Vermont's Green Mountains donned a heavy coat of white this week. 17" at our farm in Plainfield, with temperatures struggling to climb above 0 for over a week, -35 with the wind chill some mornings. But in Vermont , just wait a bit and the weather will change. Yesterday the temperature made it to 5 above, the wind stopped, and for a little while we were graced with sun.

Grand Champion Cow/Calf Shat Acres Cinnamon Raisin with twins Shat Acres Crimson and Shat Acres Clover, the only time a Highland Cow has won this award with not one, but two calves at her side. This Grand Championship was the first of Cinnamon Raisin's many NWSS Grand Championships, multiple AHCA point show Championships, as well as Supreme Championships.

Look who made the front page of the Saturday Times-Argus!

Shat Acres Raisin Pie with her third set of twins, William and Wallace! Raisin Pie is 10 years old with 11 live offspring.

William and Wallace were preceded by 2024 twins Ethan and Allen, who were preceded in 2019 by twins Rob and Roy, with singles every year in between. Pie’s first two set of twins were black. William and Wallace will both be brindle.

“I’m going to name her Jackie because today is my Dad’s birthday. His name was Jack.”

“She will be yours then.”

Although we had never met before, Ashley flung her arms around me, weeping as she said, “Thank you. I love her already.”

Now nearly eight months later Jackie left today for her new forever home with Ashley Shinkwin. But she didn’t go alone.

Away in a Manger From our Fold to Yours, Merry Christmas and a Happy, Healthy New Year!

Blessed with Family, Friends new and old, our Highland beasts Great and Small, Capital City Farmers' Market Montpelier Vermont customers, Highland House Farm Stay guests, fellow Highland Breeders, and the Beauty that surrounds us every day, we are beyond Grateful.

Peace on Earth and Good Will to All!

When I was teaching first grade, on my classroom wall was this sign:

Mistakes are Wonderful Opportunities to Learn

Last year when we brought Rob and Roy, our six-year old twin Highland steers home from their summer pasture, Ray put them both into the trailer at the same time. When they arrived home and attempted to exit the trailer, Rob had stepped on his halter.

As you can see, trailer deboarding did not go well. Rob and Roy had outgrown the option of riding home in our 16' trailer together.

“Why did you drop him on his head? Why would you do that?” came the indignant cry from my grandson.

Our last calf of the 2024 season was due on July 5th. On July 3, 2024, I knew something was not right with how labor was progressing for Shat Acres Raisin Tart.

(for the full story, search "Phoenix Rising" or scroll back to January 30, 2025)

That afternoon, I made the call. "Ray, something is not right with Tart. I think you should put her in the chute and check her out. We need to see what is going on.”

This time on the World Stage. The results of the 2025 International Highland Virtual Show are in. Judged by Karen Dennis of Australia, there were 157 entries to the 2025 Virtual Show from 9 countries throughout the world. Judged solely by one photographic submission, the entries are an inspiring display of some of the best Highland cattle in the world.

You might wonder why we keep these six-year-old twin steers, when they might have been beef years ago.

Rob and Roy bring awe and joy to so many with their ton-sized physiques and gentle-giant personalities. Rob's horn spread is 69", Roy's 70".

Although many do, we do not feed our breeding stock treats. We want the treat to be combing and communion with humans. Treats are like candy to cattle, and if you are in the pasture with them, they grow to expect, and demand, those treats. We expect our cattle to respect our personal space, and get close for combing or cuddling when we want them to.

“Hello. This is the after hour vet.”

“Oh no!” And blurting out, “It just came out,” I slapped shut the lid on Ray’s phone.

It was 11:00pm and I had just hung up on our vet, who no doubt had been woken up to return my call. No time to think about that; I could call and apologize Monday morning.

Right now, there was only one thing to worry about. Was this calf that Ray and I (mostly Ray) had been struggling to extricate from incarceration inside momma for nearly an hour dead or alive.

Highland Cattle bring people together in the most joyful ways. Many years ago, a professional photographer from Maryland was visiting Vermont. He emailed and asked if he might stop by to take some pictures of our Highland cattle. He, his partner, and I had a lovely stroll around the pastures with our cows and calves, with both Owen and Annie snapping pictures as we walked and talked.

Soon beautiful pictures of our fold were sent to me along with a box of exquisitely fragranced and packaged soy candles. Through the years Owen and Annie have stopped to visit when in Vermont, either at the Farmers Market or here at the farm. This winter while in Vermont, another visit to the farm was planned by Owen and Annie.

Shat Acres Marilyn and Shat Acres Demi Moo chowing down on a dry second cut bale of hay.

Marilyn (black) and Demi (red) are both orphans as a result of the tragic loss of their mommas to mastitis. They are both weaned from their bottle baby days and are inseparable.

First of Fall Photo Drop

With leaves changing colors early and cows and calves posing at every turn it is hard to stop taking pictures of the mommas, babies, yearlings, and big poppi.

Peeka, our mini-Holstein, wagged her tail into the hearts of so many and was repeatedly proclaimed the cutest animal at the Fair.

Zora, our Highland/Beef Shorthorn Cow, bellowed incessantly but was forgiven for her loudmouth by vacuuming apples fed to her by visitors who grinned and giggled.

Brandy Boo, Zeus, and baby Cassandra not only charmed everyone with their cuteness but got an extra dose of socializing with halter training, getting used to strollers, wheelchairs, babies and senior citizens helping them to be ready to move to their forever homes.

Shat Acres has been sharing a Highland cow and calf with adoring visitors at the Champlain Valley Fair for 53 years. For over half a century one of our Highland mommas has shared a sawdust floored pen with her calf at McDonalds Farm for ten days.

Except when the pen is shared with two calves.

On August 22,2025 Shat Acres Raisin Pie strode confidently to the red-boarded pen followed by her twin boys, William and Wallace. She acted like she had been there before. Because she had. Last year Pie led twin bull calves Ethan and Allen into the same pen, to thrill the 2024 CVF visitors.

“This is disgusting! Ray, come quick, they're going to kill her.”

Just a few days prior we had found Shat Acres Destiny, four feet and udder facing upward toward the sky, belly distended and bloated, and near death. As she thrashed to get herself upright, we noticed one of her beautiful horns dangling and gyrating from the left side of her skull by a shard of bone. With her eyes wide with fear, the left side of her face was soaked with blood.

Getting ready for the Champlain Valley Fair with hoof trimming for Shat Acres Raisin Pie who will be at McDonald’s Farm for 10 days with 10-week-old twins William and Wallace. This will be Shat Acres' 53rd Year sharing a Highland Cow and Calf with some of the millions of people Ray Shatney and his dad, Carroll introduced to this majestic breed during their 59 years of raising and breeding Highlands.

Shat Acres Raisin Brandy, NWSS Grand Champion Cow/Calf, and Shat Acres Crimson 2011 NWSS Grand Champion Cow/ Calf with momma Cinnamon Raisin and twin sister Clover traveled the four hours round trip with Raisin Pie for pedicures and a comb out. All three ladies are daughters of Shat Acres Cinnamon Raisin. We are blessed to be able to carry on and offer genetics of the 12X Grand Champion, 3X Supreme Champion, most winning Highland cow Cinnamon Raisin.

Shat Acres Rob and Shat Acres Roy enjoying the sunset. Six year old twins, Rob and Roy weigh a ton each. With horn spans over 67” across, they are both Gentle Giants.

Their Dam is Shat Acres Raisin Pie. Rob and Roy were born in 2019. Twin bulls Ethan and Allen arrived in 2024. And in 2025? Twin bulls William and Wallace made their entry into the world on May 14th. We told Pie she does not have to do this again!

In our 59 years of raising Highland cattle, we never had a cow have two sets of twins, much less three sets!

And that’s a wrap!

Our 2025 calving season ended with Shat Acres Raisin Pie delivering a perfect red bull calf. While Pie greeted her newborn with a moo and a licking, I texted our vet letting them know our challenging calving season had come to a successful and very welcome ending. Having to work intimately with our vet on some heart-wrenching calving and mothering losses this year, they were as relieved as we were to hear that the happy ending had arrived.

These gentle giants weigh approximately 2200 lbs. each and bring joy to Highland House Farm Stay and farm tour guests every day. People driving by their pasture stop to take pictures and ask, "What are they?" What are they? Rob and Roy are six-year-old Highland steers.