Moo-ve on over, Cupid
By Denise Moran For The Courier-News February 13, 2012 8:50PM
This baby cow named J.J. Valentine was born on Friday with a heart-shaped white patch on his head. Here he hangs out in a pen Monday afternoon on Tim Metz’s farm near Lily Lake. | Brian Powers~Sun-Times Media
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Updated: March 15, 2012 8:09AM
LILY LAKE — Local farmer Tim Metz got a special gift just in time for Valentine’s Day.
A black bull calf with an almost-perfect white heart shape on his forehead was born here Friday to Metz’s mixed Belgian-Angus cow, Whitey.
Metz named the calf J.J. Valentine in honor of the upcoming holiday. The J.J. comes from the first names of a couple friends who were present at the birth, which took place at Metz’s and Jerry Hresil’s 80-acre Neverland Farm at 42W090 Empire Road near Lily Lake.
“I noticed the heart shape when he was born,” Metz said. “The shape became more pronounced (a few days later).”
By Monday, the heart shape — approximately 4 inches wide by 3 inches high — stuck out to anybody coming face to face with J.J. Valentine.
Metz has lived in Plato Center for the past 15 years with his wife, Sue, and their four children: Charlotte, 14; Jarod, 12; Eric, 8; and William, 7. All four children are 4-H members. Metz said William will show the calf next year at the Kane County Fair.
Neverland Farm has 16 head of cattle, mostly Black Angus and some crossbred Belgians. In addition to cattle, the farm has chickens and pigs in the summer. Crops grown at the farm include corn, beans, wheat and hay.
Metz said that his children mark the fourth generation of the family involved in farming. His grandmother, Marie Metz, once farmed in Lombard. Her husband drove a delivery truck for Tip Top Bakery.
Marie Metz died last year around Feb. 10, the same day that the calf was born. She was buried on Valentine’s Day. She was 102 years old.
Metz’s father, Larry, worked at The Courier-News for 35 years and was a part-time farmer.
Metz worked in landscaping for 20 years. When the recession hit, he went into farming full-time.
J.J. Valentine is a special Valentine present for Tim and Sue. Tim said that he and his wife became engaged on Valentine’s Day.
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