Belle the cow in Jersey Barnyard: spokescow for Bluebell Creamery. (original) (raw)

La Grange Grandmother Pregnant Again

Doris Jersey the small screen Bovine Diva is with child again. AKA Belle, sometime spokescow for Bluebell Creameries, Doris refused to answer questions during our recent visit to the Jersey Barnyard. The Jersey Barnyard is one of those increasingly hard to find places where children can go and actually see a working Dairy Farm. Just outside of La Grange (1.3 miles North on State Hwy 195), this is a lot more than just a petting zoo. The Frerichs Family also operates Texas Jersey Specialty Cheeses, just a short drive down Hwy 77 in Schulenburg. Visit their website at www.texasjersey.com.

Doris is mother to Jinglebelle and Tinkerbelle and is grandmother to Sleighbelle, Tinkerbelle�s child. It was feared Doris" career was over when it was found she had posed for a calendar wearing nothing but her trademark pearls. "I was young and I needed the money", she reportedly told a reporter.

Even though she�s a single parent, Doris has done a great job as a mother, says Sarah Busch, farm manager. Doris believes that breast-feeding strengthens the bond between mother and offspring.

Both daughters have inherited their mother�s fondness for nude sunbathing and will sometimes borrow their mother�s cinnamon to cover up a blemish caused by a barbed-wire fence. Jinglebelle seems to have taken an interest in the opposite sex, judging by a travel poster of the running of the bulls at Pamploma that hangs in her stall.

Visit soon, there�s no bull in the china shop, but there are cows (and more) in the gift shop. Surprisingly most of the visitors are not from the big cities but smaller communities south of I-10. Cattle country.

Ms. Busch says a high point of last summer was hosting 3 groups of children from the State School for the Blind. One can only guess what the cow was thinking when scores of little human hands encountered leather on the hoof, tilting the bucket to heart the stream of milk.

Ms. Busch has a degree in Dairy Science from the University of Wisconsin. You were expecting maybe Hawaii?

Staff member Jason was unable to answer questions due to a mouthful of cookies. I was tempted to ask " Got milk?" But in this setting I already knew the answer.

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UPDATE: On New Year's Eve we phoned The Jersey Barnyard to check on Doris' condition. We were delighted to learn she had had a not- so- little girl the day before. She weighed in at 74 pounds. I guess when you reach 50 pounds they don't worry about the ounces (or getting the hoofprints for the babybook). Her name was chosen by contest with the winning name being Silverbelle. For those who worry about such things, any male offspring are sold and there's a waiting list. Actually the boys would be easier to name. Boris, Norris, Morris and Taurus, The Sons of Doris. Go by and visit soon, it's not easy being a single grandmother.

1998