Did you know that there are more registered dairy cows in the state of Vermont than there are people?
Well now that I have your attention, let me tell you a little story about a farmer and his cow:
Once upon a time, there lived a man. He lived in Cambodia after the war, and it could be a dangerous place. The man was a rice farmer, and one day while he was tending his fields, he accidentally triggered a land mine and lost his leg. The man became sullen and depressed, as he could no longer farm. His village saw this and found a solution. They bought him a cow! Now the farmer had a purpose again, to take care of this cow and become a dairy farmer – something he could do with only one leg. With the support of his community behind him and his cow at his side, the farmer was reinvigorated, happier, and had a new outlook on life. (Hari, 2017)
As UVM college students (not Cambodian farmers) you’re probably wondering what this has to do with you. But I recently sat down with junior Jacob Welborne, a student at UVM and a member of the CREAM program—UVM”s own dairy farm—and he talked about how his connection to the community through the CREAM program was the best part of his college experience.
In our discussion he said, “The CREAM program gave me a strong connection to my community. I really found a home among the people and the cows…” (Jacob Welbourne, Class of 2023).
The CREAM program is unique to UVM and allows students to learn the ins and outs of dairy farming. They learn to care for the cows, and many have described the program as one of the best bonding experiences they have had. Who wouldn’t bond over feeding the cows at 4am?!
The CREAM barn is right down Spear Street and open to the public from 9am-4pm Monday-Friday. Want to learn more about this unique experience? DM us @uvmthriveguide and we can connect you with CREAM program leaders and students like you!
Happy farming!
-Caroline
Hari, J. Lost Connections: Uncovering the Real Causes of Depression and the Unexpected Solutions., 2018. Print.