Ohio Devons is a collaboration between Lamppost Farm, Marney Broderick, and Steve & Melanie Montgomery to display the quality of the Red Devon Cattle we have the privilege of raising here in Ohio. And, it is a place where buyers interested in the best quality, grass-fed cattle raised in America's Heartland can find more information about how they can complement and grow their herds as well. We desire to add other growers to this great list of Red Devons available in the state of Ohio, because "As Ohio goes, so goes America."
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Steve serves as a Board Member for the Red Devon USA organization. He is excited to see incredible Devon cattle spread throughout the country as more people move toward a forage based operation and finish beef on grass only for the health of cattle, people, and the land. Contact Steve for more information about the animals he knows or stop by Lamppost Farm to see their herd of Registered and Commercial Devon Cattle.
Call Steve today to ask your question or set up your visit ... 330-531-4240 |
Why Devons?
We believe that Devons are a gift to us, the people, and the Creation around us. Our story in raising cattle had its meager beginnings, a good starting place for anyone. After researching many different cattle breeds and choosing to pursue devons as the best fit for our farm model (grass based, intensive grazing, hands-on because Lamppost Farm is a ministry/education organization that invites people to participate and learn from encounters with agriculture), Steve kept coming up empty. Finding devon cattle seemed like snipe hunting. Were they real? After throwing up his hands in disgust and surrender, Steve found a picture of Keystone Barnabus, a bull owned, surprisingly, by Bud and Nancy Chonko of Pine Top Farm in Martinsburg, PA. The Chonkos were family friends through church, high school, and college overlaps (This is a GREAT story but too long to tell...we just say it was God's orchestration of so many relationships and events...ask sometime).
As it turns out, the best blessing is not Devon cattle but finding mentors and partners in re-connecting with Bud and Nancy. But, our first Devon was a bull calf we named, Glenstorm, a gift from Pine Top Farm as the first-fruit from a new line they were developing. He was the grandson of Lakota's P60, one of the best Devon bulls from American genetics. Glenstorm was used on commercial cattle (primarily devon/angus crosses and full shorthorns) and then sold to make room for Pine Top Sparticus (aka, Bump). Along with Bump, we bought an older cow from Pine Top Farm to begin building our pure bred lines. This cow is still on our farm and producing as a 16+ yr old with a solid utter, great condition, and offspring that improve on her even more.
After two years of breeding Bump to our cows and visiting Lakota Ranch in Virginia to buy a few other pure Devons, we were presented with an opportunity to purchase 2010 American Devon Cattle Association National Grand Champion Crooked Tree N10. We jumped on that chance so quickly and bred Crooked Tree to our entire herd. A year later, we found Crooked Tree dead. He had gotten stuck in a hole and could not stand up, dying of suffication. Thankfully, the cows we bought from Lakota Ranch, along with Crooked Tree N10, gave us a very nice calf crop to build on.
As a result of losing our herd bull, our plans for artificial insemination were sped up. We also were able to successfully harvest 6 embryos from the best cow we bought, Stonebridge's P1 of Lakota's Favorites line. She was bred to the legendary Isca Mustang bull of New Zealand. In May of 2016, we had our first Mustang calves hit the ground. In addition, we have AI'd many of the rest of our pure devon females to Adventureland's 97k bull, owned by our friend, Bob VanKirk at 4 Seasons Farm in Tyrone, PA. 97K was Reserve Grand Champion at the 2015 Red Devon USA Show and Sale.
What began with Devons from one Ohio location has spread to include other Red Devon breeders in the State. We are excited to introduce our friends from Harmon Creek Farm, Christian and Cheri Ramsburg.
Here is Harmon Creek in their words:
"Harmon Creek Farm breeds purebred Red Devon cattle first and foremost for functional efficiency. Along with the standard traits that Devon cattle exhibit such as strong maternal instincts, good temperament, efficiency on grass, Harmon Creek only keeps cattle for breeding or to sell that also meet phenotypical standards including solid udders, hooves, resistance to sickness and feminine/masculine physical traits. We offer a wide range of New Zealand, British and American genetics to choose from. Purebred heifers, cows, bulls and also Devon/Angus cross heifers are available most of the time."
The quality of the Devon cattle that we are fortunate to raise amazes us and captures our imagination on a regular basis. With straight backs, near perfect udders, calving ease, fast-growing offspring, ability to winter outside and maintain condition even the harshest winters that we have experienced in many years, reproduction rates that we don't worry about, temperment that allows us to load many of them in the field with a single strand of polywire, Devon cattle seem to be the perfect animal for great beef on grass only to sustain our direct marketing farm systems for the future. We are convinced that one visit to see these amazing animals and you will agree.
As it turns out, the best blessing is not Devon cattle but finding mentors and partners in re-connecting with Bud and Nancy. But, our first Devon was a bull calf we named, Glenstorm, a gift from Pine Top Farm as the first-fruit from a new line they were developing. He was the grandson of Lakota's P60, one of the best Devon bulls from American genetics. Glenstorm was used on commercial cattle (primarily devon/angus crosses and full shorthorns) and then sold to make room for Pine Top Sparticus (aka, Bump). Along with Bump, we bought an older cow from Pine Top Farm to begin building our pure bred lines. This cow is still on our farm and producing as a 16+ yr old with a solid utter, great condition, and offspring that improve on her even more.
After two years of breeding Bump to our cows and visiting Lakota Ranch in Virginia to buy a few other pure Devons, we were presented with an opportunity to purchase 2010 American Devon Cattle Association National Grand Champion Crooked Tree N10. We jumped on that chance so quickly and bred Crooked Tree to our entire herd. A year later, we found Crooked Tree dead. He had gotten stuck in a hole and could not stand up, dying of suffication. Thankfully, the cows we bought from Lakota Ranch, along with Crooked Tree N10, gave us a very nice calf crop to build on.
As a result of losing our herd bull, our plans for artificial insemination were sped up. We also were able to successfully harvest 6 embryos from the best cow we bought, Stonebridge's P1 of Lakota's Favorites line. She was bred to the legendary Isca Mustang bull of New Zealand. In May of 2016, we had our first Mustang calves hit the ground. In addition, we have AI'd many of the rest of our pure devon females to Adventureland's 97k bull, owned by our friend, Bob VanKirk at 4 Seasons Farm in Tyrone, PA. 97K was Reserve Grand Champion at the 2015 Red Devon USA Show and Sale.
What began with Devons from one Ohio location has spread to include other Red Devon breeders in the State. We are excited to introduce our friends from Harmon Creek Farm, Christian and Cheri Ramsburg.
Here is Harmon Creek in their words:
"Harmon Creek Farm breeds purebred Red Devon cattle first and foremost for functional efficiency. Along with the standard traits that Devon cattle exhibit such as strong maternal instincts, good temperament, efficiency on grass, Harmon Creek only keeps cattle for breeding or to sell that also meet phenotypical standards including solid udders, hooves, resistance to sickness and feminine/masculine physical traits. We offer a wide range of New Zealand, British and American genetics to choose from. Purebred heifers, cows, bulls and also Devon/Angus cross heifers are available most of the time."
The quality of the Devon cattle that we are fortunate to raise amazes us and captures our imagination on a regular basis. With straight backs, near perfect udders, calving ease, fast-growing offspring, ability to winter outside and maintain condition even the harshest winters that we have experienced in many years, reproduction rates that we don't worry about, temperment that allows us to load many of them in the field with a single strand of polywire, Devon cattle seem to be the perfect animal for great beef on grass only to sustain our direct marketing farm systems for the future. We are convinced that one visit to see these amazing animals and you will agree.
Need More "Why Devons"? Visit Red Devon USA here.
Lamppost Farm, 14900 Market St., Columbiana, OH 44408 330-531-4240
