Farmer Wants to Breed Uglier Cows After Tourists Bombard His Farm to Take Selfies

A fed-up UK farmer has pledged to breed uglier cows to curb the relentless tide of tourists lining up to snap selfies and generally harass his handsome Highland Cattle. “The intention is to make them less photogenic,” said Alex Birch of Derbyshire. The 39-year-old cattle farmer said he has observed a concerning uptick in gawkers flocking to his farm to film viral videos of his animals. “My cows don’t get any peace,” said Birch, who has witnessed people hugging his tufty charges, taking selfies, and even pulling their tails in a bid to create viral content. To stop the intrusive photo-ops, the cattleman has decided to remove his cows’ good looks by crossing them with the Whitebred Shorthorn, which he described as a “good, hardy cow that’s not photogenic and doesn’t have horns." Birch says if he had his way, he would ban people. He argues that throngs of cattle paparazzi are more than just a nuisance, they’re a liability. One selfie-taker claimed that one of Birch’s cattle tried to attack his dog in an attempt to defend its calves. While Birch was allowed to keep his cattle on his 300-acre land, he worries that he could be subject to legal action if a tourist is injured. “They are like donkeys, they can kick hard. If you upset one you will regret it – you will never outrun it,” said Birch. In fact, the Peak District National Park Authority warned against hugging or otherwise interacting with the animals due to the risk of being “trampled, charged, or attacked,” especially when cows have young. Since Birch has no legal grounds to ban people, he's taking the only step he can to restore peace to his farm.

 

 

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A Dummy Forever

Visitors to the village of Croton-on-Hudson in Westchester County, New York, often drive or walk by one of their local landmarks located at the intersection of Old Post Road South and Grand Street. Reactions are quite mixed. Some find it charming, while others see it as ugly and out-of-date. A few even think of it as a community heirloom. Technically, it’s a “dummy light” — a traffic light that stands on a pedestal in the middle of an intersection. In an era when intersections were often controlled by a single traffic signal, many were installed on pedestals in the centers of intersections, and often replaced beacons that denoted the center and separated opposing traffic. Other counties in New York had similar dummy lights, but eventually all were removed — all except for the one in Croton-on-Hudson. Over the years Croton village officials have talked about replacing the historic dummy light with a modern hanging light, but public feedback has been strongly against the idea. Should it go forward, there would be a major stir in the community. The principal argument centers around the fact that such lights are extremely rare and historic. Croton’s dummy light is such a beloved landmark that it's likely to remain right where it is for years to come.

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New Food Products Introduced

The introduction of a new food product is a complex endeavor that requires careful planning, thorough market research, and a solid understanding of consumer behavior. It's more than just creating a delicious recipe; it's about identifying a gap in the market, developing a compelling product, and effectively communicating its value to potential buyers. Here are some of the latest introductions.

 

Chips Ahoy Goes Big With Three Limited-Edition Cookie Flavors: For the first time ever, Chips Ahoy is simultaneously releasing three limited-edition cookies: Chewy Chocolatey Churro, Chewy Dulce De Leche, and Crunchy Red White and Blue Candy Blasts. The new cookies will be available on shelves nationwide beginning May 4. 

Nutella Drops Its First New Flavor In Over 60 Years: Nutella Peanut is now available nationwide, blending the brand’s signature chocolate-hazelnut spread with roasted peanut flavor for the first time. This new spread keeps the same smooth, creamy texture Nutella is known for, with a nuttier, slightly more savory edge layered in. The new flavor is available nationwide.

TWIX Goes Bite-Sized With New TWIX Bits: TWIX is swapping its signature bars for fun-sized options, combining the same creamy chocolate coating and the crunchy cookie goodness into a more stackable form. TWIX Bits are bite-sized versions of the classic Twix bar — the perfect mix of crunchy cookie, smooth caramel, and creamy milk chocolate, all packed into irresistible little pieces.  The packages come in 3-ounce bags for $2.99, 8-ounce bags for $5.29, and 20-ounce bags for $12 at retailers like Walmart.

Pop-Tarts Super Stuffed Packs 50% More Filling: Kellanova (formerly the Kellogg Company) has just announced Pop-Tarts Super Stuffed, a new line of enlarged pastries with 50% more filling than the regular variety. They come in Strawberry Blast, Molten Lava Cake, and Cinnamon Caramel. Each box sells for between $3 and $3.50 at retailers like Walmart, Hy-Vee, Target and Giant Food. 

 

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Avocado Brownies

These avocado brownies are everything you love about classic brownies, with ripe avocado adding extra moisture and a sneaky boost of nutrition. This recipe is another delicious example of just how versatile avocados can be. Mashed avocado, paired with cocoa powder, chocolate chips and a pinch of extra salt, gives these brownies a slightly more savory edge, while still delivering plenty of deep, chocolaty goodness. The avocado also adds moisture, keeping the brownies ultra-soft and tender while adding heart-healthy fats and filling fiber.

Servings: 9

Ingredients:

• 2 large eggs, room temperature

• ¾ cup sugar

• 1 cup well-mashed ripe avocado (about 2 medium)

• ½ cup butter, melted, cooled

• 3 tablespoons baking cocoa

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 cup all-purpose flour

• ¾ teaspoon baking soda

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

• Confectioners' sugar, optional

Directions:

 

• In a large bowl, combine sugar and eggs and beat until light and lemon-colored, 4-5 minutes. 

• In a separate bowl, combine avocado, butter, cocoa and vanilla. 

• Fold in egg mixture until well incorporated.

• Blend in flour, baking powder and salt. 

• Stir in chocolate chips.

• Pour into a greased 8-inch square baking pan.

• Bake at 350º F until a toothpick comes out clean, about 30-35 minutes.

• Cool on a wire rack.

• Cut into bars.

• If desired, dust with confectioners’ sugar just before serving.

Note: To make avocado brownies gluten-free, simply swap in a cup-for-cup gluten-free flour blend for the all-purpose flour.

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