Dirigo Ranch Beef & Cattle | Dirigo Ranch
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Raise Em' Up

We currently run a mixed herd of beef cattle predominantly including Texas Longhorns and Herefords, with a couple of Highlands mixed in. 

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Why the variety?

We run a "boutique beef" program at the moment. What started as a hobby, and desire for more locally raised meat options, has grown quite a bit. We began by selecting breeds of interest to determine what qualities we liked best, and have narrowed it down to the two herds we intend to run. 

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We have invested in a breeding Hereford bull, Tonka, along with a Registered Texas Longhorn Bull, Son Of A Sinner.  Each of them, we hope, will sire their own herd on our expanding pasture spaces. The Hereford herd will be for sustainable, grass-fed/grain supplemented beef production, while our Texas Longhorn herd will be dual purpose for beef and pedigree, spreading awareness and enthusiasm for the docile Longhorn breed in the Northeast.  Longhorns are known for hardiness, easy calving, good demeanor, and beauty, while Herefords are excellent beef producers, with tremendous size, marbling, and flavor.  Both breeds we are very pleased with! 

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Meet the Herd:

These cattle are part of our breeding program, or are not to be raised for beef.  While we do have other cattle in addition to these, the ones pictured below are long term residents.

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How are the cattle fed?

We are raising grass-fed cattle, that are supplemented with spent grains from our local brewery, Corner Point Brewing! 

We believe in providing our cattle a natural existence - allowing them free-choice hay (grass), forage in our woodlands during the growing season, and spent grains.  With how cold our winters can be here, we choose to provide them with spent brewery grains to help keep them warm.  "Beer-fed" beef means that the cows receive a highly digestible protein and energy source, and it is available year-round.  This is also a wonderful way to recycle a byproduct that is otherwise unused.  The cattle turn the hay and spent grains into beef as well as fertilizer, which in turn will compost for growth of new forage and grasses, and go into gardens! 

 

Our cattle are free-range.  They have space to roam individually, but are often happier snuggled together or moving as a herd. In the fall of 2023, we were able to rotate grazing pastures, and move them to a new hillside with a fresh water, naturally fed pond, adjacent to our property in Berwick! They are grazing there, and helping to fertilize the land so that even more nutrient dense grass will fill in come Spring!

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Our goal is to raise cattle responsibly, joyfully, and in a peaceful setting where they will be loved on from the minute they arrive here, until the day they leave us. We don't use any added hormones and our beef is always anti-biotic free.

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We want to bring you a beef product that is flavorful, balanced, tender, delicious and nutritious!  

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Well loved cattle make tender beef!

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Where's the Beef?

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We weren't expecting our cattle shares to sell out in less than 1 hour - so we have been quickly working on obtaining additional stock to meet demands. We hope to continue with rapid expansion of pasture area and herd size as time allows!

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All our beef is USDA or Maine State Inspected butchered, and we have all required permits through the state to provide you with pre-packaged meat either at the local farmer's market, or directly here at the ranch. 

 

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Want to get on the cattle share waitlist?

Visit our DR Stockyard & Supply Page!

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We have an e-mail sign-up on the bottom of the page:

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Watch the Cattle Grow:

YouTube: Cattle & Coffee

E-mail us Other Questions:

harperhomesteadme@gmail.com

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