“What’s your schedule for today?”

This is a question Ray routinely asks me first thing in the morning. There are always unforeseen surprises on the farm, so we try to coordinate our planned obligations so that we can accomplish as much done of the required tasks as possible each day.

“I need to get the milk-saver ready to feed Demi and Marilyn, the orphan calves.

Tragically, we have two orphans this year. First, Danica lost her life to mastitis. And then our beautiful Maybelline, with the long angel wings hanging from her ears, succumbed to that same insidious mastitis bacteria. Despite treating them as soon as we discovered mastitis in their udders, the mastitis bacteria crossed the udder to blood barrier, and rapidly became systemic and deadly. The vet suggested we not let any other cows calve in that pen this year as perhaps antibiotic-resistant bacteria was harboring there.

Bunny looked at the new calf laying in the straw that she had just birthed moments ago. She was not aggressive, but appeared confused by the limp, wet creature in her pen. No licking to dry her calf, no mooing to encourage it to stand and nurse. Bunny seemed more concerned about what was happening in her own posterior than what was laying in front of her nose--that needed attention.

And who would blame her? Although this was the second calf she had birthed, Bunny was technically a first-calf heifer. On May 14, 2024 Bunny and I desperately needed help.

Shat Acres and Greenfield Highland Beef were honored to have our Highland House Farm Stay as a host site for one of Winooski Natural Resource Conservation District’s (WNRCD) May 19, 2025, Farmer Forums. Farmers are busy year-round, but especially in the Spring with planting, calving and machinery repair and preparations. Although the turnout was lower than expected, we were thrilled to be able to offer a tour of our Shat Acres regenerative intensive cell-grazing protocol, our cow/calf breeding stock and beef operation, as well as what makes Highland beef special.

Shat Acres Baby Album 2025. So far.

Blessed. Grateful.

Tongue Out Thursday! Can you do that?

Shat Acres Cinnamon Evangeline DOB 4-14-25

Dam: Shat Acres Cinnamon Eve

Sire: Skye High Glenn Rock

Granddam: Shat Acres Cinnamon Swirl

2004 NWSS Grand Champion Female

“We’ll give her ten more minutes.”

With a due date of March 31st, Zora had been in the maternity paddock for a few days. The barn was full, with Verbena and baby girl Black Velvet, Danica due to calve tomorrow, and Onyx past due on March 27th.

“Zora has milk in her udder. We’ll need to get her in the barn tonight.”

This little man is amazing! Naturally polled, so friendly, super healthy. So cute and fluffy, he looks like a stuffed animal.

Shat Acres Zeus: DOB 4-2-2025

Dam: Shat Acres Zora

Sire: Skye High Glen Rock

Zeus is 5/8 Highland x 3/8 Beef Shorthorn

Shat Acres Highland Cattle and Greenfield Highland Beef are proud to announce we have been awarded a 2025 Fund-A-Farmer, Animal Welfare Improvement Grant from Food Animal Concerns Trust (FACT).

This grant will allow us to create a dry pack in front of the barn to keep cows and calves clean and out of the mud. Because Highlands are a hardy breed, most of our cattle never go into the barn, except to calve, if they need vet care, or to fence-line wean the calves when they are six-months old.

At 11:30 pm on March 22nd I woke up and checked the Reolink app on my phone. Verbena was not in labor, but looked a bit uncomfortable, lying down, then getting up, and lying down again.

“She’s going to calve by morning,” I whispered.

At 1:43 am on March 23rd I checked the camera on my phone again.

And there it was!

We were lucky. Verbena presented a textbook calving. Delivery with no complications, a robust and vigorous calf, an experienced momma who knew just what to do, and a bright calf who already was heading for the milk bar.

Let me back up. Successful calving, easy or complex, is not just dependent on the day of arrival.

If you are raising Highland beef, you owe it to yourself to consider enhancing your production and bottom line with crossbreeding.

We have been using a pure, naturally polled Beef Shorthorn bull on Highland mommas for our beef market for over two dozen years. In Scotland this cross is so critical to the sustainabilty and preservation of their quality Highland genetics that it ii recognized as Luing, a breed in itself.

Why do we cross Highlands with Beef Shorthorn for our beef market? It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3!

Sunday Fun-Day! Picture day for some of the Shat Acres kids.

Why does Ray spend time combing and grooming our Highlands? So our Highland breeding stock can do what they do best—bring peace, smiles, joy and connection with animals, farming, the Earth, and each other.

Whether it is for Farm Tour visitors, Highland House Farm Stay guests, or those purchasing Highland cattle to improve their own folds, all Shat Acres cattle are genetically docile, people oriented, and humanely raised for just this purpose.

If you raise Highland Beef you have a special gift to share. In collaboration with Glean, we are able to offer some of our Greenfield Highland Beef to many facing food insecurity. What a blessing to help seniors, children, and others have access to delicious, healthy, local protein. We are grateful to Glean/Community Harvest of Vermont to find just the right place to share our product.

"Why did you drop him on his head?” came the indignant cry from my grandson.

The timing had been perfectly wrong.

“Stay right where you are, behind that gate. Don’t come any closer,” Ray had directed.

When my daughter and grandchildren arrived for a visit, they heard loud voices and a commotion coming from the barn. Hurrying up the hill toward the noise, they opened the gate and rushed into the alleyway. That’s when they were instructed to go no further.

“Get me a pair of gloves and the chains. And bring the lubricant.”

Shat Acres Raisin Tart was the last cow scheduled to calve in the summer of 2024. We use only natural breeding for our cow/calf farm. Our bull tells us when calves are due to arrive. We watch for the bull to ‘tail’ a cow, following her closely with his nose to her tail. If she is cycling, he will keep close company with her for 36-48 hours. Bulls are sneaky when it comes to completing their work, so we rarely witness the consummation.

Do you love fuzzy Highland Cows? Do you wish you could be close to them all the time? Or maybe have one of your own? Now you can!

We are proud and excited to share our new Shat Acres Swag Shop!

Caps, T-shirts, Hoodies, mugs, magnets and more--all sporting our logo with an image of Shat Acres Vickie, 2005 Roll of Excellence Female for the United States!

Let us know if there are any other products you would like to see our logo on!

The Green Mountain Boys are growing up! Twins Shat Acres Ethan & Shat Acres Allen have been bringing smiles and joy to so many, since the day they were born. Now nearly eight months old, they are weaned, halter trained, socialized and love being around guests staying at our Highland House Farm Stay and those visiting for a farm tour. These boys ooze the best of Shat Acres’ heritage Highland genetics.

Blessed to have Bear's incredibly docile personality, breathtaking frame size and conformation, and all the genetic traits that made him Grand Champion over and over again, still infusing our fold with his desirable traits.

Cinnamon Bear never suffered a day in his life. On January 1, 2020 Bear lay down amongst his beloved women and took his last breath. When Ray went out to feed the cattle that morning Bear was laying upright just like he wa

“Get the Vet!”

And I thought the most amazing Black Friday surprise would be the spectacular sunrise and beautiful photo ops after our first major snowfall.

Wrong.

Shat Acres Cinnamon Taffy did not calve on the due date I had written down for her. She did not calve during our entire calving season. We assumed Taffy would not produce a 2024 calf. Around the 1st of November Taffy began showing signs that she was bred. Quite bred. She was brought from general population closer to the barn. Three days ago, Ray moved Taffy into a clean, straw filled pen in the barn. Highlands are a hearty breed and most of our cattle live outdoors year-round--except when calving, being weaned, or for vet care. Ray had a feeling Taffy might be getting close to calving.

Twin Gentle Giants, Shat Acres Rob and Roy returned home today from their summer pasture. Rob said he was sorry for smacking Ray’s head with his 66” horn spread. Roy's are even larger at 67". According to Rob, it was an accident. It is always a challenge to get these two steers into and unloaded from the trailer. Weighing over a ton each, you don’t just whistle for them to come like a dog. If you can convince one of them to jump into the trailer, that first one in pretty much fills the trailer. Then brother has to climb in, joining his twin. Luckily the trip home is less than a mile. Rob and Roy are so bonded that we cannot make two trips, leaving one behind.

While Dorothy and the Cowardly Lion were Trick or Treating with grandchildren, Shat Acres Brandywine was delivering a Halloween surprise!

Here's the Trick: Brandywine did not calve this summer, and we thought she would not in 2024

Here's the Treat: In the morning we discovered Brandywine with a healthy new baby girl in the field.

Judge Henry Walter Prescott-Ballagh from New Zealand evaluated 251 photo entries from 44 folds, from 9 countries, awarding 1st-4th placements in each class. Prior to seeing the Judge's placements, breeders who entered animals into the show were invited to judge the classes, resulting in People's Choice Awards. It was most interesting to see how closely the People's Choice selections aligned with Judge Prescott-Ballagh's placements. The cream-colored photo edgings are Judge Prescott-Ballagh's choices, the yellow-edged photos are People's Choice awards.