We are small-time farmers. We have heard it said ‘go big or go home.’ So what? We do not care what ‘they’ say. Our little farm is big enough for us. Sometimes it feels like a thousand acres.

It is big enough to handle three miniature beef steers, and four horses. Two of which are miniature the other two are full-size horses.

We always purchase three. One is kept for our freezer. The other two are sold to customers who are looking for well-raised, grass-fed, premium beef. Our customers tell us it is the best beef they have ever had. Five-star beef.

It is satisfying and comforting to know how well our little cows have lived before, as I say, “They have one bad day in their life.” It is hard when their time has come. We do that as gently as possible.

We have been thanked for raising these little steers in an environment that is healthy and caring to them.

What we do not do is name them those “funny”, thoughtless names such as, ‘Sirloin’, ‘T-bone’, or ‘Hamburger’. It is hard enough knowing their ultimate demise. We pick silly, fun names that help make this job of raising them a bit easier.

May I introduce you to some terrific steers we have had over the years?

We also have had Mario, Luigi and Bowzer.

I grew up on a big farm in Virginia. I have always enjoyed cattle.

Miniature Herefords are our choice of steer to grow out, but we have grown out miniature Angus as well. This year we have one White Face steer. He is a cross between a Hereford and Angus.

Athos, Porthos, and Aramis are with us now.

Thank you for ‘meeting’ some of the great steers we have raised here on our farm. We take effort and pride in them, and raise them to the best of our ability.

A horseshoe cow I had made for our porch.

A man told me once, “You call yourself a horsewoman, but you’re a cow-woman at heart.”

Sometimes I believe he may just be right.