A Little About Sunshine Acres
On a hot July 4th weekend in 2005 my wife Carolyn and I moved
to what later would become our small ranch in Barnsdall Oklahoma. We sat on the pickup tailgate making plans. Our dream ranch was simply
a house sitting amongst trees and brush, no fences, no barns, not even a sidewalk, just a lot of potential. Seventeen plus years later and
a lot of hard work it has become a beautiful ranch we call "Sunshine Acres". Carolyn had always called her son Andy John, now
deceased, "Shiney" or "Sunshine" so it seemed natural to incorporate the nickname into our happy ranch.
In the summer of 2006 our "Papa" was diagnosed with terminal cancer of the pancreas. In the many talks we had with him we discovered that his dream had been to have a small ranch and raise Miniature Herefords. The fall of that year we lost our beloved "Papa" to that terrible disease. After many hours of research, visiting several Miniature Hereford ranches and numerous hours of discussion we decided to fulfill both Papa’s and now our dream. So in February of 2007 we traveled to Texas and bought our first group of Miniature Herefords; thus "Sunshine Acres" were born.
Being retired now, we love sitting on our deck every night, overlooking everything that God has given us. We love our Miniature Herefords, Nubian Goats, Chickens, Guineas, 7 dogs and too many to count Barn Cats. Our ranch and Miniature Herefords allow us to spend quality family time together, provides us with peace and tranquility, and keeps us grounded and ready to face the stresses of life.
We hope you enjoy our Miniature Herefords and as Papa always said, “Remember to work hard, but also play hard”. We have since added our own saying which we also try to live by; love, dream, live life to the fullest and celebrate your Miniature Herefords!
Why Miniature Herefords?
More and more people are learning the value of rural life, and are moving to rural or suburban areas to enjoy the peacefulness and tranquility available at the edges of the city's rat race. While these 5, 10 or larger acre homesteads are a great investment taxes and maintenance can easily challenge the tranquility aspect. That's where Miniature Herefords come in. At 1/2 to 1/3 the size of today’s standard cattle, they thrive on smaller acreages, are far less harmful to the property and keep the place trimmed and fertilized for you. I like to tell people our minis are more the size of cattle my grandpa and great-grandpa raised, as today’s cattle are continuously bred larger and larger. Therefore you can pasture roughly twice the number of Minis as you can standard cattle making it easier to obtain your agricultural tax exemption status. Miniature Herefords’ smaller size and docile natures make them more desirable for pets, 4H or FFA projects for the children and they're easier to manage than standard cattle. Miniature Herefords are incredibly hardy and have been known to thrive from Canada to Mexico and California to New York as well as in countries overseas. But then grandpa always told us grandkids when different breeds became the rage, “Herefords are the sturdiest cattle.”
If you are interested in raising your own beef to avoid the possibility of BSE infected meats, the Miniature Hereford will suit you perfectly. Their carcass size is exactly right for an average family of 4 to consume within the recommended shelf life of the meat. Besides you can then know where your meat came from, what is in your meat and that it is perfectly safe for you and your family.
The simple fact is that they are beautiful animals, a great meat source, will create an extra source of income, provide tax deductions options and are very easy to get attached to. When you spend enough time with your herd your minis will greet you much like a puppy dog and you can also teach them to eat Range Cubes right out of your hand. If you find this lifestyle appealing or if you simply just want more information about raising Miniature Herefords, please feel free to contact us at Sunshine Acres Miniature Herefords.
A Few Links of Interest:
-
Miniature Hereford Breeders Association - www.mhbaonline.org
-
American Hereford Association - www.hereford.org
