Ed and Michelle Rouse have relaxed a bit. The judging is over, but there is still plenty of work. Ed has checked out the other cows, caught up with some of the other farmers. He and Michelle are planning their annual Old Timers Dairy Lunch, held every September for dairy farmers who have been farming for 50 years or more. He canceled it last year “because nobody had any money. We will don’t have any money, but we can work out lunch.” The family has assembled from all over the country. Ed’s kids include an architect, a computer analyst, a graphic designer and two farmers. They won some ribbons at the fair and plan to greet friends tomorrow. Ed runs back and forth to the farm to feed his cows.

He explained cow judging to Maria and her mother, and I wish I had a tape of that. I really enjoy Ed and I appreciate  and respect him. I get tired just watching him work. Tonight, one of his cows caught her halter in the water bowl, and panicked, flipping over on her back and thrashing out with her feet. It was intense and dangerous and Ed jumped in with a pocket knife and cut her halter free. “You’ve always got to be ready,” he said. Several people stopped by the booth asking if this was the famous “Big Valley Farm” and Ed just shook his head.