Sunday, March 13, 2011

Highlander on Rabbit Hill


PHOTOGRAPHER'S JOURNAL - I've been walking at the top of Rabbit Hill recently, and it occurs to me that it's been a long time since I've seen any of the Highland cattle that used to live in the woods on the north side of the hill. Highlanders are rugged creatures, bred for centuries in the remote Scottish highlands. They'll eat things other breeds shun; to them this forest of swamp maples is fine pasture. I read that their nature is docile from years of cohabitation with Scottish farm families, a practice that helped reduce heating costs, and that their beef is naturally well-marbled. I wonder where the Rabbit Hill Highlanders have gone.

REMINDER: March 20th - Kent Historical Society presentation: 2 PM, Kent Town Hall, Kent, CT
UPCOMING: April 29- May 15, 2011 - Exhibition at White SIlo Winery, Sherman, CT

6 comments:

Ginnie Hart said...

HA! So timely, Ted. Just last evening Astrid and I watched the 1986 Highlander movie. What a fabulous image! Love the title. :)

Emery Roth said...

I must have been thinking of you. How was the movie?

Unknown said...

A very beautiful photo! I was just thinking I wouldn't want to get on the wrong side of the creature. :) But then you mentioned that they are usually docile creatures. That is probably good for us humans.

Emery Roth said...

He was docile and also behind a barbed wire fence which I have taken out. Thanks for your comment.

Trotter said...

Well, behind a barbed wire... OK! ;)

Emery Roth said...

Which reminds me, Trotter, of the time the farmer told me it was fine to walk among the herd; they were all cows and heifers. However, to exercise a bit of caution as he wasn't sure, "all the heifering took."