Holly and Tom have been raising Registered Black Angus for over 40 years. Eight years ago, we decided to expand our cattle herd to include the American Aberdeen breed. We selected this breed for a number of reasons including their temperament and size, their ability to produce very high quality of beef from a grass fed program, and our ability to use our Registered Angus yearling heifers as breeding stock due to the low birth weights of the calves. We have worked to create a farm where our animals and their environment are our highest priority. In 2015 we were fortunate to have Stanley Moreau join our farm team. Stanley is a 4-H leader who brings 50 years of a variety of animal experience to our farm. Stan is a nutrition specialist and works closely with us on all aspects of our Angus and American Aberdeen operation. Through his skills we have successfully competed in numerous Angus and American Aberdeen shows.
Homestead Farm was started in 1979 when Holly, Tom, and Heather moved to Pownal. Over the years we expanded our pastures, built several barns, and enjoyed sitting on our back deck watching the mothers and their babies graze. Throughout this span of 40 years, our focus has driven us to refine and create an environment where our Angus and American Aberdeen cows are always cared for as a first priority. We are dedicated and determined to maintain excellence in every aspect of our farm. During the summer, our animals are grazed on an intensive rotational grazing pattern, in the winter, they are housed on manure packs in three sided barns. Humane treatment is the norm.
At the present time, Homestead Farm consists of 60 acres at the homestead which is used for pasturing and housing. We maintain, through leases and other arrangements, another 150+ acres which is used for hay production. All of our fields and pastures are soil tested every year and maintained with organic fertilizers and nutrients. We produce over six hundred round bales of grass feed for our winter feeding all of which is wrapped and stored at the farm.