Udderly fabulous

I WAS UP north in the countryside over the long weekend, savouring the opportunity to unplug (sort of, there was satellite TV and a faint Wi-Fi signal) and unwind.

In the local paper there was a coupon that grabbed my attention, one I doubt you’d find in a Toronto daily:

Poor cows – I never really stopped to consider their plight, what with their bits and pieces exposed to the elements and all, not to mention near constant yanking. Caked bags? Yikes – doesn’t sound like very moooch fun.

I snickered when I read that Bag Balm is apparently “Not just for cows!” Then I did some research (actually I just looked up Bag Balm on Wikipedia) and discovered that this is indeed the case.

Bag Balm is made by Dairy Association Co. and has been in production since 1899.

At first it was used just for overworked cow udders, but as Wikipedia notes, “farmers’ wives noticed the softness of their husbands’ hands, and started using the product themselves.” They thought it was udderly fabulous.

It was taken on a trek to the North Pole and used by Allied troops in the Second World War to protect weapons from rust. Heck, Bag Balm even made an appearance at Ground Zero in New York after 9/11 – it was used on the paws of cadaver-sniffing dogs.

And you thought it was just for sore teats and caked bags — stupid city slicker.

ryan@roadtostarrdom.com