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The Long Grey Line Farm began operation in Alabama early in 1976. Hell Cats' Reveille by Broadlands' Kilarney and out of Evan's Lula Twigg by Command Attention was selected to head the breeding program. He was bred by W.W. Evans, Winds Aloft Farm, Louisville, Kentucky. Soon another stallion, Badge of Gallantry by Gallant Guy O'Goshen and out of Autumn Twilight by Anderson Aire by Anderson Rex (full brother to Captain Courageous), was also purchased from Winds Aloft Farm. Mares who were eighteen to twenty one years of age were purchased to try to intensify some of the old bloodlines. Today, their sons, daughters, grandsons and granddaughters are continuing the program to bring back the old bloodlines of Jack Twigg (for the beauty, very smooth trot and leggy motioned way of going) and King Barrymore (for the big strong hooves) among others. A special effort to intensify the Kalarama Rex bloodlines (to ensure stamina and athletic ability) has been carried out and today some of the most potent Kalarama Rex blood can be found jn our bloodlines. Nearly every world's champion at Louisville each year traces to Kalarama Rex. Begun as a horse breeding farm, the Farm has changed to become a livestock breeding operation. Natural food is becoming more and more desirable. Our goal has always been to produce livestock without hormones, herbicides, pesticides, etc. This becomes a real challenge sometimes, but it is a goal worth pursuing. The Belted Galloway herd increased and as time went on, Martha realized that she needed to settle for smaller challenges and the horses were replaced with Dairy Goats and then Meat Goats. Today, the farm, relocated to North Central Florida, is becoming known for both Belted Galloway beef cattle and crossbred Meat Goats.
Martha and her daughter exhibited fancy poultry on the East Coast and in Alabama, so it was only natural to continue to have unusual poultry and waterfowl. They also competed at horse shows in the early 1970s with Martha driving and riding her five-gaited gelding, Caesar, and the children showing their versatile little Welsh mare, Stormy Day. Martha's family had American Saddle Horses before World War II, so her interest and knowledge goes back a long way.
READY or COMING SO0N! Status updated as of 22 July 2017.
BELTED GALLOWAY BEEF FOR SALE - It is sold as a traditional quarter or side, cut to your specifications. This beef is from a grass-fed animal. We currently feed only round bales of hay and a little feed at night to keep the cows friendly and happy. We do not use any antibiotics or steroids on our cattle and the fields have had no insecticide, pesticide or herbicide on them for 29 years. The beef is lean and flavorful. Price for a side or quarter is $5.00/pound hanging weight. Packaged weight is nearly double the price. This price is just about equal to Walmart or Publix Angus Grass Fed prices. We will continue to pursue a most healthful route in raising our animals. We do not use chemical fertilizer on the fields, only manure from our animals. We do not feed antibiotics or hormones and no pesticides, herbicides or defoliants are used on the fields. Learning what grasses will grow in North Central Florida sand has been a real challenge, but we seem to have met the challenge. Grass is growing! We use two Pyrenees and three Maremma livestock guardian dogs to keep our herd safe from predators and intruders.
BABY GOATS FOR SALE - Baby goats arrive in clusters throughout the year......cross bred Savannah, Spanish, Kiko, Boer. They are out of crossbred dams with some Alpine, Saanen, Oberhasli and Toggenburg added to produce more milk.
I do not plan to sell any doelings this next year because I am holding them to increase my herd. I plan to have 100 does in the near future.
We added goats as we decreased the American Saddlebred herd. I decided to have some cross breeds, two sizes: meat goats which are Savannah, Kiko and Boer crosses and smaller goats, more for milk or small meat goats. We have decided not to register our goats and will maintain a commercial herd of crossbreds. I will register a small number of Savanna stock with Pedigree International.
The reason that I have added Kiko and Savanna (also called White Goats in South Africa) meat goats to our herd is that the breeds are hardy and less susceptible to internal parasites than the Boer goats. I have does, who are Boer crosses, but no purebred Boers in the herd. The Savanna is a native of South Africa and the Kiko is a native of New Zealand. I recently added Spanish does and a Spanish buck from Smoke Ridge Farm in Montana. They will add even more vigor, parasite resistance, rapid growth and size. The goats are clearing out an area of brush since goats are more a browse than grazing animal. I continue to plant browse and new varieties of forage each season. The fields are improving with our new rotation system. Our goats are fed a very small amount of Alfalfa/Sorghum/corn pellets plus round bales of hay that are harvested from our land. The goats are in the barn at night but are on pasture by day. We use no herbicides, pesticides, or defoliants on our land and the animals receive no routine antibiotics or hormones. We try to avoid GMOs in our program. We rotate pastures to help combat parasites. We use three Maremma Livestock Guardian Dogs to protect the herd from predators and intruders.
Goat meat has less cholesterol than chicken. It sells, quartered, half or whole, for $8/pound and ground or pieces, ready to cook, for $9/pound. Since they are small, goats are usually sold with both sides as one unit. The meat is mild, more like chicken or fine pork than beef or venison. I use the ground meat just like I do ground beef or pork. I have found a spice, Tzar Dust Memories, sold by Penzey's Spice that is superb on the goat meat. The stew meat is excellent seasoned with Sweet Curry, which is mild, not hot, and served over rice. Our goats are processed at a USDA inspected facility just like the beef or pork. Ground or pieces are usually in one pound packages but can be packaged as desired.
Buckling goats are available at weaning for a minimum of $150. Large meat goats are priced at time of sale, but are a minimum of $200.
The South African Savanna goats have been in the US since the 1990s. They are all white, some with dark freckles, and sometimes have a brown head like a Boer. The Savanna is an improvement from Boer Goat breeding. I am impressed with their size and muscling. The Savanna/Spanish cross is outstanding, but any Savanna cross is an excellent improvement goat. Our Savanna herd originated from Dale Coody's herd in Oklahoma. The New Zealand Kiko lines are from Terminator and Lover Boy, excellent blood and black as a bonus. The Spanish are from Smoke Ridge Farm in Montana. This summer we have added a registered Savanna buck and a pure Spanish buck plus several does in each breed. I think that our stock should improve greatly next breeding season. We currently keep about 50 does and most are bred to kid this Fall. Kids will begin to arrive in September. Because of our diversified bloodlines, we sometimes produce colorful spots, grays and blacks. If you have a special desire for color, contact martha@longgreylinefarm.com.
Welsh Sheep Dog Puppies - We imported our pair from Wales. Bryn has turned out to be a wonderful herder and varmint dog, as well as a family friend and protector (He hates Armadillos and Possums.). Welsh Sheep Dogs will listen to voice and call off of any command without a down-stay and will accept a new command. I am very pleased with the breed and I couldn't get along without Bryn now. Puppies sell for $350 after eight weeks, which is an exceptional bargain. If you have livestock, you need a Welsh Sheep Dog!
Chuck Gibson, KY Savanna Goats in Albany, KY and Martha with the new Savanna buck, who headed up the Savanna meat goat herd at the Long Grey Line Farm. Chuck, the buck, grew into a handsome animal and was our herd sire until his untimely death in January 2017. Our new registered Savanna buck, Joe, is even better with quicker weight gain and growth. We also have a Kiko/Savanna buck, Little Jeff, who is proving the value of hybrid vigor by cross-breeding. Our new Spanish buck, Mac, coupled with the Kiko and Savanna blood should greatly improve the genetics of the herd in the future.
BERKSHIRE, THE CONNOISSEUR'S PORK. We have sold all of our Berkshire pigs. We no longer breed and will purchase a couple of feeder pigs each year. Sometimes a half is available.
Tan, the imported Welsh Sheep Dog......Photos below. Contact martha@longgreylinefarm.com to discuss a future puppy.
Bryn, the male Welsh Sheep Dog, has proven to be an excellent stock dog, without any formal training. I could not gather the stock without him! He goes out alone and brings in the milk cow, works the Belted Galloway herd, gathers the goats and drives them to the barn, and checks at night outside the barn and brings in the stray chickens and turkeys. All of this is on voice and hand signals.... an exceptional stock dog! Bryn always checks the fields and when he doesn't come in or barks, we know to go out to check. He finds the newborn babies who didn't follow their mama to the barn. I cannot say enough good about the Welsh Sheep Dogs. They are also great Versatility and Frisbee dogs.
Bryn and his pups Terrwen (Brave Fair One) in Idaho
Rhonda with Bonnie Roland with Dewi
Martha Aitken became a Certified Breed Judge for The American Warmblood Registry in June 1998, and American Sport Pony Registry after extensive study and testing in England and in Germany. She was soon certified as an AHSA (now USEF) Dressage Sport Horse Breeding Judge, which sent her to shows all around the United States. This led her to inspecting sport horses for other breed registries, such as the A.R.A.B.S. and American Curly Horse Registry and Arabian Sport Horses. She served as a score keeper at the first Arabian Sport Horse Nations in Lexington, Virginia. In 2000, Martha journeyed to Bavaria to study the Shagya. She made the decision to retire her USEF Judge's License in 2009 because flying is no longer fun, travel is becoming tedious at her age and she is needed to operate the farm. She also made the decision to cease riding instruction in the spring of 2012 so that she can devote more time to writing and farm management.
Several books, one humorous about adventures on the farm, and another on the life of General William Temple Withers, her great grandfather, are currently in the works. Withers fought and was wounded at the Battle of Buena Vista in the Mexican War, fought in the War Between the States, then founded an internationally known Trotting Horse farm, Fairlawn Stock Farm, in Lexington, Ky. He died in 1889 and in 2008, Martha submitted his name and accomplishments to the Harness Racing Hall of Fame. He was accepted and Martha, with some other relatives, journeyed to Goshen, N.Y. to attend his induction as an Immortal in the Harness Racing Hall of Fame in 2009. This is such a great honor and we are very proud.
This honor came one hundred and twenty years after his death. The tribute that appeared in the souvenir journal of the Harness Racing Museum & Hall of Fame can be viewed here. In August 2012, Martha journeyed to Gunnison and Almont, Colorado where a research writing by John Jordan was presented on the history of Almont, Colorado. The town and the Almont Resort and Inn was named for General Withers' stallion, Almont, who sired the locally prominent stallion, Firmont. The town had to have a name in order to establish a post office, so Almont was selected. It is amazing that all of these roads lead to General William Temple Withers and Fairlawn Stock Farm more than 120 years later! And I am blessed to be a part of the recognition.
See more on this in the PHOTO GALLERY. Extensive research is being done and a book has been started. A target date for publication is set for 2019. If you are interested in procuring a copy, autographed, of course, contact martha@longgreylinefarm.com
Click here for pictures of our trip to Germany with the A.R.A.B.S. (American Registry of Arab Bred Sporthorses) in August 2001 to learn about Shagyas.
Our female, Lena, a Sunnie/Ella daughter is breeding age now and she will probably be bred to Justa this year. Puppies will be $1000. If you desire a puppy, be sure that you send an email to be put on the notification list. martha@longgreylinefarm.com More details below.
A
Rumble of Ridgebacks, Suzi, Wanu, and MasaiAKC Rhodesian Ridgebacks of recently imported African lineage are usually for sale. Our former senior stud dog's dam was imported from Zimbabwe. Wanu died in late 2006, just short of his tenth birthday. His son, Justa Nutta Tsu (dam, African Tsu), stepped up to breeding duties in 2007, and now his son fills that role. We imported a pair from South Africa in 2002. Zula and African Tsu have proven to be just what we needed in our breeding program. Puppies are $1000, but occasionally are priced for less. We prefer not to ship puppies and recommend that you fly to pick up your puppy and take it home in a carrier under the seat as carry-on-luggage. Gainesville, FL is our nearest airport, only an hour away. We are always happier to have the puppies picked up at the farm. We have bred Rhodesian Ridgebacks for more than 40 years. The first three stud dogs that we have used through the years were sired by imported stock or by sons of imported stock. Add in our recent imported blood from South Africa and Zimbabwe, plus a female from yet another imported line, and you have a very good genetic mix. Our goal has always been to produce good family dogs who could earn their keep by working if needed. Some of our stock has gone on to be working farm dogs and hunting dogs, a few have gone to the show ring, many have completed obedience and service dog programs, but most have ended up being family friends and protectors who were loved and cherished by their owners.
Ella Tsu, sired by an imported male, who because of the exception size and quality of her pups and her close ties to imported blood on both sides of her pedigree, puppy price is $1000. We have retained another female from the Ella/Sunnie line, named Lena, who will be bred to Justa. We have decided to keep an Ella/Sunnie son, My Thabo Tsu, to be used as a future sire. A non-refundable, but transferable, deposit of $100 will be required at time of notification of the puppies birth. Repeat buyers will have preference. Remaining money owed will be paid in cash at time of pick-up at eight weeks of age, and will include the first immunization and a health certificate by a veterinarian. Contact us if you wish to purchase a Ridgeback puppy. Unfortunately, our Ridgebacks are getting old, and so are we. I won't be breeding as much or as often in the future
Contact martha@longgreylinefarm.com or call 386-758-2361 if you are interested in a puppy or would like to be notified when the next litter is expected.
Gypsy and Zoe, owned by Brooke, after a hard day's work
Gypsy and Zoe, guardians, and Joey Lee's Embra
LaTarga comforts Bill's mother Carly and Chi - Nap Time
Alison's Aku shares some sun with Vikki, the Dobe Emma and Mongo taking a break
Austin and friend, Rudo Faith and her new friend, Logan
Andi's herd playing in New Orleans park What a comfy seat!
Ridgeback Desert Hunters Ella cooling off in the Water Tub
Peaceful Coexistence
- Sheridan and Annie
A Batch of Oreos
Belted Galloways - This is considered to be a Heritage Breed.
The breed's first recorded history dates to the 16th Century in the rugged hills of the former Galloway district of Scotland where they were selected for their thriftiness and ability to withstand the adverse conditions. The Belted Galloway has long hair on the back, so that the extra fat is not necessary to keep warm in the winter and biting insects are rarely a problem in the summer. Results of a multi-breed research project conducted by a Canadian Government Experiment Station, reveal that the Galloway ranks second only to the Buffalo in hair density tests. (I don't know if Alabama/Florida cattle can make this claim!) Angus also come from Scotland, but were selected for their rapid growth, not thriftiness. It is believed that the belted variety of Galloway cattle evolved from an early Celtic breed and is probably a cross of Black Galloways on Dutch Belted Dairy cows. They are polled, meaning that they have no horns, but they can still lay one on you with their head! This is a good-natured beef breed of medium size, who consume weeds, scrub and rough grass. I refer to them as the goats of the bovine world. Our mature bull weighs about 1200 pounds or less and is approximately 47 inches at the hip. The cows are about 800 pounds and produce well into their teens. We had a 23 year old cow who had a heifer in 2015. Regrettably, she died in 2016 after our move to Florida. Babies are very small at birth but quickly grow into fine young animals because their mamas have such good milk. They are thrifty and do not require extra quality forage to attain good growth. Because the animal is a little smaller, steaks are closer to the new guide-lines for boutique portions. Exciting color, good disposition, no horns, good growth rate without pushing with high protein diet, and lean flavorful meat. Since the Belted Galloways are free grazers, their meat is high in Omega 3, an essential fatty acid necessary for human growth and development. What a wonderful combination of traits!
We feed the entire herd a little hay or alfalfa/sorghum pellets once a day, mainly to establish a routine for recovery in case they get out of the field. Shake a bucket with a little feed and they come running! The herd has free-choice grass and hay available. Hay is raised on our farm with no pesticides or herbicides used. In 2017, we are planting browse for the goats and cattle. Hopefully it will increase the available forage in this Florida sand. We know what our Belties eat and that it is a healthy diet. The meat is flavorful, not like over-the-counter meat, mildly sweet with a light amount of marbling in the muscle plus a layer of fat on the outside. I use a little coconut oil to cook it, which adds to the healthy characteristics. The butcher says that he loves my Beltie Beef because it is pre-trimmed. He doesn't have to trim fat and throw it away. This means money in your pocket. It can be cut thick if you desire larger portions. I have one outstanding bull calf for sale, who is 14 months old. An exceptional bull calf was born in early May. He has the size, substance and conformation to become an outstanding herd sire. Price after weaning is $800-$1200, determined by age. For more information on the wonderful Belted Galloway: www.Beltie.org
Our first bull, called Cupcake, had a very good disposition and put it on his calves. They are easy to work around. He was a "heifer bull", meaning that he produced small calves but our cows all have good milk to make them grow out rapidly. His replacement, bred by Miracle Farm in Kentucky, has proved to be the right choice. In 2007, one of our senior cows died shortly after giving birth. Her daughter had a calf the morning that she died and took on the orphan plus her calf. The two babies, a heifer and a bull, grew out just fine. Our heifers, with their great maternal instinct, would be a grand beginning for a herd. We currently have no heifers for sale. We down-sized our herd drastically before our move to Florida and now we are rebuilding the herd.
BELTIES FOR SALE
Some are registered or are eligible to register with Pedigree International Belted Galloway Registry. Young bulls are for sale at $800-1200, depending upon age. I no longer register the young stock because the Belted Galloway Society has moved the paperwork to Canada. I love our country and this move is both expensive and lacking in patriotic spirit. Pedigree International has started a herd book in the United States. I plan to bring our paperwork up to date and register the stock. If you have purchased a Beltie from us in the past, I will be happy to assist you in completing the paperwork to register your animal. Contact martha@longgreylinefarm.com if you wish to add a Beltie to your life.
Look at the Mini-Moo that was born 30 January 2008. The calf beside her is 18 days older and of normal size. The big calf has been her constant companion, guardian and playmate since birth. The Rhodesian Ridgeback was bigger than she was at birth. The rooster's tail was higher than her shoulder. This tiny heifer was sold to Texas. The little boy is being checked out by a miniature heifer, who is the companion to our Jersey cow.
Sold to Joe Farm, Huntsville, AL
42-inch Miniature Belted Galloway
2-year old heifer
We added an A1/A2 Jersey milk cow to the herd. The A2/A2 genetic link is very interesting. Google it to see the details. Martha Jersey (I didn't name her. She was already named when I bought her.) is being bred to Miracle, the Belted Galloway bull, this year because I do not have an AI technician that I have found in my area. In 2015, she took a little Belted Galloway bull calf who needed some extra milk and care. In 24 hours, she decided to take on the second calf. The two calves were weaned and Martha Jersey produced two gallons of milk, with once a day milking schedule. In 2016, she produced a belted heifer. We just had no use for 4-5 gallons of milk a day, so I bought two Holstein calves and she raised three calves this year with no difficulty. All are eating grass, hay and feed with their mother. Martha Jersey will produce a calf this Fall. She may be for sale, since I do not anticipate needing her milk. She came from an Amish Dairy in Tennessee in 2013 as a two year old, according to what I was told, and I bought her in 2014. Martha Jersey is broke to lead, if you are strong and she decides to go where you want to go. Perseverance will win eventually. She is gentle, ties or uses a stanchion for milking and will eat bread or large pellets from your hand. She is 50-51 inches at the hip. Price: If you need a family Jersey milk cow, contact martha@longgreylinefarm.com.
Martha Jersey
Introducing our farm hands:
Tan & Bryn, imported Welsh Sheep Dogs
Ella, Rhodesian Ridgeback
Three Great Pyrenees to guard the goats
Tan, the Welsh Sheepdog
Tan, Bryn and Ella, enjoying the snow Griz Sweetie, Rhodesian Ridgeback
Griz, a McNab Stock Dog, was added to help Martha with the cattle, pigs and geese. He proved to be a header, not a driver or gatherer. Griz died on 8 July 2015. Since we needed specific herding traits, we located the perfect stock dogs in Wales. A pair of Welsh Sheep Dogs was imported from the finest stock to be found in Wales. They are remarkable dogs, exceptionally intelligent and born with so much natural herding instinct! We needed farm dogs, but they also make outstanding agility dogs and some compete in Frisbee competitions. Tan, the female, is a long hair and Bryn, the male, is a short hair. We have had no problems with Tan collecting burrs in her fur, which was a fear when she first arrived. She has a beautiful soft coat, much like Lassie, that does not require grooming. Our dogs are very loving companions. A bonus is that they are great at locating armadillos, possums (and sometimes skunks) in the barn. They don't bother the barn cats and chickens. There are only a handful of Welsh Sheep Dogs in the USA at this time. They are wonderful dogs, whether at work or at play or just lounging around the house. Bryn goes out into the field and brings the goat herd into the barn each evening. Considering that I know very little about training, he is doing a remarkable job and is a joy to watch! Tan works the birds. Bryn herds the goats and checks the cattle. Each dog has a job. Contact martha@longgreylinefarm.com to discuss the purchase of a future Welsh Sheep Dog. See more pictures of Welsh Sheep Dogs in our picture gallery
I did not intend to add more dogs; however, I came to the conclusion that I needed Livestock Guardian Dogs for the goats and cattle in Florida, (since I have met two Bob Cats and have heard Coyotes on the farm), so the natural choice was Great Pyrenees. The puppies are raised in the barn with the goats and are never be allowed to come to the house. They are on guard 24/7 and live in the pasture with buck goats and the Beltie cattle. Biscuit and Honey are gorgeous from working guardian parents. They have kept the Coyotes, Red Fox and Bob Cats away. We seem to have them all living on our new farm in Florida. We have now been introduced to a new guardian dog breed, the Maremma. They originate from the mountains in Northern Italy. We have a pair from Florida and a male from Tennessee. I will probably keep a pair intact to breed because they are so exceptional. They live with the big goat herd. Maremma puppies are sometimes available. Price is $300. Contact martha@longgreylinefarm.com
Biscuit and Honey Biscuit, Griz, and Bryn
Honey, Jam (Half Irish Wolf Hound), and Biscuit
Grown Up Livestock Guardians
For more information: www.welshsheepdogsociety.com
Pets Direct Award |
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DOG TOYS & |
Contact martha@longgreylinefarm.com if you want to know more about our dogs.
Contact us at 386-758-2361 or by e-mail:
martha@longgreylinefarm.com.Current stock in The Boodle Shop is being liquidated as well as the Farm training equipment. The remaining stock has been moved to Florida and will be sold at drastically reduced prices. If you need something, query. It might be available.
We also sponsor www.saddlebredsporthorse.com and
this site is for sale for $1500. Contact martha@longgreylinefarm.comFor Saddlebred pedigree research or art work:
For excellent, personal horse transportation:
Steve Merka -
770-778-1300 or doubledeuceranch@comcast.net
For more info: http://www.doubledeuceranch.com
Louisville Kentucky - The Insiders City Guide & Business DirectoryPlease visit our daughter's web page for Home Schooling at www.HomeschoolChristian.com
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