Meet Our Animals

We operate a cow/calf herd made up of Red Angus and registered Fleckvieh Simmentals. We raise Bluefaced Leicester sheep for wool and breeding stock, as well as some mixed-breed sheep for lamb meat and fiber flocks. We have a small herd of Boer goats to help with invasive weed management and two llamas, who act like livestock guardians. We have a small flock of Muscovy ducks, providing eggs, meat and cute ducklings, and we just started a small flock of heritage Narragansett turkeys to provide hatching eggs.

Red Angus

Red Angus cattle have good calving ease, meaning the mama cows are often self-sufficient and don’t generally need any assistance from us when they are giving birth. Calves have low birth weights when they are born and gain weight quickly on our pastures. They are easy going cattle and don’t usually get excited. In terms of meat, Red Angus beef is the same as Black Angus beef for quality and taste. We personally prefer the red color and the Red Angus seem to have superior heat tolerance. You can often find them up grazing in the middle of a hot summer day.

Fleckvieh Simmental

Fleckvieh Simmental is the breed that started Mike’s passion for animals. They are close to the old world genetics and are a well-rounded multipurpose breed. They milk well, raising large calves on pasture. They have excellent temperaments and are very easy going. They have varying color patterns, making it easy to distinguish individuals from afar. They range in color from yellow and white to red and white. We have a preference for the yellow color.

Bluefaced Leicester sheep are a unique breed in North America, raised mostly for their wool. The wool is prized by hand spinners and wool hobbyists, because of its long staple length and lustrous curls. Bluefaced Leicester sheep are cousins to the English and Border Leicesters. They are distinguished by the strong arch in their nose, their blue skin, and their high set ears. They do not have wool on their legs, bellies, or necks, making them easier to shear. They can be shy, but the ones who are bold enough to make friends with us love to have their faces scratched and will come to greet us in the pasture.

Boer goats are commonly raised for their meat. They are also excellent weed eaters. They graze behind the cattle and with our sheep, eating the things that they don’t want. This helps maximize our pastures to their fullest extent and prevents the weeds from taking over. They are super friendly and come to greet us at the gate. 

Our llamas, Coco and Snow live with the cattle. They always come up to greet you when you walk into the pasture. It’s their job to know what’s going on. 

Our Muscovy ducks are more like backyard duck pets. They spend the day hunting bugs, bathing in the pond, and free ranging in the area. They are well spoiled with treats and make quite the greeting committee for anyone entering the yard. Their language of head bobs, hisses, and trills adds to our peaceful background sound when we are working or relaxing outside.

Our turkeys are a new addition. We think they are pretty and have fun personalities. Their complex language of chirps, whistles, and gobbles is a nice addition to the natural sounds around us. We hope to have hatching eggs come spring.