I didn't know Sassafras was a nickname/slang term for sassy/overly talkative so I was really confused when I saw she named her cow after a carcinogenic plant 😅. But even now that I know the slang I can't stop thinking about the plant and how it could tie into this books tradwife conversation.

So, Sassafras bark and root was a big ingredient in root beer, a drink that the temperance movement pushed as a healthy alternative to alcohol and one that I personally associate with old fashioned America (I am Canadian so that could be a weird misconception I formed so please tell me if I am wrong lol). But Sassafras has safrole in the roots and the bark, something that studies found to be a carcinogenic and has been banned in Canada and The USA since about the 60's-70's, causing the recipes for root beer to be adjusted to safer alternatives.

And considering the blurb and what it tells us about the book, I think the use of this as the cows name, could be an interesting little call to this selective re-envisioning of the past, and the pushing of this idea of traditional, that the book focuses on. And I will 100% admit that I might be overthinking the cows name but knowing this, I just keep thinking it might be a bit of a tongue in cheek call to this idea of a modern tradwives preaching for this traditional way, all while they are actively benefitting from the protections and freedoms fought for them, and even just the lack of recognizing the ease of modern life and invention that makes their role easier than it would have been for women in the past. Much like root beer, originally made at home in small batches and only lasting a few days, all while being (unknowingly) harmful, and now we have taken away the cancer risk, made it more shelf stable, and it is accessible to buy in many places. Like, time and the way the world has developed made ones options to drink root beer easier and safer, if they choose to drink it. And idk, if that additional tie to the themes here is accidental, but if it was I think it was a great accident 🤷‍♀️😂