Who we are...

Our Humble Beginnings

In 1995, we were looking for a special breed of cattle to bring attention to our fruit and vegetable market located on our farm. We had a pasture on the corner of the farm with street footage on two sides.  It seemed like the perfect spot for some four-legged signage. While looking through several books trying to get ideas, my wife flipped a book over and saw some Belted Galloways on the back cover.  Our search was over! Who would have thought that what basically started as a marketing ploy would turn into a thirty-plus year love story? 

From our start in Pennsylvania (Swamp Fox Farm), we migrated to New Hampshire (North Wind Grange) approximately 17 miles outside of Fryeburg, Maine, home of the Fryeburg Fair and the Belted Galloway National Sale. In 2006, we settled on our present 150 acre farm in the steep hills of the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont. We combined the names of our two sons, Calum and Eamonn, and Caleamont Farm was established.

Why Belted Galloways?

While the Belties were definitely eye-catching, there had to be more to them than just their beauty.   Aside from being a heritage breed that needed preservation, being from Scotland, Belties were used to hard terrain and long winters.  We were looking for a breed that would be successful on strictly grass and no grain.  If the Belted Galloways could subsist on marginal land and forage, what could they do on quality agricultural soils with premium grass/legume pastures?

Why 100 % Grass Fed?

Having a farm market where we sold our fresh fruits and vegetables, we wanted to complement the healthy produce with equally healthy meat. We were impressed with the works of Sally Fallon of the Weston Price Foundation and Dr. Tilak Dhiman of Utah State University, both of whom espoused the health benefits of 100% grass-fed meat and animal products.  Dr. Dhiman presented difficult to dispute facts that grass-fed and grain-fed meat products produce totally different health profiles. The levels of the essential fatty acids omega 6 and omega 3 in grass-fed products were balanced while grain-fed products were found to have a disproportionate amount of omega 6, which contributes to inflammation and other diseases.

Our Operation

Caleamont Farm operates under Management Intensive Grazing (MIG) and (AMP) with the herd moving to a new poly-wired paddock each and every day beginning around May 15th of the given year.  Our farm operation consists of 150 acres owned and 125 acres leased for pasture and hay production.   We supplement the herd with a high-quality loose mineral, a selenium block, dry kelp meal and Redmond’s Salt in our covered free-choice mineral feeders.  As of today, we have had over ten generations (three year cycles) of grass-based genetic lines. No grain was ever purchased or fed during our stewardship.

We evaluate the herd for efficiency on grass, temperament, phenotype, calving ease and no mismarks. We normally calve on pasture mid-April through early June.  Accordingly, we place the bulls with the breeding stock after the 4th of July.

Our Herd

After our initial purchase of three cows and a calf, we strengthened our small herd in 1998 with the purchase of Angel Camp Latte from a 100% grass-fed farm in Minnesota. Latte lived to be twenty-one years old and presented us with seventeen healthy calves, earning her place as the original herd matriarch. We expect our cows to breed up to fifteen years of age or more, each producing an average of twelve or more calves.

In addition to developing a strong contingent of grass-based females, we have been fortunate to have had a continuous string of fantastic sires with bloodlines that are descendant from Firth King Henry, Lullenden Bruno, Burnside David, Mar-Pine Calgary and Bolebec Dun Controller.  We made the decision early on to maintain a full-blood herd. We have derived much success from utilizing these old Canadian and Scottish genetic lines. By importing directly from the Windchime Farm in Canada, we ensure the continuation of full-blood heritage throughout our herd.

You may view all of our breeding stock by selecting “Genetic Influences” to see photos and pedigrees of each animal.