My dad worked on a dairy farm that was part of the South Carolina Penitentiary. My dad was a warden and he oversaw the work done by low-risk prisoners there. Between the ages of 5-10 years old I’d visit the farm and help out. It was like a field trip to me and I always got excited to go.

You could smell the cow manure as soon as you approached the farm. It completely permeated the air. I’d go inside, help my dad milk the cows, and then watch as this big vat of swirling milk was filled and pasteurized. There’s nothing like fresh milk from a dairy farm.

They also made fresh biscuits on that farm. The real good southern kind that melt in your mouth. I loved the time on the farm, drinking fresh milk and eating homemade biscuits.

I think the smell of cow manure sums up that whole time on the farm for me. To this day, when I drive by a farm and smell cow manure it makes me smile. The other people in the car may scream “yuck”, but I love it. It reminds me of being a child, of hanging out with dad and not having a care in the world. The smell calms me down and lets me de-stress for a moment.

If the scent had a sound, what would it be? A soothing, calming sound.

If the scent had a color, what would it be? The color of misty air; also the color of hay.

If the scent had a texture, what would it be? Cracked.

If the scent could give you advice, what would it tell you? Be strong, hunker down and do the work.