Eliza’s mother, Toni Lake, established our herd of Highland Cattle in 2007 with four heifers: Bonnie, Annabelle, Clementine, and Primrose. In June 2011 we added to the herd, purchasing three cows with lovely names we never used, who we instead referred to as Momma Red, Momma White, and Momma Dun.

Since then, these wonderful mothers and a rotating cast of bulls have been joined by a bevy of baby calves and the calves’ babies, who all grow like crazy.  Some have become or will be part of the breeding herd, and some become part of the beef business that supports the farm.

We have a new crop of calves each year, with each year assigned a letter, so as to simplify both the naming process and our ability to easily know the age of  each animal. And we try, sometimes successfully, to link the names to their mother’s.  Here’s the list of the babies who’ve been born since we began breeding:

• 2011: Asterix, Arthur, Abigail, Aria, Aoife, and April
• 2012:  Cinnamon, Cosmos, Cecelia, Cairo, and Clyde
• 2013: Disco, Denali, Daisy, Dehlia, Darling, Devin, and Djibouti
• 2014: Earnest, Elephante, Egg, Eyelet, Echo, Enormous (“Norm”), and Eritrea
• 2015: Fred, Franz, Fergus, and Fiona (the bull hadn’t done his job well that year)
• 2016: Gregory, Grayson, Georgia, Ginger, Gordie, Gertie, Grommit, and Gracie
• 2017: Hope, Hughie, Hellebore, Huevo, Hephaestus, Harry, (Clove) Hitch, Heidi, Honeybelle, Hammond, and Hamilton
• 2018: Iona, I-lette, Idli, Iambe, Iggy, Icarus, Ivan, Ian, and Iris
• 2019: Jamie, Juniper, Jellybean, Jasmine, Jicama, Jiffy, Jalapeno, James (Brown), Johnny (Jump Up), Julius, and Jillie
• 2020: Katie, Kiwi, Kippy, Kenny, Kohl(rabi), Kumquat, Koko, King, Kevin, Kay, Kermit
• 2021: Limon, Lola, Lorna, Lewis, Larry, Lily, Lyra, Lonesome, Lorraine, Leia, Lucy, Loop, Lapin
• 2022: Melody, Memphis, Macrame, Mary, Mandy ‘Mandalorian’, Monty, Moira, May, Mini, Mango
• 2023: Nessy, Nymphadora ‘Tonks’, Nectarine, Nicki (Minaj), Nippet, Nick, Niçoise, Natalie
• 2024: Oldooz ‘Doozie’, Olivia, Oliver, Orange, Opal, OshKosh, Oldooz ‘Doozie’, Olivia, Omelette
• 2025: Perseus, Persephone, Paploo, Peep, Puffer, Peter, Percussion, Penelope, Pin, Petrucio, Plum, Pomme, Polly, Prudence, Paddy
• 2026 (so far): Qui-Gon, Quiche, Quince, Quarkie, Queenie, Qorbibi, Quest…

Of course, as is true on any farm, some animals are around for a long time, and some are not.  We are grateful for their contributions to the farm’s viability, enjoy their presence greatly, and enjoy the work they do to keep our rough pastures open.  We expect to maintain the herd with at least 35-40 animals, but the numbers wax and wane.