Home > Family Friend

I am the mother of four sons who are friends with the Voith Children. My kids' ages range from 7 years old to almost 15 years old. We met the Voiths three years ago and have been close friends ever since. We see them very often; sometimes more than once a week. It is rare for more than a week to go by before the kids play together. Not only are the kids good friends, my husband and I are also close to Linda and Steve.

I have gone up their hill many times and watched them take care of their cows. I have observed the cows pulling wagons with our children in them as well as pulling firewood. I have observed the family grooming, feeding, and milking their cows. My children in fact have had opportunities to do this too. I watched them train their cows to obey their commands. The cows are very gentle and I have never seen the cows once exhibit any aggressive behavior.

The family keeps their home as well as their land very clean. I have never seen any cow dung lying around on their property or on their lawn.

I have gone across the road to the Cairns farm with the Voiths many times before the cows were brought over to the Voiths' property. As I expected, in the area where the animals roamed, there was plenty of dung and I had to watch my step. It smelled like a farm. It was no surprise to me. After all the Cairns do own a farm.

However, the Voiths' property never smelled like a farm. There were never any droppings to be careful of. They always cleaned it up quickly. In fact, they treat their cows just like I treat my dogs and cats.

The family is very knowledgeable about composting and gardening. I have learned muchfrom Linda. Her compost has never smelled and I have never seen flies circulating the compost pile.

As a parent, I became very concerned about the safety of my children (as well as being concerned about the Voith's safety), when the Voith's experienced a growing number of harassment incidents from certain Village residents. During the peak time of these incidents, I asked the Voiths to have their children play at my home, rather than drop my children off at their house in Angelica.

One of my sons, in fact, witnessed one such incident. During Heritage Days, a town festival, the Voiths hooked up a cart to one of their cows. While their daughter sat inside the cart, the Voiths and my son walked the cow along to the Park Circle and back. While they were walking along, someone in a moving vehicle revved up their engine in an attempt to scare the cow deliberately.

Being close friends with this family and of a different faith than them, I have learned a lot from them especially on their views of cows. Cows are more than just an animal. Cows are more than just a pet. They hold a lot of symbolic meanings and cows play a significant role in their lives. Cows are members of their family.

I would like to plead with the court to exhibit respect and tolerance for this loving, peaceful, and gentle family and honor their wishes to keep the cows on their land.

Diana