When I was a kid growing up on the farm, I wanted one thing and one thing only: A bottle calf.
It looks like … what it sounds like. It’s a calf that, for a variety of reasons, requires feeding by the bottle because its mother is unable to take care of it.
I wanted a bottle calf so badly!
But, my dad always said no.
I can’t blame him. Dad knew what 4th-grade me couldn’t yet grasp: Bottle calves are a lot of work.
It’s not like owning a cat. You can’t just leave out some food and water and go on vacation for two days. They require around-the-clock care with three to four times-a-day feedings every day no matter what – rain, snow, mud, blizzards, or all of the above.
Also, bottle calves are the underdogs.
Like all species, their chances of survival are much lower than calves who get care from their moms. My dad didn’t want me to get attached and then get my heart broken.
I’m an adult now. I understand. This all makes total logical sense.
Which is why when my husband and I started farming …
…. I immediately adopted two bottle calves. 🤷😁
I named them Eddie and Blanche.
I danced around the barn in glee, feeding my precious babies … as my dad shook his head.
It was a 4-H kid’s dream come true.
But, I have to admit: I do see what Dad was talking about. Keeping up with Eddie and Blanche required a lot of hours clocked in the barn. It would have been a pretty hard gig to keep up with as a 10-year-old!
Being in the barn with our cattle has always been my happy place. (Even when I’ve taken on more than I should with my bottle calves!)
Our Iowa Barn Door fragrance was created after these moments in my life.
It’s musky wood and alfalfa squares and fresh-cut hay mounds with soft notes of amber, nutmeg, and lemon topped with sandalwood and cedarwood essential oils.
For me, it’s also the feeling of home – of walking through the doors in our century-old barn as the 5th-generation farmer in our family.
The Iowa Barn Door fragrance collection has been one of my favorites, and to make room for new scents coming in - it’s now officially retiring!
As soon as it’s gone, it’s gone for good. Shop while you still can!
