Grass Fed Cows in Costa Rica
Escaping the Ontario Deep Freeze
Where we live in Toronto, Canada, when the winter hits, it hits hard. The air gets cold, the air gets dry, and our skin loses moisture.
One way we help our skin is by applying our tallow balm.
Another way we do it, which we have to admit is more fun, is to skip town and go to a warmer climate with moist air.
That's what we did recently on our trip to Costa Rica.
Finding Cows Grazing on Pasture Land
We explored many areas of this beautiful country, from the coastal lowlands of the Pacific, to high altitude mountains in the hinterland, where we hiked in cloud forests and rainforests.
Along the way, we stopped at several farms to chat with some local farmers about how they raise cattle.
Up in the mountains in a cloud forest near the Quetzal National Park, we met up with a family that raises cows that they milk for their local small-scale cheese production.
Cows grazing on the mountainside surrounded by cloud forest
The beauty of this small scale operation is that the cows receive a lot of attention from a family that cares for each cow with a great deal of love. It was also amazing to see how this pasture land was surrounded by lush forests where a huge diversity of birds and other animals lived in harmony. Flying across the pasture lands we saw the elusive quetzal: a alluring bird with green feathers on its back and bright red feathers on its chest. The males have extraordinary long tail feathers.
The majestic quetzal.
[We borrowed this quetzal photo from another website because our smartphone lenses fell short of getting such a clear shot :)]
Similarities in Regenerative Cattle Farming Practices
Along the lowlands, we stopped at a beef farm. The farmer happened to be outside watching the cows when we pulled over and we got to ask him some questions about how he raised the cattle. Just like the cows back home that we use for Lipidology products here in Canada, the cows that this farmer raises have access to green pastures. He rotates these cows from one small field to the next. These are fields that belong to neighbours in the area and the neighbours are happy to let these cows keep the grass maintained and the soil nourished.
One thing that these farms that we visited have in common with our Ontario tallow suppliers is that they treat their cows very well and depend on maintaining a natural balance with the ecosystem around them. Rain, fertile soil, and a kind human touch go into the raising happy cows and producing healthy products.