Once the norm, but today keeping a family cow in our western nations is rare, and considered an eccentricity of a few longing for a more wholesome and home-bound life.

Keeping a family cow is certainly not for everyone. It definately doesn’t make for a “simple life” in that it makes life simple, but it does raise awarenes about the basics of life, and the importance to care for the things we may take for granted.

Keeping a family cow is the proverbial expression of mankind’s roots in agriculture. A farming history runs in the blood of most people on earth. Being stewards of the land and growing food in harmony with nature is the embodiment of truth, integrity, and … yes … love. Love for life, self, others, and nature.

Many of our livestock breeds seem to have retained a sort of genetic memory of the past symbiosis with, and mutual dependants on people, and we find that some breeds in particular thrive on the interaction with people. This is the case with the cattle breeds of the Alps. Most historic breeds of the region are a pleasure to own, are mild tempered, and very easy to interact with. This pleasant nature makes them a perfect choice as family cows, as it is a joy to live and work with them, and the cows seem to seek the contact with people themselves.

So, for a lucky few who take the plunge, these cows are once more the pride, source of food, and livelihood of families.

For our farm, we have chose the following four Alpine breeds. These breeds are of ancient descents from probably a common ancestor, but isolated in the various valleys of the Alps, have evolved into different types able to meet different needs. The root of our breeding program is the Braunvieh from Switzerland, which we intend to cross to Tiroler Grauvieh from Austria until our future offspring will be nearly pure Grauvieh.  The Braunvieh is a wonderful breed, but we desire a cow of smaller statue. Since the Grauvieh does not exist in Canada, our Braunvieh will serve as surrogates to found the Grauvieh breed in Canada through artificial insemination. Out Tarentaise bull from the French Alps will service any cows not in our “upgrade” program.

The farmhouse in 2008. The first white Christmas in decades.

The Alps – the great white mountain range systems of Europe is world famous for many things. Stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east, through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany, all the way to France in the west. Its highest mountain is Mont Blanc, at 4,808 meters (15,774 ft). This region cradles cultures reaching as far back as Roman times, and is overflowing with rich traditions.

Included in its traditions are cheese and creamy chocolate, and the beautiful cows whose milk provides the basis for these mouthwatering foods. The cows of the Alps are exemplified by wearing big brass bells, and hardly a person having visited this region in summer can forget the constant melodies of distant cow bells echoing in the valleys and mountains. In bygone times these cows were the pride of every mountain farmer and an integral part of the family – providing food and livelihood.

Almabtrieb in Switzerland - bringing the cows home for winter.

Our new Tarentaise yearling bull arrived from Gerald and Darlene Folkman of Westcan Farm in Alberta on January 3rd. 2010. He wasn’t in time for Christmas, but in time to ring in the New Year, and a new chapter in our breeding program.

It was love at first sight for our Braunvieh cow, while the young bull was glad to have some reassuring company. Thank you Gerald and Darlene for selling us this beautiful animal you had originally retained for yourself. Although it will be a while before we can see any offspring, their arrival is nonetheless very anticipated.

Colin and Natascha with the girls