My parents and grandparents were farmers. I was raised on a cow-calf beef farm in Southern Ontario. When my father passed away, our family farm was sold but I kept a pregnant cow, Annie with a calf, Daisy at her side.

I didn’t have a farm of mine own at the time, so I boarded Annie and Daisy with a local farmer. Poppy was born that spring (on the anniversary of my father’s passing, prompting my daughter to call her by the name she used to call my dad). Sadly, Annie passed away the next winter.

We eventually found some land, established a farm and brought Daisy and Poppy home. Today, Daisy and Poppy are the matriarchs of the herd.  I’m proud to be raising the same line of beef as my father so we called the farm Tradition Angus.

It has taken years to grow the herd because we don’t bring in any outside cattle. Everyone is born on the farm.  In addition to our cattle, we also raise free range chickens for meat and eggs, make our own maple syrup and grow our own fruit and vegetables.  One day, we hope to be reasonably self-sufficient and living off the grid.

Sharron