No Buffalo Here

While at Stade Dairy farm this past Friday, I mentioned to the lady collecting the money that I had seen two buffalo out with the cows earlier this summer. On my way out to visit Frances in Woodstock, I would always slow down and look for them. You just don't expect to see buffalo out in the fields around here. They seemed to be getting along well with the cows.

Then, one day, I didn't see them, nor did I see them ever again. I figured that since I was here, I might as well inquire. Another woman behind the counter that I took as a member of the Stade family told me that they had had two buffalo, but had sent them off to a regular buffalo farm after they found out.

They found out that buffalo get very mean and ill-tempered as they get older and especially during the summer when they get into mating season. The two that Stade had were still young, but would grow up to be crotchety old buffs. And liable to hurt a visitor which wouldn't be good for business. I can see it now, "Come to Stade's and get trampled by a temperamental buffalo."

Plus, they were told that their fencing would have to be upgraded a lot as adult buffaloes could easily knock what they have down. I told them it was a good thing they got rid of them since I live so close by. I could just see going out one morning to get the Chicago Tribune and coming eyeball to eyeball with a buffalo. Man, that would be one big, ugly, smelly dog or is it that I had too much imbibing last night.

Home, Home is Not on the Stade Range. --RoadDog