Next stop on the farm tour was Freedom Farms.

Freedom Farms raises Dexter cattle, an endangered breed originally from Southern Ireland.  Dexters are the smallest true cattle, suitable for a small farm where a mixed use cow is important.  The Dexter is both a milking and meat cow, producing milk that is high in butterfat and a great tasting meat.

If you have ever wondered, we found out that nose rings are required for bulls over one year old if they are to ever enter a show ring.

Freedom Farms runs a breeding program with their cows and takes them to shows all over the country.  Most of the cows are shown by kids through 4H programs.

The cows are imprinted within twelve hours of birth, then the cow/calf pair are left completely alone for two weeks.

There are currently only 750 red dexter cows in the world, which highlights the importance of Freedom Farms’ breeding program.  The cows are bred at fifteen months, so the numbers can only increase at a slow increment (although during the birthing season the farm has one calf every ten days).

Freedom Farms had a couple of freezers full of Dexter beef for sale during the tour.

Mike and Noel were all over it, everything from ground beef to liver.

In late breaking news, Freedom Farms is now for sale…