Meditations with Cows

What I've Learned from Daisy, the Dairy Cow Who Changed My Life

By: Shreve Stockton

Narrated by: Cassandra Campbell

An intimate memoir on the work and wonder of ranch life, critiquing the inhumane and environmentally destructive factory farm system and offering sustainable alternatives for ethical omnivores.

Although there are nearly 100 million cattle in the United States, these animals are often ignored or dismissed. In Meditations with Cows, Shreve Stockton inspires a more reverential attitude toward these affectionate and intelligent creatures as she shares captivating stories of ranch life.
At the center of the narrative is Daisy, the matriarch of the herd. Through the daily ritual of milking, Stockton forges a relationship with Daisy that deepens with each passing season: "When you have a milk cow, you are together every day, no matter the weather, no matter either of your moods. The hind leg of this twelve-hundred-pound animal towers over you as you crouch beside her... both of you aware of the fact that one well-aimed kick could kill you if she wished. Yet you are allowed to rest your cheek and forehead against her warm belly as you milk... her trust in you entwined with your trust in her, you become family."
For anyone who loves animals or cares about the environmental impact of their food, Stockton explores conservation and the important role of cattle in local ecosystems, models the humane treatment of animals, and shows how pastured cattle can be our allies in averting climate crisis. Blending together narrative, science, and thoughtful reflection, Meditations with Cows offers a moving portrait of the rhythms of work, life, and hardship on the ranch.

Critic reviews

"How wonderful it is to come across the extraordinary magic of Shreve Stockton's writing. She writes from a position of authenticity and great love. Her intelligence and sensitivity suffuse everything from the way she describes the personalities of her cows to the much needed lessons on grazing and pastureland. With her work rooted in the land itself, Stockton presents a vivid picture of Wyoming to readers who may not otherwise know or understand what a working ranch is like. Meditations with Cows will enchant and thrill every reader, and arrives at a critical time when understanding each other is vital and crucial to our survival."
—Marie Mutsuki Mockett, author of American Harvest

“Meditations with Cows takes you on a provocative and thoughtful journey through the best and worst parts of the modern food system. The relentless forces of industry and profit are straining the biosphere and the relationship with our animal kin, winding up for explosive change in the way we eat. Stockton and Daisy's story is at once an intimate memoir and an epic journey through this unique moment in human history.”
—Jacy Reese Anthis, author of The End of Animal Farming

"In Meditations with Cows, readers will find themselves in a beautiful world, led on an exploration that connects them back to the land, back to their food, and ultimately, back to themselves. With tales of ranching in the West, a wealth of information about our food system, and an invitation to participate, Meditations with Cows weaves together so many important threads. Stockton is a master wordsmith, the modern Aldo Leopold and Wendell Berry I'd been looking for."
—Kate Kavanaugh, founder of Western Daughters Butcher Shop and Ground Work Collective

"Meditations with Cows is enchanting and profound. Shreve Stockton is a clear-eyed, fearless woman with an enormous heart—her insights on rural life are spot-on, unsentimental, and unfailingly appreciative of the bounties attending the life she has built with rigor and ardor. Don't miss this book."
—Peter Coyote, actor and author of Sleeping Where I Fall

Not what what expected or as good as her Coyote bk

So I purchased this without reading the description or even looking at the author, just based on the title, something I seldom do. I didn't even realize at first that it was the same author that wrote about the Coyote she raised in Ten Sleep Wyoming. I remember really liking that book but not why.
10 years ago and for 10 years I was one of those UPS drivers slowing down as I passed her place and had met her a few times. In real life she seemed more amplified and maybe nervous than the calm soothing voice of this book. If you are from New York or other big cities then her detailed explanation of county life might seem unique and incredible but for me it was just another day to get held up by cattle drive, help push hay off the truck, see odd things. It wasn't uncommon to deliver to someone living in a shack, without plumbing, the hunting tent at mile marker 48, or even a teepee.
I purchased the book because I now have a Master of Social Work degree for clinical therapy and Equine/Animal Assisted Therapy I have heard about how cows are very calming for many reasons, have had milk cows. I was hoping for more information on how people use them for therapy for helping others and not just one person's journey with a few cows. With all the details that normal life for me, the book just moves too slowly, but for my California friend it would probably be incredible, so I still give it 5 stars, unfinished. I will probably eventually finish it and maybe there is more of the information I was hoping for.

Most enjoyable book I’ve read this year

Easy listening yet educational. Well written. Even though I’m vegan she helped me see our common goals.

Brilliant and Incredibly Touching.

I have been a fan of Shreve Stockton since I read, The Daily Coyote over ten years ago. This book is amazingly both touching and brilliant. In this book everything divulged is a personal homily of experience, love, and thought. It is a must experience to be shared between author and reader. Please read or listen to this book for an education and a shared experience of concern for the future of agriculture.

Meditations with Cows was an unexpected delight

I read a lot and have come to enjoy this genre and learned so much about the need for organic and natural ranching and farming. That Ms Stockton has done a good job of making me aware of the necessity to be responsible of the control that Big Agra has over our food supply. She does it in such a gentle way with her fortuitous love of Daisy and more. As I witness Global Warming first hand with the fires in California and Oregon in 2021- I know I need to change things !!

If you love cows, read this book!

This book is so amazing. I happen to be a lover of cows, although I admire them from afar. I would love to have an experience live Shreve has had with her cows. This book is fun to listen to and it is very comforting and joyful. It hits all notes when it comes to a feel good read.