Winter can be long and dark for many parts of the world. Imagine how long and gloomy it would be if you were kept in a stable or barn the entire snowy season?! Well that yikes!-feeling is exactly how the dairy cows of Sweden feel every year. Winter is harsh in the Scandinavian country and milk farmers keep their cows inside to shield them from the elements. But something exceedingly wonderful happens when spring comes…
Koslapp!
The cow-release (or “Koslapp” in Swedish) is an annual event in this northern country. But it’s not just for farmers and agricultural workers anymore. The urban public has made Koslapp a regular family and tourist event! Traveling from their respective metropolitan jungles, people make their way to the peaceful countryside to witness dozens and dozens of happy cows jumping for joy as the barn doors open broadly and triumphantly and they are released from their winter confines.
As we imagined before, being cooped up in the cold dark would be no fun, even if it was good for us. But now imagine the elation of seeing emerald-colored, lush grass and open spaces for the first time in months! The reaction? Pure happiness! The freed cows kick their back legs, wiggle, run, frolic, and leap at one another playfully. This is how they show they are feeling goooood! The watching crowds laugh and point. For them, this is a celebration of the coming of a new season and they get the privilege of observing it with the fun-loving dairy cows of the country. You can watch the ecstatic reaction of the cows for yourself on this USA Today article published online; it is sure to make you smile widely!
Koslapp not only warms the hearts of people young and old, but it also brings wonderful awareness to the farming community across the world. Many dairy farmers in Sweden are using Koslapp and social media to help the urban population understand exactly where their food is sourced and how. When we get a glimpse into the dedication and passion embodied by our world’s farmers, we start to understand their importance in our life.
Here at Harmony Valley Creamery, we love happy cows and we love happy people! Bringing that bubbling-up sensation of laughter and cheerfulness inside a person is exactly why we make taste-bud tingling, craft ice cream. And celebrating the heritage of dairy farming is also important to us. Our little town and family creamery was founded by Swiss-Italian dairy farmers in 1869. If we had been alive back then, we would have ran and frolicked with the cows on their “Koslapp” day as well!!
Today when you pick up a spoon or reach for a sugar cone topped with rich, cold cream, think of our cousins and the happy cows all over the world and in Sweden, jumping for joy that spring has finally come! (We won’t tell if you jump and frolic a little yourself as well!)
