Seven Grey Barn cows made the most of a summer afternoon last week, escaping their grassy pastures on Blue Barque Road to enjoy a waterside sunset while romping on the soft sands of Chilmark Pond.

Such antics, said The Grey Barn and Farm owner Eric Glasgow, are not unusual this time of year.

“The grass slows down, and cows go out and look for greener pastures,” he explained. “They went on a little walkabout and went exploring.”

The beachgoing cattle in question, Mr. Glasgow said, are dry cows, mixed-breed heifers who are not being actively milked. Normally, the best pastureland is reserved for cows being milked to ensure high quality dairy, however the dry cows are not always happy with the arrangement.

“They have escaped twice last week,” Mr. Glasgow said, noting that the repeated cattle wanderings draw cowhands away from other important work at the farm.

“It’s not ideal from an efficiency standpoint,” he said.

The message from the cattle has been received loud and clear, Mr. Glasgow said, and plans are underway to transport the group back to the primary pastures in Chilmark.