I just found out “Cow Appreciation Day” takes place the 2nd Tuesday in July each year. Not sure why 🤷🏽‍♀️ but that’s the way it is. It’s always challenging (for me at least) keeping track of food / drink and related holidays that follow that pattern (e.g. the first, second, third, fourth , sometimes 5th! ___ [insert day of week]__ of whatever month).. I find it easier when something’s on the same date each year (a la Christmas …. or July 4th …) — it’s already challenging enough that those dates fall on different days of the week from one year to the next...

Said all that to say: for this year’s TFG 2025 Daily Culinary Calendar, I’m letting these bovine beauties have their day in the sun (pun intended) TODAY on July 10th since ain’t much else happenin on the food front — except for “Pick Blueberries 🫐 Day!”… — see also below — so they can get some much deserved love and not be overlooked…

Bovine beauties chillin and grubbin in upstate NY near Rensselaerville…

pic of i snapped of the SunnySide Farms sign from cousin Keon’s car in 2024 … the cows and the ice cream parlor and small shop are long gone 😥

I sometimes jokingly say I grew up in a cow-town of sorts in South Jersey (Mt. Holly NJ). A place that straddles that sometimes thin line between suburbia and rural farmland. While there were indeed modern, air-conditioned grocery stores and such, there were also several family farms dotted along the long stretches of wooded roads… It was always a special treat each summer to visit nearby Sunnyside Farms for freshly made icecream and where my grandparents would also buy our fresh milk and butter for that week there instead of the regular market.

so like is this one throwin’ shade? ‘cause she wishes she had some shade? 🤔…

The pics of all the beautiful bovines featured in this TFG blogpost were taken during my more grown-up years: the group shot on top is from upstate NY from about a decade ago when Iived in Molly O’Neill’s attic way up in Rensselaerville, NY along with a dozen 20-something year olds as we were all partaking in an intensive LongHouse Food Media Laboratory Internship Program (which is a whole ‘nother story for a whole ‘nother blogpost quite frankly)…

Anyway, the solo shot of the sista gurl cow (if you look closely —she appears to be throwing me some serious side-eye ‘shade’) in that next photo was taken circa 2021 in beautiful SUNNY Santa Barbara Ca. I think she’s throwing ME shade ‘cause SHE coulda used some actual shade (or sunglasses or sumthin since the sun was SO bright — and HOT — that late September day in Central Cali). Either way, this short & semi-sweet post is a shout out to her and all the cows everywhere who provide us Americans with so, SO much and yet are taken for granted more so than being thought of with any inklings of gratitude on any given day. Which is why I didn’t want to miss this ‘holiday’. And i’m happy that each of these semi-bucolic cow scenes I captured on my iphone shows these gals (& at least one guy — see him in the group pic?) living what appeared to be pretty good lives, on both coasts…

July 10th is Also “Pick Blueberries Day”!

[original photography via me / TFG] Amidst the berry filled pancakes, desserts and drinks are fond photo memories from that time I took care of my nearby neighbor friend’s roof top garden that fateful Summer of 2020. What a big ‘ol blueberry-bejeweled blessing to have had access to an outside aesthetic AND edible garden all Summer long — that year of all years no less. An urban oasis of sorts to offset so many stressors including staying alive and healthy while working as an NYC wine shop retail employee with a team of coworkers — all of us designated as“essential” workers at my friend Heather’s boutique store, Good Wine — which was at the time my main /ONLY anchor gig) …

Tending to that awesome garden is why I even have beauty shots of BLUEBERRIES GROWING in BROOKLYN — yup that I PICKED and added to my breakfast, and beverages (yes - you know by now that some of them had BOOZE in them). I didn’t even know there was a “Pick Blueberries” Day at the time. But I did know it was a beautiful moment , ‘capture’ as best i could to possibly share some day.

Hopefully there’ll be future reasons to post more positive memories from that bitter sweet time. But for now, enjoy my blueberries beauty shots!…( Are there days like there for other fruits too likeapples and strawberries? Let me know if you stumble upon any of them)

for more interactive and in-depth intel on superfoods like this AND for the FOOD HISTORY Part of this Post: BECOME PART OF MY PATREON COMMUNITY at any level, FREE or PAID . There you’ll have the option to be a PAID TFG Patreon Supporter with a contribution as low as $3 / month to receive even more! …

Til Soon & Stay(ing) Tuned,

Tonya aka @TheFoodGriot

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