Southern Oregonians bothered by pesky deer grazing on their rose and tomato blossoms, not to mention other young plants, might consider getting a guard cow. Or maybe three or four cows.
At least that is what Mrs. Watson discovered on her farm in Evans Valley 100 years ago. The Medford Mail Tribune of Aug. 22, 1914, tells the story this way:
“At 1 a.m. Saturday morning she heard a big fuss by her spring. Thinking it was a couple of rabbits, Mrs. Watson got a .22 rifle, and judge her surprise … to see a fine big buck drop over the fence as light as a feather. But then the fun began.
“No sooner had the deer struck ground than the Watson cow took after it, and the chase was on. Across the pasture to the Earhart fence, and the deer jumped with ease. ‘Out of the frying pan into the fire,’ instead of one cow there were four of them. Mr. Earhart’s cows took up the chase and the last Mrs. Watson saw the buck it was making good time with the four cows a close second.”
Maybe the deer, but not the cows, jumped over the moon?
Source: “Mail Tribune 100.” Mail Tribune. B1. [Medford, Ore.]. Aug. 22, 2014.
