Spring Sprouts (3 page)

Molly began to get hungry. Ice-cold milk would be good now. Or ice cream. Maybe they would have ice cream at the dairy farm.

“Milk gives us lots of calcium,” Mrs. Peters went on. “For strong bones. So you can run and play and lift things.”

Roger flexed his muscles. “I drink lots of milk,” he said. “I’ve got lots of calcium.”

“So do I,” said Tim.

“I’ve got more,” said Roger.

“I’ve got more calcium than all of you,” said Kevin, bending his arms and flexing his muscles.

Rachel was waving her hand.

“Mrs. Peters,” she called. “Calcium is good for your teeth too. My dad says so. He’s a dentist.”

“Milk is very important in our diet,” agreed Mrs. Peters. “I thought it would be fun to see where it comes from.”

Molly liked to go on trips. She didn’t care where they went. It would be fun to ride on the bus out into the country. Hey, that’s why Sonny and Mrs. Betz were wearing overalls, thought Molly. They dressed like farmers who work in a barn.

Molly wanted to be the first one on the
bus. She would save a seat for her best friend, Mary Beth.

“Let’s remember our manners,” Mrs. Peters was saying. “And learn as much about dairy farms as we can.”

“Moooo,” said Molly.

“Moooo back,” said Kevin.

It was time for the surprise to begin.

O
n the way to the farm, Roger told jokes.

“If an elephant sits on a fence, what time is it?” he said.

“Noon,” said Tracy.

Roger shook his head. “Wrong,” he said.

“An elephant can’t sit on a fence,” said Rachel. “He’d fall off.”

“What time? What time?” shouted Roger. “Give up?”

At last the Pee Wees gave up.

“Time to get a new fence!” said Roger. “Get it?”

Most of the Scouts groaned. But Roger laughed out loud.

Patty giggled a little bit.

“Look!” shouted Lisa. “Cows!”

As the bus rumbled down the road, the Scouts could see cows.

They could see some baby calves too. Grazing in the pastures.

“Moooo,” said Rachel. “Moooo.”

“Moooo,” said the cows back to her.

“They’re answering you,” said Mrs. Peters.

“Hey, Rachel talks cow talk!” shouted Roger. “Big-cow Rachel!”

Rachel got up and punched Roger on the arm.

“I am not,” she said. Her face got red. The redder it got, the more Roger teased.

“Rachel is a moo-cow!” he chanted. Before long Tim and Kevin joined him.

Rachel went back to her seat. She sat very quietly. Molly could see tears in Rachel’s eyes. No one else noticed.

“Are these the cows we are going to visit?” asked Tracy.

“Not yet,” said Mrs. Peters. “The dairy farm has more cows than this. Hundreds of cows.”

The bus went up one hill. And down another. “There it is!” called Mrs. Peters. “There is the dairy farm.”

“Barns are supposed to be red,” said Kenny.

But this barn was not red. It was gray. And it was not barn-shaped. It was long and low. And huge.

“Look at those tall castles!” shouted Tim.

“Those aren’t castles,” said Mrs. Betz.
She laughed. “They are called silos. Corn and feed for the cows are kept in those for the winter. The farmers grow corn all summer and fill up the silos every fall.”

The bus pulled into the farmyard. A sign said ROLLY’S DAIRY FARM.

Mr. Rolly came out of a farmhouse to meet them. “Welcome to the dairy farm,” he said. He had a round face and a round belly. His overalls were faded. His boots were a little crusty.

The Scouts tumbled off the bus and shook his hand.

Roger was still chanting, “Cow-talk Rachel. Moo-moo. Cow-talk Rachel.”

Mr. Rolly began to tell the Scouts about dairy farming. About how they milked the cows and sent the milk to town each day.

But Molly kept watching Rachel. She felt sorry for her. It was no fun to be called a cow.

“Let’s go down to the barn,” said Mr. Rolly.

Lots of people worked on the farm. Some were out in the fields planting corn. Some were in the barn with the cows.

“Have you got any other animals?” asked Sonny politely.

“Oh, we’ve got a sow and some babies,” he said. “And some chickens we keep for eggs.”

“What’s a sow?” asked Lisa.

“A sow is a mother pig,” replied Mrs. Peters.

“That’s a funny name for a pig,” chuckled Tim.

Now Roger had a new chant. He snuck up behind Rachel. “Sow-cow! Sow-cow!” he sang.

Rachel ran behind a haystack and
began to cry. Molly followed her.

“He’s mean,” cried Rachel. “I hate him. I’m not a cow. Or a sow. My mom says I’m small and dainty.”

“He didn’t mean that you’re fat,” said Molly. “He just likes to tease you. Because you get so mad.”

“I hate him! I want to go home!” said Rachel. She sniffled.

Molly wondered what to do. She couldn’t tell the others that Roger hurt Rachel. Then they’d think Molly was a snitcher.

“Come on,” she urged Rachel. “Let’s go back.”

But Rachel stayed behind the haystack.

Molly wondered if she should give Roger a big shove. He deserved it!

When Molly went back to the group, Roger was telling chicken jokes.

“What is one egg too many?” he asked.

The Scouts ignored him.

“Give up?” he called. “Eggstra! Get it? Eggstra!”

But the Scouts didn’t laugh. They followed Mr. Rolly. And listened to the facts about the dairy farm.

“The cows are getting ready to be milked,” said Mr. Rolly.

“This isn’t like my grandpa’s barn,” said Mary Beth. “My grandpa’s barn smells icky.”

“This barn is very clean,” said Mrs. Betz.

The cows stood in rows.

Miles of cows.

Cow after cow.

Black-and-white cows.

Each one stood in a little stall of its own. All of the cows were chewing.

“What are they eating?” asked Sonny.

“They’re just chewing their cud,” said Mr. Rolly, laughing.

“Cows always chew,” explained Mrs. Betz.

Molly watched the cows. Their big brown eyes looked at her as she watched. She kept watching. They kept chewing.

“Don’t walk too close to them,” warned Mr. Rolly. “A cow could kick, or swish you with her tail.”

“Look at him.” Sonny pointed. “Look at that guy! He’s got pipes coming out of him.”

“Not him,” explained Mrs. Betz. “Cows are girls.”

“All of them?” said Tracy in surprise. “Why aren’t there any boys?”

“Because boys don’t give milk,” said Mrs. Peters. “These are dairy cows.”

Rachel came back. Her eyes looked red. “Girls are better than boys,” she said.

“They are not, are they, Mrs. Peters?” asked Kenny.

“Well, they are better on a dairy farm,” answered Mrs. Peters, laughing.

Kenny and the other boys raced around the barn. They shouted, “Boy cows! Boy cows! We want boy cows!”

“The bull’s out in the pasture,” said Mr. Rolly, pointing. “He’s the only boy on the farm. And he’s mean!”

“All boys are mean,” said Rachel to Molly. But she was looking at Roger.

“Uh-oh,” said Molly.

Rachel was about to start crying again.

W
hat are those things on the cows’ stomachs?” asked Lisa.

“Those are milking machines,” said Mrs. Peters. “Farmers used to milk cows by hand, but now farms are too big for them to do that.”

“And the milk company inspects the equipment,” said Mr. Rolly.

He showed the Scouts how the machines were attached to the cows.

“Like a vacuum-cleaner hose!” squealed Patty. “Oooh, does it hurt them?”

“No, that’s the way they work.” Mr. Rolly laughed. “With suction.”

Pop, pop, pop. Mr. Rolly put the machine on the cow.

“It looks like it hurts,” Sonny argued.

Mr. Rolly shook his head. “They like it,” he said, patting one of the cows on the head. “That’s their job, to give milk. This is Bessie.”

Bessie turned her head and looked at Molly. She had huge brown eyes. She was chewing. Chew, chew, chew.

“She looks happy,” said Lisa.

“Milk used to go into a pail. Now it goes right into a sterile tank,” Mrs. Betz explained.

The Scouts walked up and down looking at the cows and the machines. It was quiet in the barn. Only the sound of cows
chewing. And machines humming. It was cool. Cool and clean.

When the Pee Wees had seen all of the cows, Mr. Rolly took them around and showed them the tanks with milk in them. He took some paper cups and filled them with milk.

“This is the freshest milk you’ll ever drink,” he said.

“Fresh calcium,” said Mrs. Betz.

Mr. Rolly handed every Scout a cup.

Molly tasted it. It was warm!

Rachel was going to say yuck! But she changed her mind. Mrs. Peters had warned the Scouts to be polite.

So Rachel just made a face.

“It’s hot!” shouted Tim.

“That’s because it’s right from the cow,” said Mr. Rolly. “It hasn’t had a chance to chill in the tanks yet.”

“It’s creamy,” said Roger. He finished his and Mr. Rolly handed him another. He was the only Scout who liked warm milk.

Just then Mrs. Rolly came to the door of the barn with a plate of hot cookies. She was round too. But not as round as Mr. Rolly. She had yellow hair pulled back in a bun.