Easter Sunday afternoon our family gathered to enjoy our backyard and our view of the lake. It was the first gathering since the pandemic and it was a special day.

It was special until a bloated cow floated by. Caught by the current, it floated by more than once before moving on.

Boyle County lost some good financing and a real step forward in raising cattle when the county had to return grant money for an animal composting facility.

We are well aware of the polarizing effort by certain citizens that helped to cause the failure of this planned facility. We drove through the Alum Springs community and viewed the signs in many yards. We visited the Alum Springs Convenience Center and viewed the first proposed site for such a facility.

The number of cattle raised in Boyle County is amazing. Just drive around the county and you will see cattle everywhere! And the money that is made by cattle farmers is also truly amazing!

So it is disappointing, to say the least, that none of these farmers stood up for this composting facility. Cattle do fall over in fields. Such cattle may get picked up for removal. Some may get buried on site. And some may float by your backyard on a sunny Sunday afternoon.

Farmers are not the only ones to blame for this loss. There was certainly a lack of leadership by several people involved. Boyle County people need to work together for the betterment of all.

Charles and Anne Ferguson