Miniature Hereford : Herd for Sale

After much thought and consideration, I have decided to offer my entire herd of registered miniature Herefords for sale.

I am willing to do a very good deal if the entire herd is purchased as a whole this fall.

The herd consists of several mature horned cows, all productive, a polled bull, 5 polled heifers of varying ages. A polled bull calf. 11 total animals.

Please visit my web-page at www.nyminiatureherefords.com

As all of you know, I love these animals, and have raised them by hand...they provided me with a good extra income, very little work and expense (after the initial purchase) and have paid for themselves many times over in the past 7 years.

Several events have happened in the past year, and now different opportunities are presenting themselves to me and my daughters....
I am not afraid of change; I embrace it. For the past is no longer viable; all I have is here now as I sit at this computer....tomorrow, will be a gift. I do not know what the future holds, all I do know is not to hold too tightly onto the past.

If anyone is seriously interested, please contact me directly...please no tire kickers, dreamers or storytellers.. I simply do not have the time.....these are great cattle, and will be a fantastic start or addition for anyone. All animals will be vet checked and shipped with all interstate health and shipping papers.

Of course, if anyone is still looking for one or two animals, or the package deal I  have on the web-site, they are available as well.

Thanks all for hearing me out.

Diane

Miniature Herefords For Sale

Finally! Welcome back.

After almost an entire year of being off line and unable to market and therefore support myself and my two daughters with my livestock business, we are finally up and running once again!
Although I was not allowed to sell any animals during my divorce proceedings, I am now happy to say I am legally the sole owner of Middleground Farm and the herd of registered polled  Miniature Herefords that was begun in 2005.
I have to share with you all; as you know my daughters and I went through a very difficult time this past year dealing with all sorts of nasty divorce issues...and as most of you know, my ex husband had little to nothing to do with the cattle...except to complain endlessly...his only interest, ironically, was after he was told to leave...and it involved money.
Now I had purchased the animals back in 2005 originally, picked them out, arranged for shipping from West Texas, vetted them, etc etc. I built the barn we still use today, by myself. Built the fences. Pulled out calves, vetted the animals, marketed and shipped...Pretty much did 99% of the work involving the cattle, and I liked it. It was my passion, my therapy, and it contributed to my family by paying the taxes , putting braces on my daughter, improvements to the property.
After my ex left for good, he started monitoring the blog and web site...looking for money.
The sites came down or to a standstill.
Greed was the game, and I have to say he made a complete ass out of himself when he insisted to his attorney in a city courthouse 
 that I was "hiding" several breeding bulls that had been sold and transferred by the AHA ,off the farm for years!! I couldnt help but laugh out loud right in the guys face! Neither man had a clue as to what he was talking about; and it only proved his complete ignorance as to what was going on on his own property ...but thinking he was entitled to half of the apparent "wealth" of the "cattle business" LOL!!
Needless to say, he got the Harley, I took the cattle . Everyone happy. Mine will appreciate every year with new babies, his will depreciate every year. Whatever.
I have an amazing group of animals I would like to offer...all polled all heifers except for a very fine polled bull calf....I normally would keep the better polled animals, but I am content to keep my brood cows that have been so good and profitable for me and offer instead excellent quality polled young stock to the market.
Our weather holds here in the east for shipping until about December....my issue is barn space. Believe me if I could house all my polled young stock through the winter and sell them as bred heifers next summer, I would. They would also cost alot more. And everybody is always looking for cattle in the spring...
So now is your chance to get a really good deal if you are considering buying additional young stock to add to your existing herd, or starting a small herd for yourself.
My barn can house 8 comfortably...I have 11 animals. Everyone must have shelter. I am not in the position to build another barn yet.
If you are looking to buy, I am more than willing to deal extremely fair.
I also have our herd sire for sale...we have used him 3 seasons, and its time for new blood. He is a fourth generation polled Long Creek bull. If you are tired of dehorning or just don't want horns period, he is your bull. All my babies from him are out of horned dams and every one is polled. Clean.
Please check my new web-site (still just getting going...) I am now listed as
www.nyminiatureherefords.com.  I am also getting a Facebook page up as well as Middleground Farm and hope to keep current with photos news and videos...
I am happy to help and answer any questions you may have, please do not hesitate to call !
Thank you everyone for your sticking with me this past year, your patience and understanding.
Diane Baron
Middleground Farm
Registered miniature Herefords
Lima New York
Cell: 585-314-6620

How to correctly place a tree.

Advice from Landscape Design Services at Middleground Farm, Lima, NY

Make sure you like where that tree is going...once its growing, you will not want to move it.
 Will it provide shade? Take up excess water? Soften the corner of a home? Provide something nice to look at in the winter months?
Will it drop flowers, leaves, fruit of branches on walkways or patios?
Will it provide shade to park a car under, or a place to hang a swing?
Will it grow where you want it to?
 Is it the right tree for the right planting environment? Wet, dry, soggy...
Will it deal with refected heat from a street, parking area or brick building?
Will it grow into overhead utility lines and be hacked at by the utility companies as it matures?
Will it take alot of wind?
Will it offer privacy?
Will it eventually hit your house on a windy day?
Will it flower, or have gorgeous fall color?
Will it hold its leaves late into the winter?
How tall will it eventually grow?
How wide will it spread?

There are many considerations when selecting the proper tree to plant around a home or property.
I hope these will help.
Try and find a reputable nursery, or do your online homework first before purchasing any nursery stock.
Make sure you now your planting zone, and are aware of micro-climates around your home.

Next up:

The correct way to dig a hole. (for a tree)
(Yes, there is a right and wrong way to do even that!)

Miniature Herefords and the Human Condition

     So here's a bit of a bend to the general musings of cattle and farm life I think....lately, due of course to my current situation, I've have been so burdened by the seemingly countless broken homes and broken families and the unfortunate casualties .... the children.
     You see, when I was growing up, parents were the bastion of stability. When our parents chose to marry and have families, they understood it was work at times, not always fun, but ultimately the best for the FAMILY as a group, a unit, a herd. I do not recall seeing much selfishness or self-centeredness in my home. In fact, I don't recall hearing much of "Ï" or "me"or ""I'm not this..." or "Ï "want/need that..."
     We were taught (mostly by example) as children to put others first, empathy, care and respect for others.
     Today's adults, parents in particular, seem more interested in the "me" instead of the ""us", or benefits, of the collective; aka: "family unit""
    . Calling it as I see it, this generation of adults, in my eyes, is the most self-serving selfish group (and I am talking about my generation) that ever was.
      My cattle stand in the pasture, several generations, grouped together, grooming each other, calling for each other, standing collectively together, because they know they are so much better off as a group than on their own. I have never seen a calf or young cow wandering off by itself, cast out or forgotten. I have never seen one of my cows or bulls ignore a family member, or abandon its young. I have seen and heard the grief-stricken calling for days after a still born calf, or a separated calf at weaning.
      Tell me, why is it animals care so much for each other, simple as they appear to us, and yet we, as humans, so superior in our capacity to think and reason, do not?
       This is a great mystery in my mind, as I see young men set out of their homes, wandering the roads, sleeping in barns, nowhere to go, no fathers to shadow. I see it with the young girls and women, whose example of father is a man consumed with lust, driven from home and family, caring only for the next new thing or thrill. I see mothers leaving their husbands and children behind, restless, looking for new excitement....until that new grows old, and the cycle repeats, over and over, leaving broken spouses, broken homes, broken children, and financial devastation in its wake.
     Broken has come to my home as well, as most of you who follow this blog know, and the cycle continues, repeats and goes on. My two teenage daughters struggle with a father that is no longer there, and look to other men for validation and comfort, which, as you can well imagine, is a very dangerous road to be on. I see the children of other broken homes, homes ripped apart by selfishness, an entire generation of young people set adrift. These are the young people who will someday be taking care of us as we grow old and frail.
     What will we have taught them? What will we really expect from the generation of children who have seen self serving and self gratification as the ultimate goal in life?
     How do we expect the next generation to care for us, if we cannot even be bothered to care for them long enough to see them to high school graduation?
     I shudder at the thought.

The Miniature Hereford; Therapy and Connection with 4 Hooves

So my biggest dearest cow, Miss Piggy, is very close to calving. This will be her 5th calf, she is 7 years old. A dearly beloved cow, she is my one and only original from Point of Rocks Ranch back in 2005 when this all began.
     Miss Piggy is sweet natured, low and stocky. With a beautiful head, pigmented eyes and perfectly turned horns, she is a sight to behold. Her back is so broad and straight I frequently rest a mug of coffee on top while doing chores...she doesn't seem to mind one bit.
     Anyway, I was out in the pasture giving her the up close once over (aka. any excuse to stay outside) and checking to see how close she was to calving. I stood next to her, half daydreaming, rubbing her coat, and pulling off little dull wads of winter coat that had not completely fallen off yet. I noticed slick shiny hide along her top line. The exceptionally warm March and April kind of messed with their shedding, so they are somewhat rubbed of, with little balls and tufts of winter still reluctant to go.
     She stood, motionless, with her nose almost to the ground. Not chewing, not moving, almost holding her breath. I'm not sure who was benefiting more; her from the scratching, or me from the mindless daydreaming as I stood there next to her.
     I stopped.
     She stopped.
     She slowly turned her great head toward my leg, and ever so gently wrapped her neck around my thigh.
     "Please don't stop".
Motionless, she waited for me to resume the scratching.
So eloquent, so simple her request, I began again running my gloved hand along her top line, over her neck, and along her great brisket.
She was a still as a statue.
The birds were singing.
A warm late afternoon breeze was blowing.
The sun felt good on both of us.
I gave her a few pats on the neck, and told her she was a "good girl"and that soon she would be a momma again.
Walked out of the pasture, and towards the house.
I'm quite certain I walked right past the house and out back along the fence line.
Its just so hard to go inside on a beautiful day.
Its just so gentle being around my animals, Gods creation. Nature. Sunshine. Peace.
It was a horrible rough winter for my heart.
The spring is most welcome, I think, by all here on the farm.

Who needs therapy when you are so very blessed?

Miniature Herefords and the Theraputic Effect

Ok. Here goes. Probably due to a bit of adult ADHD (aka: mind all over the place...) and an insatiable curiosity, I am delving into a bit of unfamiliar territory...one that has fascinated me for quite some time; frustrated me for unknown reasons, and one that keeps me going back out to the barn, or to walk the fence lines on an almost daily basis.

Its the therapeutic effect of animals on humans. Simply said. Not much written on it in regard to large animals like cattle; horses are used in therapy programs, we certainly know the proven benefits of pets, especially on the housebound, mentally challenged, ill or elderly.

But what is it that drives some of us to keep cattle? The some of us who proclaim to find a "therapeutic benefit" to caring for them,? Certainly they can consume time, and if time is what you are lacking, then I don't recommend cattle. But perhaps, if you have no time to spare, perhaps, just maybe, you are too busy, and we all know what that leads too....stress. And I think we all know what stress does to the body after years. Its not good.

Now chasing around loose cattle is no fun at all. Stressful yes. Same as trying to pick up fish that are flopping around out of the tank. But cattle are not meant to be loose, fish are not meant to be flopping around on the floor. What? Why do they put fish tanks in offices? Especially medical or dental offices? Because they CALM people down who watch the fish . So why do some people love to watch cattle grazing in the pasture? Because they calm people down.

Here is a bit of research I found fascinating...I think you may as well....


Biophilia hypothesis:

#The biophilia hypothesis proposes that humans have an innate attraction to other living things, such as nature, animals, other people. From an evolutionary standpoint, attention to animals enhances a person’s chance of survival because animal behavior acts an environmental soldier, alerting others to safety or danger.

#Living creatures also provide a pleasant external focus for a person’s attention which creates a calming and relaxing effect (Gullone, 2000). Looking at pets can reduce anxiety and invoke calm, which is the reason so many health practitioners place fish tanks in their waiting rooms

Just one article I found on this subject. Very little is written about owning livestock as a stress reliever, but I have come across more than enough people who do own large animals that state the same fact over and over...they relieve stress.

Ever check out some of the working ranch vacations online? Do so, and read the testimonials . They seem to be a life altering "vacation", capable of bringing about a deep emotional reaction from some of the participants. One of my favorites is the Dryhead Ranch (never been there but I'd sure like to go..) Visiting their web-site has brought me literally to tears...why such a deep emotional response? What is it that moves us to our very core when it comes to nature, animals, music or art?

Why people choose to have animals, pets or livestock, I believe, is a deeply personal choice. No one can tell another that something is not worthwhile, or beneficial, to another, providing it harms no one.

Personally, I would rather hire a housekeeper than a herdsman; rather fix the fence and vet the animals than hire someone else to. Days go by when its all I can do to drag myself inside...I just love being out of doors, and, I guess, outside of walls, too!

I am now starting to paint, using the cattle and my immediate surroundings, as subject matter. I am currently working on a Miss Piggy portrait, and will post it online as soon as it is done. The farm and the cattle, the woods, grass lanes and fence lines continue to provide me with endless fascination and subject material.

I am welcoming myself home, again.

As Spring Arrives on Middleground Farm

As spring slowly rolls in, it always makes me think of how I could do things differently, more efficiently, better for me and the animals. This past winter was a real blessing weather-wise, as we had so little snow. I dont even think the ground froze for long, and just yesterday I threw clover seed out on already-growing pastures.

The cattle are making quick work of their rangey ragged winter coats; its almost as if they can not throw them off fast enough. A week of record temperatures in the 70's has really pushed us into a premature spring!

While the balmy weather is welcome after months of vitamin D deprived grey (aka: Rochester NY winter), it is a bit hard on the cattle as they stand panting in the sun under their winter hair. There is no shade to be found, as the trees have yet to leaf out. It is kinda weird.

This winter went by quickly for us here at the farm. No snow to plow, and the wood lasted with some to spare thankfully. My deep sadness has also embraced a new begining, and I now find myself looking forward to the future and all its possiblities. Its as if God Himself has said, "its enough". For my greif was great at the loss, but God is faithful, and now, looking back, I can truely understand the parable of the footprints i n the sand, where there is only one set of footprints, that is truely where He carried me.

And so here I am now. Expecting a few calves this spring and summer, the fences will be pounded and pulled, ratchted and braced. I was fotunate to find enough hay for the winter and early spring, which was delivered right to my driveway and unloaded; my ever so kind neighbor moving it around for me the next day. I wont mess with small bales anymore, or round bales, as they are difficult to store and feed...but prefer the large rectangular bales. We use approx. one 800# bale a week for the animals (8, differnt ages) so its farely easy to estimate what we will need.

The barn did not get pitched out this winter, instead I opted to bed on top of things to keep them off the damp ground. Needless to say, a loader and truck will be doing that chore as soon as things dry out.

Thankfully all the animals came through another winter in good flesh and fit.

And so did my girls and I.

Miniature Herefords, Real Men, and Life as I know It

So here it goes.

We have had a very soft winter; meaning very little snow, the driveway needing to be plowed only one time, my daughter has unhooked the plow from the 4wheeler already (thanks Al!)

The pastures need a rest, as they have taken a lot of abuse from the constant punching from hooves all winter since the ground never really froze for very long. Frost seeding is in order!

The posts need to be straightened and pounded in from several years of heaving and wire stretching...this is the first year my fence has not been torn down from drifts since its been built!

I have had offers of help from many, and I so appreciate it. It is nice to know there are still men, real men, out there that would be more than happy, willing and able to swing a chainsaw and run a loader for a day just for the exercise! And i am grateful!

Although perfectly capable of doing so myself, its just so much more fun with two than going it alone. And with our easy iPhone computer sit on your ass all day society, guys seem to want to get out and do "man work". Go for it! Real sunshine, don't get that in a gym....working all day outside, throwing stuff around, sweating, getting dirty, strong....ripped. Ok, I do realize theres guys reading this as well, but hey, don't think us women don't appreciate a man being, well, a man!

Sure we like the suit and tie; sure we like the clean just out of the shower sweet soft and sexy. But sexy man is a man who is a man, works like a man, acts like a man (man-whores do not qualify...) smells like a man, and has the muscle and heart to provide, produce and protect like a man.

And you know what....? I do believe those guys are still out there. And although they may have a woman standing right beside them working just as hard, throwing firewood, or pounding in fence posts, there is a very clear, unspoken sense of whos the man and who is the woman. Teamwork . And, it definitely has its benefits later, if you get my drift....

There is nothing quite as satisfying as spending a day working with your man on some project...figuring things out, lending a hand, running for tools or parts. Cutting and splitting wood for the family for winter, standing back to admire the pile...helping to change a belt on a mower when 3 hands are needed instead of two...fishing a small part out of a Harley because your hands are smaller than his, and you dont mind digging around in the oil to help retrieve it..

Its even biblical.

"Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor. For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up. Furthermore, if two lie down together they keep warm, but how can one be warm alone? "

Ecc. 4:9-11

Miniature Herefords and the Human Condition

There are many reasons people over the millenium have kept livestock. In biblical times and before, livestock was a sign of wealth. Wealth should be able to compound (thats how wealth accumulates....) so before there were banks and compounding interests, there were the original "stocks", who would produce little "dividends" yearly if all went well.

Sounds simple to me.

So for those of us who prefer to be out of doors (i.e. outside) instead of indoors (i.e. never ending work), and like working with "stocks", having a few head of cattle is a real and viable way to accumulate wealth. Ted Turner knows this, so does Ralph Lauren; they both live on large landholdings out west, raising, you guessed it, cattle! (and horses probably; I have seen both their ranches and livestock --just not in person)!

To me, being outdoors is truly connecting to life itself. The dirt under my feet, the smells of the earth, the sun, the rain, snow wind warmth,; the cycle of plowing, planting, birth and death...we are all a part of it, whether we like it, acknowledge it or disdain it......all of it. It is to truly engage with being, "living" alive.

Now don't get me wrong, I do enjoy the city and arts, culture (I grew up in suburban NJ, just 40 miles from New York City), great food and good music. Love it. The hustle and bustle and excitement.

But I cant live with concrete under my feet.

I don't "live" within four walls.

I don't follow the crowd.

Sure I can comply.

Sure I can "fit in" dress up, talk the talk, engage.

I like to think I am informed, concise, articulate.

I take my kids to the rodeo.

I take my kids to the Philharmonic.

I take my girls to NY City and Rockefeller Center

I take them to the Susquehanna State Forest 4wheeling.

We go to the Jersey Shore.

We watch Jersey Shore.

We watch PBR, NFL, NHL, Professional Boxing, Nova and Frontline. The American Experience.

We watch The Bachelor and Family Guy. (!)

Life is to be lived. Experienced. Hands on. In it. Sometimes life is clean, done up, dressed up New York Times; sometimes life is knee-deep in mud and manure helping a struggling new born calf to its feet.

That is one of the reasons I keep cattle. Because its all about life. And living. And watching my stock. And the "works of her hands". At least there is something to show for my time here on earth that is good, along with my home, my children; a garden....

"Moreover the profit of the earth is for all: the king himself is served by the field." Ecc 5:9

The Best Medicine....

As you all know, I have been faced with some of life's harshest realities over the past 6 months. A life that was revealed to me and my children of lies and infidelity.

Of course the pain and grief over a loss that simply will not go away (unlike death, which slowly heals after burial...) is seemingly never ending. With my tears and great grief came the repeated declarations from friends and family that "you MUST get on some sort of medication to help with your depression!"

I assured them that I was not suffering from depression, but only from a broken heart; never the less, I finally gave in to the nagging and asked my physician if I should, indeed, be "on something?" (Medication Nation!!) Finally, she prescribed me some Zoloft and told me to begin taking it at half dose for the first week. I really did not want it, but decided maybe I should take "something", after all, "who wouldn't be depressed?" "Depressed" is not what I was, in no uncertain terms. I was heartbroken, pissed, disgusted, repulsed, completely blown away. Can you say "stupid?" well, I guess I was then; now its someone elses turn for stupid. Wiser now, my daughters and I will deal with issues of trust for a long time.

So I take a half dose of this medication, only to feel worse than ever afterwards.

I take the prescription bottle back to my doctor and tell her I don't really want it, nor do I feel I need it, as again I state, I am not "depressed" and believe in fixing a problem, not masking it with a prescription pill, as so many in America do these days. (Prescription drug abuse, especially among those who are involved in the medical professions, is a huge issue in our society today).

She then goes on to speak these magical words that probably very few physicians today speak...she told me:

"Diane, the best thing for you to do is to keep doing what you are doing, that is get outside every day as you do, take care of your cattle, get out in the sun and fresh air. Work with your hands and stay involved with the things that make you happy, which will keep you physically and mentally fit."

And she was absolutely one hundred percent right.

No medicine in the world will give you the satisfaction that one gets from the "fruits of ones labor". No anti depressant will take the place of a beautiful sunny morning, birds signing, a warm February breeze...the cattle running with glee, or dozing in the sun on the snow. The satisfaction of knowing the animals are well, calves are on the way, the wood is in before the rain comes, the gutters are all working, your house is in order. There is a satisfaction money cannot buy; no drug can offer, no tattoo can mask, no car can provide, the satisfaction of knowing that what you put your hand to is good, and that the results will be of benefit to yourself and others, that what you do with your time here on earth is decent and good; and will bring happiness and health to yourself and others. Tearing down, breaking apart families and homes for selfish desires, divorce, lies, drugs, all hurt people. Who will find true lasting happiness at anothers expense?

There is a reason the Amish have very little depression in their society...they are simply too busy taking care of things; their work, their families, their faith. True happiness, I believe, comes from serving others, not serving yourself. EMPATHY.

So my little foray into the Medication Nation halted on day one.

I think I WILL take my doctors advice, and "keep doing what your doing"

Because I know it is good, just, right and healthy. It benefits me and my children.

And that is GOOD MEDICINE for the heart body and soul.

"She considers a field and buys it; with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.."She looks well to the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness..."

Prov. 31

Still, words of wisdom.

Thank you to all

Thank you to all who have watched my blog over the years, the stories and musings, sharing the triumphs and some of my deepest despairs.

Months have passed, late summer has passed into what was a beautiful but heartbreaking fall; winter rolled in gently, and gratefully is easing its way into hopefully an early spring....

It is an unfortunate fact that my blog, my livelihood, was being "monitored" by a certain someone who is a too-active participant in the demise of my marriage presently... some one who, and I quote .."was crying in the motel and dreaming of divorce and your children".

So as one can imagine, I have been very busy protecting my home, children and livestock from this gold-digging home-wrecker by remaining vague about the details of my present life. I certainly do and will continue to protect my children and the way I support them from any person so lacking in character, morals and quite frankly, intelligence.

Be that what it may, life will go on for us here on the farm. The pastures will green up, the barns will get cleaned out, the fences checked, the babies will come, and my children will continue to grow and mature into decent, moral and caring young women . They certainly have had the unfortunate opportunity to see firsthand what lying, cheating and adultery can and does do to a family, and they assure me that they have a great example of who and what they do not want in a husband and or a marriage. How very sad.

Like a hard pruning, I know this is for a greater good for my children and I. What has been revealed to me over the past months has been almost unbelievable; apparently the old saying holds true," once a cheater, always a cheater"... What goes around comes around.

With that I look forward to new beginnings. Faithfulness, joy in the small things that money cannot buy. A new calf, an Oriole building its nest; sunrises and clouds, sweeping storms. Laundry on the line, my girls growing into adulthood, laughter, swimming in the pool, maybe a horse or two. For all too soon they will leave the nest , a few more years they will be off to college, off to start their own lives, taking with them all the experiences of their childhood.

Peace love and joy.

I appreciate you all sticking with me through this.

Gratefully,

Diane

Prepare Your Work Outside

...and make ready for yourself in the field; Afterwards, then, build your house. Prov. 24:27

Ever wonder what that means? To me, it means set your self up to provide for yourself and your family first (as in the days when agriculture and livestock were a sign of wealth), then build your comforts; house, etc. For without the income, who can have the rewards?