Turn-Out Day May 18, 2026

This painting was a blast from start to finish. Last week I paid a visit to the beautiful Larson Farm in Wells, Vermont. I was there to witness “Turn-Out Day”, an eagerly anticipated annual event. The Jersey Girls exuberance was a joy to experience and feel, and I think that energy flowed right into the painting. I hope you can feel it, too.

From the Larson Farm…

“Imagine the excitement of Christmas, Thanksgiving and New Years all wrapped up in one day. Imagine that, and you can appreciate the excitement on the farm on “Turn-out Day”. This is the day that the spring grass has grown enough and we can ‘turn out’ the cows for the grazing season, which runs from early May through November.

Turnout is preceded by days of preparation, repairing fences and water lines. The excitement builds. When all is ready, the entire farm crew assembles for the moment the barn door is opened and the Jersey cows race down the farm lane.

They are a sight to see, running awkwardly down the road, but once in the field, all attention is given to eating as much and as quickly as they can. They are so happy to be outside eating fresh grass. We give them relatively small sections of pasture, and move them to fresh grass 2 or 3 times a day.

Once the cows are on pasture, you may notice a subtle change in the milk, as the cream will be a bit more yellow, richer in beta-carotene, making it even more nutritious.”

Original Sold. Next Day in Vermont Monday, June 1.