The Sassy Cow Creamery

Before I get into our Sassy Cow Adventure I must talk about what happened to DJ's dad sixty-three years ago today.

Mel was riding on top of the USS Indianapolis (a Portland-class cruiser and Flag Ship for the Pacific Fleet) as a Marine near the end of WWII when the front of the Indy was blown off by torpedo. The ship plowed into the water and sunk in twelve minutes leaving Mel and 779 of the 1,197 floating in the water.

Life jackets were pretty new back then and were designed to stay a float for maybe a day or two.

The real problem came when sharks, hearing the noise decided to investigate and started nabbing the sailors one by one.

The ship sank so fast that only a few SOS's went out which were quickly dismissed by the Navy as being a Japanese trick and this being a vessel of war with radio silence, no one thought anything about the Indy not coming one on schedule.

And there they floated. In a 100+ degree, cloudless sea with no water, no food, very few flotation devices , no one knowing they were there and one by one, being eaten by sharks. Day after day after day.

After five days the survivors, now numbering only 317 were accidentally spotted by a PBY (the same plane my dad flew in WWII in search and rescue) and what LT. R. Adrian Marks the pilot saw was horrific. In the crystal clear water he saw survivors from an unknown ship with hundreds of oceanic whitetip shark's circling just below.

Against orders he landed the plane in choppy seas and as Mel has said, many tried to swim to the plane and sunk due to lack of strength. When some did make it they were asked "what ship are you from" and it is then when the Navy found out their Flag Ship had been sunk.

The call went out for a major rescue and the PBY started to get people on the plane. When the plane was full they started to tie survivors to the wings damaging the plane but saving lives. All the while the sharks were thrashing the waters.

It was total darkness when the Cecil Doyle arrived to help the rescue and again, against all orders turned on search lights knowing there was at least one submarine in the area to look for more survivors.

Three hundred seventeen were rescued.

I won't get into the rest of the story but two movie companies are looking into making this a major motion picture.

If you want a fantastic book on this look for "In Harm's Way: The Sinking of the USS Indianapolis and the Extraordinary Story of Its Survivors". There is one,(maybe two?) photos of DJs dad, Mel Jacob in the book.
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The Sassy Cow Creamery

After the cement guys came for our patio DJ, Blake and I decided to go get my new cell phone and on the way back from Madison stop off at The Sassy Cow Creamery.

The Sassy Cow is a brand new farmstead milk bottling business between Columbus and Sun Prairie and near Bristol. Just find "N" near Bristol and head north - can't miss it.

We stopped in and were looking around when owner James Baerwolf came out and we started talking. Of course I was on edge, could this be THE JAMES that stole my cell phone Friday? I looked deep into his eyes searching for clues, I felt like calling him, maybe interviewing him ON THE PHONE but he did not seem to be the type.

I think the book Freak-o-nomics mentioned "farmstead milk bottling business owners rarely steal cell phones".

So I relaxed but took a photo anyway just in case.

He does look a little shifty though!!

ANYWAY - the place is spotless and you can see into the windows at the milking process (no milk is actually visible). The great news is THEY HAVE ICE CREAM. And it is really good. In fact they also have Organic Milk (I should have asked what that actually means) and all sorts of dairy products. (The next time you make Habanero salsa make sure you go there first . . . that is a story for another time though).

ANYWAY - They have 100-ish Organic Cows (as opposed to inorganic cows) and 400-ish normal cows (like ANY cow is normal? - they have like 5 stomachs, yea - normal).

This is an abnormal cow - stay away from milk from these dudes!

Back at the Creamery, DJ and I get ice cream (good price) and go outside to eat it. We sit on the provided benches and look at the scenery. The distant white barns are where the normal cows live.

(click photo to enlarge)

DJ and I are eating our ice cream and of course Blake is wanting some also so we give him a nice taste.

Totally forgetting he is Lactose Intolerant.

JUST KIDDING

We're done eating and I go into buy some milk and Smooth Hand Luke (that is what the cows call him) says that fresh milk, as of this morning, will be available in 15 minutes.

We hang and get our fresh milk. We will not be strangers to the place! You really should go there to check them out.

Coming events - This Friday a brat fry from 11am to 2pm with creamery and farms tours and Friday August 29th, 3pm to 8pm is pie, ice cream and root beer floats night! Also be offering tours of the creamery and farms!

Hey - let's skip the Kurth that Friday and go to the Creamery (Kurth afterword to wash down the dairy products). Seriously - it would be a hoot. Let's show support!!
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As I was waiting for the cement guys I was looking in the garden a and took a few more photos. The Monarch butterfly's are making an appearance. Fear not the Monarch caterpillar.





Have a great day.

OH Johnny Depp is going to play the Mad Hatter in Tim Burton's new gripping, spooky, Alice in Wonderland . Mia Wasikowska will play Alice.

OH - cell phone is up and running - same number as before. AND I have insurance.

Rod