(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Traffic was backed up on Route 45 in Chicago’s far north suburbs Wednesday morning, but for once, drivers couldn’t blame construction or crashes.
A 14-foot cow — or, rather a cow sculpture — was on the side of the road.
The beautiful bovine will be an everyday sight for Grayslake residents going forward, thanks to an idea borne from Lake County Farm Bureau Executive Director Greg Koeppen's trip to Door County 20 years ago.
“There was about a 10-foot cow there that was perched on a field out there,” he said. “Over the past 20 years I kind of thought, in the back of my head, it would be kinda cool to have it in a Chicago suburban area where people don't often see cows, let alone a 14-foot cow.”
The cow had been in development for the past year, Koeppen said.
“Really didn't tell family, friends, or anyone else in the community,” he said. “We kept it a secret and kind of wanted her to have a surprise birth to everyone in Lake County.”
Koeppen said it's an opportunity to teach residents about the importance of the agriculture industry.
“Over the coming months, [we'll] put up some educational signage after she gets named and teach people about the importance of the dairy industry,” he said. “Where does your food come from, and why is this dairy cow, in the overall sense of it important to our everyday nutrition in life.”
Koeppen said residents can help name the cow by submitting ideas on the Lake County Farm Bureau website.
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