Featured Breeder
Cedar Ridge Farm is located approximately twenty minutes northeast of East Lansing Michigan. Sharilyn Koch and I (Larry Koch) have operated that farm ever since we moved here some thirty years ago. Our professional lives motivated us to live in three states for various periods of time: Missouri, Indiana, and Michigan. While we both completed elementary school, high school, and college in Missouri, Michigan has become our adopted home. Since our marriage in 1968, we have been blessed with two incredible daughters, two equally incredible sons-in-law, and four beautiful and talented grandchildren. While the whole family enjoys Highland cattle: employment, college, and–at times--physical distance limits their hands-on participation. Thus, Sharilyn and I perform the day-to-day duties of running our “hobby” farm.
Before settling in Michigan our experience with raising cattle was limited. We lived on a small acre plot in Missouri for eleven years. We kept poultry, horses, and for the last five years there, traditional beef cattle. During my preteen years, I spent a few additional years around dairy/beef cattle. We decided to buy Highland cattle on a trip to Scotland some thirty years ago. Little is more impressive than Highland cattle on a Scottish landscape. We decided to bring half of that picture to our small farm in Michigan.
Given the time of year, Cedar Ridge is home to twenty head of AHCA registered highland cattle. Our Cows birth eight to ten calves annually. Like so many highland owners, we purchased our first highlands from Pat White and Larry Alber. That experience, in addition to the numerous highland breeders we met in the succeeding years, have nurtured and deepened our connection with the “grand old breed”. Sharilyn and I proudly served on the Midwest Highland Cattle Association Board of Directors for a number of years. In short, the many friendships we developed with fellow highland breeders has become a significant part of our “Highland experience”. Those associations further moved us in a completely new direction -- one we had never considered -- “showing”. Through the years our summer months are now intertwined with trips to Escanoba, Novi, and Centerville for competitive show events and, more importantly, a lot of friendly conversations.
Our advice to persons considering following us into the Highland experience is:
1) take time buying cattle. Pay close attention to the attitude/behavior of prospect animals; start with calm animals. Nothing will make you question your decision to raise Highland cattle more than “wild” animals.
2) take time deciding where to buy your first cattle; be as comfortable with the breeder as the cattle you are purchasing. While some risk is inevitable, reputable breeders accurately describe their cattle and sale agreements.
3) seek advice from experienced breeders before assuming your pasture fences are ready for cattle. Cattle tend to test restraints of all types, and Highlands are no exception.
4) build or purchase a restraining chute. Inevitably your cattle are going to need medical and/or cosmetic attention. Thus, you will need a safe working environment for yourself and/or a veterinarian.
