This Valentine’s Day, some couples and families are ditching dinner and a movie for cuddling cows.
At Mary’s Land Farm in Ellicott City, couples can spend the evening cozying up to cows in an indoor barn, capturing the moment with a kissing booth and photo ops and warming up by a bonfire with hot cocoa at the farm’s Valentine’s Date Night, Feb. 14-15, while families can spend the day cuddling with cows, decorating a picture frame featuring their family photo and enjoying s’mores by a bonfire at the farm’s Family Valentine’s Cows & Crafts, Feb. 13.
Part of the farm’s animal encounters, visitors can experience nature in a whole new way through seasonal calf, cow and lamb cuddling sessions and bunny and unicorn encounters, according to the farm’s website. Believed to reduce stress by boosting oxytocin in humans, the hormone released through social bonding, visitors can brush, cuddle, feed and interact with a variety of animals on the farm’s 160-acre property.
Founded by Cori Wilson in 2022, the Clarksville Cow Cuddling program held almost 800 cow-cuddling sessions in its first year of operation, according to the program’s website. Today, the program offers 45-minute sessions with six cows – Captain, Crackle, Crunch, Little Rock, Pebbles and Snap – to help visitors reduce stress and connect with nature.
Wilson said she hopes the cuddle sessions will help visitors feel loved this Valentine’s Day.
“I’m very much looking for people to cuddle up and be like, ‘wow these [cows] are creating a sense of warmth’ and that eases nervous systems,” she said. “I would love for couples to have a moment of reconnection where they’re laughing and playing with this cow and have a moment to themselves.”
Family Valentine’s Cows & Crafts takes place at Mary’s Land Farm at 4979 Sheppard Lane in Ellicott City, Feb. 13 from 2-6 p.m.
Valentine’s Date Night takes place at Mary’s Land Farm at 4979 Sheppard Lane in Ellicott City, Feb. 14 from 4-8 p.m. and Feb. 15 from 2-8 p.m.
Tickets are $130 for families up to six guests, $35 per person for couples and groups are mixed with a max of four guests at a time. Cow cuddling sessions are 30 minutes.
For more information, visit clarksvillecowcuddling.com.
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