A steer greeted MCCC students on the Quad as part of a Student Activities effort to provide stress relief on Monday, September 30. The Jersey steer, a neutered 7-year-old male named Moo, was with the students from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Mary Campbell, Moo’s handler, answered questions about Moo while a crowd gathered around for pictures, pets, and cuddles. Campbell, the owner of Knowhere Farm, takes Moo around for cuddling sessions to support mental wellness, similar to how people see therapy dogs.
Campbell says “Life is just stressful and it keeps getting more so, and our space at Knowhere Farm is a non-judgmental place…We don’t discuss the news, we discuss dreams, we discuss aspirations, we discuss peace and quiet, [and] family. So that’s where visitors can come and escape from the stresses of everyday life.”
Knowhere Farm, a 6-acre family-owned farm in Chesterfield, is home to Moo’s mother, a retired dairy cow named Munchie. Events are hosted on the farm, as advertised by their website—the most popular being the cuddling sessions with Moo.
Moo, who is gentle and calm in the presence of people, has been invited to travel to different colleges in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, and more. His next stop will be at Chatham University in October.
However, it is not just the mental health of students that is important to Campbell. The safety of Moo is paramount to her business.
Campbell says “[Moo] has a camera in [the trailer] so that when we’re traveling I can see him the entire time, what he’s doing and how he’s handling traveling…He also has a temperature monitor in his trailer so that we can make sure it’s not getting too hot or cold for him…We’re in the process of putting in air conditioners in the trailer for the warmer days.”
Word quickly spread about a farm animal on campus, drawing students to the Quad as they spotted it from windows, received texts from friends, or saw it on social media—all gathering for their moment with Moo.
Keanu Lamar, a Culinary major, says he found out about Moo through his friends. Lamar said, “Someone posted on their [Instagram] Story! And I called, and I was like, where is [Moo]? And I found out he was here. That’s so awesome. I love animals!”
Mathew Prower, a Mercer student who was excited to see Moo and learn from Campbell, said, “This is the best thing you’ve ever seen.”
Word spread off campus as well. Christina Bellino, a Graphic Design major at Mercer, said “We jumped over the stairs [to get to Moo]! I woke up everyone in my family. I’m like ‘Guys, there’s a cow at school!’”
The event, arranged by Danielle Garruba, director of Student Life and Leadership, allowed Mercer students to just exist, laugh, and enjoy the presence of Moo.
Bellino said: “I was feeling all down today, but then I came and saw Moo, and suddenly the clouds cleared and the sun was shining again!”
