miniature cattle | one_local

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?

*This older photo is when we had four miniature horses. The three steers are in top center of photo. They are Kevin, Bob and Stewart (the three Minions).*

We also have had Mario, Luigi and Bowzer.

*We do not notice any difference in quality/taste of the beef between Angus or Hereford.*

*Larry, Mo and Curly on a cold, wintery morning feeding.*

*This photo of Mo won a blue ribbon in our county fair with his peaceful repose.*

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

*Hewey, Dewey, and Louie enjoying the lush pasture.*

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.

*We take this stewardship of these animals seriously.*

*They live very nicely with the horses. Horses rule over cows.*

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.

What a silly question you may be thinking. However, it may not be so silly after all. Years ago, while at a homeschooling convention in Richmond, VA, my friend and I noticed an excited bunch of folks gathering outside the mall in the courtyard. We asked the food service fella what it was all about. He said there was a milk cow out there for folks to see! Really? All that excitement over a milk cow? How odd we thought. Everyone knows what a milk cow looks like, right? Actually, no.

A lot of years have gone by since that day. It seems a milk cow is not the only thing folks think comes from Costco, the local grocery store, or farmer’s markets. So here is another insight into our lack of food source knowledge:

Beef does not come from food markets either. Neither does chicken, pork, lamb, duck, or fish. Or anything for that matter.

This seems like a no-brainer to the majority of us. But please do not ask a youngster if chocolate milk comes from a cow!

This is not to say we all should have our own milk cows or grow our own beef. However, we would do well to remember that all these grocery store items and meats are grown with care (mostly) by many farmers. However, growing a few vegetables regardless of home location is rewarding, not to mention delicious.

All this comes to my mind today because our Herefords went to the slaughter house two days to be processed. It is one of the hardest times on the farm for me. Death is hard but it is a part of life.

Why not visit your local farms? Many farms are open to visitors. It is fascinating to experience a working dairy, or cattle farm. Have your child help gather eggs with the local egg lady. A summer spent working on one of the farms would have a lasting impression on anyone. Donning a pair of muck boots and getting down and dirty on the farm gives everyone an appreciation for the farmer that works to bring us all this good food.

Our children need to know where our food comes from. It helps us understand the hardships of growing food and feeding this big country of ours. Perhaps, just perhaps, we would cease being so wasteful and careless with our sustenance.

You are welcome to stop by our little farm and meet these critters that live here. Hold a chicken, pick a bean from the garden, toss some hay out to the animals, take a tractor ride, sit on some sweet smelling hay. You and your kids will be glad you did!