Give a Cow

Linda Burton posting from Little Rock, Arkansas – “It was my favorite job,” my father said of being a dairy farmer. He pursued that career path for only three of his ninety-three years, but the memory of that kinship with cows stayed in his mind as he sat behind a desk doing accountant things for most of his life. Those three years on a dairy farm imprinted me as well; I was a pig-tailed second grader when I began Life on the Farm; my father’s right-hand helper, or so he said. Today is his birthday (Craig Sherer Burton, 1918-2011); thinking about him seemed to stir up memories of cows, and the deliciousness of an absolutely fresh dipper of milk. It put the notion in my head to visit Heifer International, which I’d planned to do anyway; it’s an organization I’ve contributed to for years, and I knew that International Headquarters are here in Little Rock, just past the Clinton Center. It’s a beautiful setting at the edge of the Arkansas River, the building is a LEED Certified Green building; airy, light, and pleasant. I was greeted by colorful characters on storyposts and a live volunteer who gave me an overview of what I’d see – the timeline for the work of Heifer International; a map showing projects going on around the world; and the Cornerstones of the organization – spelled out in 12 descriptive blocks as “PASSING GIFTS.” The mission of Heifer International is to end hunger. And it started with a simple idea from an Indiana farmer: Don’t give a cup of milk to someone in need. Give a cow. » read more