Once you get to know farmers, you see quickly that they are the world’s greatest animal lovers. It makes them (and me) a little crazy when the secret informers of the animal rights movement seek out farms to spy on and think they care more about the animals than the farmers do.

In truth, it ought to be the other way around. Farmers ought to go teach the secret informers how real animals live, and how to tell abuse from normal life. Ed is very fond of Mongo, the two of them snuggle and wrestle and rub foreheads. Mongo literally dances for joy when he sees Ed or Carol Gulley.

Farmers love their animals, but do not necessarily see them as pets. There is a great schism in America right now between people who have pets and people who have animals. More and more, the people who love animals are unable to distinguish between one and the other.

The farmer knows his animals better than almost anyone knows animals, and no farmer can make a good living by mistreating or starving animals. But they are not pets, and Ed and Carol know that some of the calves and other animals they breed and raise will have to go to market or the auction or to be sold to other farmers.

So Carol doesn’t get too close as they get older. Calves are investments for farmers, in a year or so it might be necessary to sell them for needed cash in a bad year or when milk prices drop. Mongo will stay at Bejosh Farm, but I have never seen greater animal lovers than farmers, who live with their animals, help birth them, see them every day and know them well and individually.

I love watching the Gulleys and seeing how they know and care for their animals. Farmers can teach every animal lover what it really means to love an animal, and how essential animals are to our survival and well-being on the earth.