IPSWICH — There was a time when Essex County was defined by dairy farms. Horses may outnumber them now, but cows were once the heart and soul of many large estates, and one of the oldest farms remaining is making sure the tradition lives on.
Children, many of whom who have never before been within petting distance of a cow, are helping them do it.
The Trustees of Reservations, owners of Appleton Farms in Ipswich and Hamilton, brought dairy and beef herds back to the farm some years ago. This year, they've revived another moribund tradition, the 4-H club, and this is the only one based on a dairy farm in all of Essex County.
For something so seemingly foreign to most suburban youngsters, it has proved wildly popular.
"We had to turn away so many kids," said Wayne Castonguay, the farm's manager. "We planned on 12, we have 30, and the interest was probably triple that."
Every Wednesday and Thursday, groups of about 15 kids show up to help care for the farm's calves. With tasks including grooming, feeding and halter training, the kids learn lessons they'd never learn elsewhere.
Among that knowledge is the slimy reality that calves will bite the hand that feeds them, and if a 120-pound calf doesn't want to be led around by a halter held by a 70-pounds-soaking-wet kid, the calf will win. The purpose of training is to change that.
The trustees have wanted to run such a program for years, but lacked one essential ingredient: public bathrooms. That changed when renovations to the old carriage barn on the property were completed in 2006. Now the 4-H members have a place to gather for instructions and to wash their hands before and after handling the calves.
Holly Hannaway, the farm educator, said the goal was to establish a program that reflects the 4-H model of learning by doing while at the same time benefiting the farm.
Until now, the staff has been too small to give the calves the kind of attention they're getting from the kids, and it has created some problems. When calves go from the relative freedom of their paddocks to being bred and milked, they often chafe at the confinement and human contact, and halter training a full-grown cow is more challenging than doing it when they are calves.
"It's been kind of wild up until now," Castonguay said.
Even some calves are loath to accept the halter, and the kids have learned a few tricks to make the task easier. While the calves are distracted eating their afternoon treat of oats, the kids drag a small pen around them to eliminate escape routes — if they can manage to get the pen around them first.
Marcel Belperron, a sixth-grader from Ipswich, is enjoying the experience.
"I like spending time with the cows and learning how to take care of them," he said.
Ten-year-old Gordon Ehrlich of Rockport agreed and said he'd learned something he hadn't known.
"Their stomachs have four parts," he said.
Hannaway said the kids have surprised her.
"I'm completely blown away by their enthusiasm, dedication and commitment," she said.
The trustees host a family farm day every September, and Hannaway said the kids will be showing their calves at it this year. The ultimate goal is entering the Topsfield Fair once the group has some experience.
"I'd like to see a core group return every year," Hannaway said.
If she can find more kids like Gordon, she should be all set.
"I just like animals," he said.
The trustees could use another volunteer to help supervise the 4-H club. Call 978-356-5728.
