What does it really take to build a Highland cattle herd from scratch? This week Taylor sits down with Lauren of Grand Marsh Highlands - a small-scale farmer from Northwest Indiana who went from suburban life to mini Highlands in just six years.

Lauren shares the honest realities of cattle ownership: navigating financial hardship, treating sick animals, calving complications, and running a farm solo with young kids. If you're thinking about starting a herd, this one's essential listening.

Key Takeaways

Have a large animal vet lined up before your cattle arrive.

A head gate or chute is essential - not optional.

Registered mini Highlands suit smaller acreages and tighter budgets.

Cattle are a genuine financial asset when life gets tough.

Know your medicines before your animals arrive.

Episode Highlights

Lauren's journey from full-size to mini Highlands.

Why registered cattle make better business sense. Managing calving complications including meconium-covered calves.

Balancing farm work solo with young children.

Farm safety realities and heavy machinery near-misses.

Timestamps

00:00 Welcome and introducing Lauren

01:22 Navigating financial hardship with cattle

04:48 What Lauren wishes she'd known from the start

08:06 Head gates and cattle handling setups

13:45 Registered vs unregistered- the switch to minis

19:00 Calving complications and what to watch for

20:17 Farming solo with young kids

23:42 Farm safety moments

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Production Credit: Edited and produced by @the32collective_ / https://www.the32collective.co/