Unlocking Word Meanings
Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.
- usher / ˈʌʃ ər / (v.) – to lead someone to the place one wants him/her to go
Example:The tour guide ushered the tourists through the different historical and cultural sites.
- pasture / ˈpæs tʃər / (n.) – a large area of land covered with grass or plants that animals feed on
Example:The farmers lead the cows to the pastures every morning.
- graze / greɪz / (v.) – (of animals) to eat grass or other plants that are growing in a field
Example:Deer can often be seen grazing in the fields near the forest edge.
- organically / ɔrˈgæn ɪk li / (adv.) – without using artificial chemicals in growing plants or raising animals for food and other products
Example:The restaurant only uses ingredients that are fresh and grown organically.
- stage / steɪdʒ / (v.) – to plan and organize a public event
Example:An organization will be staging a concert to raise funds for endangered animals.
Article
Read the text below.
Denmark is facing a chilly spring. But as the seasons change, the country’s organic dairy cows are being ushered onto green pastures for springtime grazing.
Organic Day is an annual event that warms hearts across the Scandinavian nation and has even become a popular family outing for urban residents. In April, organic farmers free their cows from barns and stables where they’ve spent the cold, dark winter.
“They’ve been inside all winter and now, we’re really looking forward to letting them out on the fresh green grass, and they’ll spend the summer out there grazing,” says farmer Morten Schultz.
Schultz owns around a hundred dairy cows and has been farming organically since 2006. He’s been staging Organic Day events at his Tranegaard Farm, 50 kilometers north of Copenhagen, for three years.
Six thousand attended last year’s gathering, and around 3,000 were expected this year. Danes often say they’re going to “see the cows dance.”
Amid loud cheers, the cows run, jump—perhaps even “dance”—their way onto green pastures. “The moment they get out on the grass, and they feel the grass under their toes, they will make these fun movements and we call it dancing,” smiles Schultz.
“I think it’s the energy you have,” says Leif Friis Jorgensen, director of Danish organic dairy, Nature Milk. “It’s a little bit, you can feel it yourself. If you start up in the morning, and you see the sun, and you jump out to it, and it’s exactly the same the cows are doing.”
The first Danish Organic Day was held in 2005 with around 10,000 visitors. Since then, organizers of Organic Day in Denmark say more than two million Danes have visited farms to watch the annual cow release.
“A lot of us now living in the big cities, and we are not so close to our food as we would love to be,” says Jorgensen.
This article was provided by The Associated Press.
Viewpoint Discussion
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.
Discussion A
- Why do you think Organic Day has become a popular family outing for Danes living in cities, even though they don’t live near farms? Discuss.
- In your country, do urban residents enjoy farm or countryside events? Why do you think it’s important for urban residents to experience farm events? Discuss.
Discussion B
- Organic Day is an annual event in Denmark that happens during springtime. What springtime events in your country are you most excited about? Why? Discuss.
- What’s the significance of these springtime events to your country? Are these events popular with both local and foreign tourists? Discuss.