Anyone who suffers from seasonal depression or loves the outdoors knows how bad the winter months can be.
You can’t go out much, the weather is dark and gloomy, the sun rarely shines, and you are just cooped up inside all the time. People aren’t the only ones who struggle with winter weather problems. Animals suffer, too.
In the Netherlands, the weather can get really cold and last a long time.
Cows can’t stay outside in the freezing temperatures or else they could die. Farmers keep their dairy cows in barns where they are warm and are fed plenty of hay. They don’t necessarily like it, though. The cows love to graze in the green pastures that are plentiful in the summer.
The farms have to literally drag the cows to their barns, where they are kept for months. They become anxious as warmer weather starts to appear, and before long, they are begging to go back outside.
Farmers can’t let them out too early, though, because they never know when a freak winter storm will appear. Sometimes they pop up so fast that the farmers aren’t able to get the cows back in the barn in time.
As soon as the farmers know that warm weather is here to stay, they let the cows out of the barn.
As you can imagine, it’s a pretty exciting time for the cows. They have been stuck inside against their will for months, and now they finally get to go back out in the warm sun to graze in their favorite meadows.
The cows don’t just run out the barn; they dance and celebrate when they get outside. It’s such a spectacle that people have started gathering to watch it.
Crowds will form outside the dairy barns, and they will wait to watch the farmers open the doors and unleash the cows.
It’s called “koeien in dei wei,” which means “cow in the pasture.”
In order to make it so kids can come enjoy the event, too, they try to have it on Saturdays in April. People just love to watch it and seem to get extremely happy when the cows finally emerge.
Of course, nobody could be more excited than the cows. They are finally free.
When they race out the door, they are usually making noise, jumping and dancing around. They must really like the way the grass feels under their hooves. They are so happy to get some fresh air and be free again, and it’s obvious to everyone who is watching.
Most of us can relate, seeing as we are stuck inside more often during the winter, too.
Once that snow and ice melts and the sun starts to shine, it completely changes your mood. You feel happier and more energetic, and any feelings of sadness or depression just go away.
According to What Is Psychology:
“Statistics surrounding seasonal affective disorder show that around 6% of people in the United States will suffer from the symptoms of SAD during the winter months and a further 10-20% may suffer from a very mild form of the disorder. Research has also indicated that women are more likely to develop the disorder and the symptoms are not normally seen in people younger than the age of twenty.”
It’s pretty obvious is affects animals, too.
The next time you are staring out your window at snow and ice, dreaming of warm weather, sunshine, and green grass, think about these cows and remind yourself that the cold weather doesn’t last long. Warm weather is just around the corner, and it brings a lot of cheer and happiness.
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