words. ‘There could be something in that.’
‘There absolutely is. This place is magical. As I said before, it’s hazel and rowan combined and they both have magical properties. Add in being owned by a mother and daughter team with magic in their hearts and souls and it was always going to be a winning combination.’
‘You say the loveliest things.’
‘I mean them.’
He kissed me slowly and tenderly and I felt those magical sparks flying between us.
‘I’d better give you your cake,’ he said, smiling at me.
‘The last time you presented me with some cakes, you’d added something special to them.
We discussed what that meant on this very spot, shared our first kiss and the time I’ve spent with you since then has been the best of my life.
So now it’s my turn, in the same place, to give you a cake with something special added to it. ’
He placed my cupcake box on his outstretched palm and opened the lid. A fondant Highland cow sat on the top – just like on the visitors’ cakes – but slotted through its nose ring was a beautifully detailed fondant buttercup.
‘It’s perfect,’ I said, laughing. ‘I should have got her to add a cowboy hat to your cake.’
‘I love you,’ Caleb said, ‘and watching you today was amazing. When I found The Dovecote online and came here to heal, I knew this place was special. Last year, somebody laughed at me and took that magic away but you brought it back, stronger and brighter than I could ever have imagined and I see you day after day doing that for all the visitors. It’s an honour to work here beside you, looking after these animals and this land so that others can have their moment of joy, peace and recovery. ’
‘You really do say the loveliest things.’
‘You deserve to hear them.’
I closed the cake box and placed it on the ground before hugging him tightly.
‘I love you so much, Caleb. Somebody took my magic away too, but you brought it back a hundredfold.’
On the day I waved goodbye to Jude and drove away from what I’d thought would be my forever home, she’d said, This is an exciting new start for you all.
Blue skies are ahead. It hadn’t felt that way at the time, but I’d found my blue sky at Hazelwick Farm with my new forever home and my new forever person.
Mam and I had thought that turning left off the A1 had been a spontaneous decision but it hadn’t been.
All roads had led to this place and I was now happy and settled where I was always meant to be.
The dark clouds had gone for all of us and I was so excited about the bright future that stretched ahead.
* * *