BEEFALO VENTURESA Cold Winter's Day
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BEEFALO VENTURES: KLM Farm: KLM Farm brought the following 4 Beefalo to Fryeburg Fair this year; KLM Ranger, KLM Black Label, KLM Teaberry, and KLM Cherry Blossom. They had a good showing with KLM Ranger winning Sr. Champion Bull for A.O.B. KLM Farm wants to congratulate Becky Mullen of Kennebunk, Maine, on her purchase of KLM Flash. She is planning on crossing him with her Chianinas Becky is the granddaughter of Orrin Nest of Nest, Nest and Mullen butcher shop in Kennebunk, Maine KLM Smokey is out on loan to Walter Wormwood in Wells, Maine to breed his Angus cows. We are looking forward to their next years calves. We still have a bull calf available for a 4-H'er as a steer project. Here you can see Ken w/KLM Cherry Blossom and Me w/ KLM Teaberry Here I am w/KLM Ranger who was the winning Sr. Champion Bull for A.O.B. The 3rd picture this was take at Acton Fair Ken and I with KLM Ranger where he was Grand Champion bull, KLM Olive was Champion Female and won a silver plate. Beryl Mtn View Farm This has been a full year for us, we started the fall season with a wild rodeo of a herd check. The whole gang of grandchildren, spouses and friends Kelly & Rick helped us roundup each group. We had to play a bit of musical corrals, in order to get everyone in for their shots, dehorning, wormer, tattoos, snips and pregnancy checks. We were grateful no one got hurt (people that is, can’t say much for the once young bulls). We are also proud to announce that our stud muffins; grand sire “Smokey Quartz” and first year sires - junior bulls “Bart” & “Biki” are doing a great job, we should expect a good bunch of little ones arriving this spring! “Biki” is enjoying a new entourage of beefalo gals this fall, winter and spring. He is being leased by Tim & Blake Gowen – Tamarack Farm until June of 2016, at which time he will again be up for sale or another lease agreement. We have added several new registered full-blooded heifers with high bison marker verification to our breeding program this year, we are excited to see the color variation in future offspring that these new girls will bring. On a fun note...we chuckle to ourselves as we watch their winter coats starting to grow in, returning with them our beefalo’s full headed hairdos. A GLIMPSE FROM THE PAST: D&R Beefalo
Fall 1983 Hildegard Did you ever stop to think how fortunate we small farm beefalo farmers are over large farms and ranches? It’s possible to know all our animals as individuals. They often are not just numbers but will have names, and memorable personalities. For instance, has anyone ever had a Hildegard? Our Hildegard is the matriarch of our herd. She is the oldest, the largest, and always out front. She doesn’t need to be bossy because she is the boss. A little turn of her head left or right, or a short step forward tells the other beefalo her wishes. She always gets the most and best hay by checking each bale and keeping the best for herself. When we first got Hildegard we didn’t know she could tell time. We had always run our lives quite leisurely, sleeping late on the weekends and often working on a chore until dusk. She wanted to be fed Hildegard time. Early was OK, but don’t be late! She would just “hop” over the electric fence to munch on the lawn or a cabbage or broccoli plant. She would go right back when the hay was served. It was her way of putting us on her schedule. Hildegard doesn’t like to be touched or fused with. Strangers upset her. Imagine her anxiety when it was her turn to go through the chute at roundup time in the fall. The corral is six feet high, the gate five and a half feet. Hildegard cleared the top of the gate. It was quite a sight to see a huge animal like her jump that high. We just figured that was it for her fall work that year. But she has a weakness for grain, and knew there was a pail of grain in the chute. Back into the corral she went, down the chute for her share of grain, and then was caught to get her shots and a pregnancy check too. Dr. Leahy the veterinarian had the most amazed look on his face. Written By: Olga Bell Beefalo Ventures BMVF has 11 new 2015 Fullblood Beefalo calves. Our 17YO matriarch, Beryl Mt Garnet, blessed us with a beautiful, curly black heifer on 7/5/15. Garnet was the last of our ladies to calve this season. She is the “granddam” with several daughters, granddaughters, and great granddaughters in the current herd. "Garnet” is an own daughter of Peter Gunn; out of a daughter of Wrangler I, and Heloise by Red Man. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Jim Brooke of Circle B Farm in Westfield, PA reports that he still has his Beefalo, and plans to continue although he’s slowing down just a bit (Hey, Jim that sounds familiar for a number of us, at least you’re in good company). Jim has 2 Beefalo Bulls, and 3 cows that came from Sparticus Beefalo Farm in Eastsmithfield, PA in 2003. Since 2003 he’s raised 26 calves on his farm. Jim’s original bloodlines are from the following ancestry: Caeser – sire “Chena Legacy” #050358, his father’s semen came from “Dakota Chief”; dam, “Lotus” Angus Beefalo cross. Annie’s sire was “Olympus” #051311 and dam was “Chena Praline #051345. Brownie was sired by “Olympus”; and dam was “Chena Precious” #051346. On 5/22/15 at 7:30AM a white bull “Silver Bullet” 50lbs was born to Pompus Magnus, sire & Kalpernica, dam. Jim writes that they’ve “been dealing with “end of life” issues with our parents and our livestock, but we’re still here with our Beefalo and would like to share pictures and stories from the Circle B Farms.” He says that last year, “our two beefalo cows fooled me by NOT being pregnant, from one of my older “proven” beefalo bulls, so I coupled a young bull and young heifer (Beefalo) and came up with the “white Beefalo” here in May.” He put his older bull with the two older cows with expected calving in Feb/March next year. He says he’s ready for the COLD weather births in 2016, but he does like the calves to come in May/June when you don’t have to worry about cold stress and can get everybody out to pasture. As of the end of August, Jim says his hay is all in and animals are sensing Fall and Winter coming. He says that the "Silver Bullet" just got his horns, but is friendly as a pup. Although Jim’s trying not to think about the white stuff, he’s looking forward to the change. The flies and heat have been brutal, and worries about the spring water holding up have plagued the summer months. Jim says sorry he won’t be able to attend the Field Day due to distance and his being pretty much a “one man band”; but looks forward to sharing stories via the Newsletter, and knowing that there are other Beefalo lovers out there. He is thankful for the invitation and hopeful about next year. He wishes everyone an enjoyable Fall. If anyone is looking for Beefalo for sale please contact Jim. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lori-Lee & Ken of KLM Farm in Maine, report that KLM Ranger will return as a yearling bull to the Fryeburg Fair on October 4 to defend his title for Grand Champion AOB Bull. Lori-Lee & Ken will be taking 6 animals this year. They will have Beefalo offered for sale in the near future. Contact them at: [email protected]. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Olga reports that they (Olga & Ralph Bell) had 4 calves born on their farm this year, 2 bulls and 2 heifers. They also had a bull calf born in the Fall of 2014. Their grandson, Vince, who lives in Florida, stayed with them for the Summer and was a tremendous help on the farm. He’s already missed after having returned to Florida. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mountbrook Farm sold one of their Fullblood Beefalo bulls, “Bojo” to Doug Paddock from NY. Mary Jane reports that they have more bulls available for sale. Mary Jane & Richard Kittredge are proud grandparents again as they were blessed with a beautiful granddaughter on 9/1/15. Vivian was delivered via C-section and weighed in at 7lb and 10oz. Both mom and baby are reported to be doing well. Beefalo National News According to Kyle Skidmore, ABA Beefalo Show & Sale Chairman, the 2016 Kentucky Beef Expo National Beefalo Show and Sale will be February 17th-21st. Arriving exhibitors expected on Wednesday Feb 17th and Thursday Feb 18th. The Show is on February 19th and the sale on February 20th. For more info contact: [email protected]. (Not sure where in Kentucky this is being held). |