About Us

Hello and welcome to Grace Farm Cattle Company on the web!  Here at Grace Farm we raise grass-fed, free range, 100% natural beef.  All of our beef is finished on grass and on site without corn or other fillers used to add weight.  Our operation is very small, allowing it to be monitored and managed in a manner reflective of a family-owned operation.

Our breeds of cattle include; Lowline Angus, Belted Galloway and Lowline/Belted Galloway cross.  By breeding Lowline Angus to Belted Galloway, Grace Farm Cattle Company produces a superior beef that features all of the excellent health benefits of the grass-fed Lowline Angus meat as well as the larger frame of the Belted Galloway.

Our History

Having grown up in southern California Marty & Chelly Coon longed for the beautiful forests, rich pastures and legendary lakes of north Idaho. They fell in love with the people of north Idaho and adopted their spirit of independence and self sufficiency and bought property in Hayden, ID in 1990.  Building on the property began in 2000.  In 2009, Marty & Chelly’s Daughter and son-in-law Bonnie and Ben Fairfield bought into the herd bringing two Belted Galloways to the farm.  Along with a vegetable garden and berry patch, our foundation product is hormone free, grass fed beef for our own consumption and for those who are concerned about a healthy and secure food source.

Every day on Grace Farm reminds us of the ultimate Grace (undeserved favor) extended to us by the Lord of our lives, Jesus Christ.  We thank Him for our salvation and for the gift of Grace Farm.

Lowline Angus

Lowline Angus cattle were developed in 1974 by the Trangie Agricultural Research Centre in Australia. The research was on the effects of genetic selection for growth rate to yearling age. Groups of Angus cattle with high and low growth rates were bred separately and compared with a randomly selected control group. These groups were known as “High Line”,”Low Line” and “Control Line”.  When the experiment ended in 1992 the Lowline herd was sold to private breeders who formed the Australian Lowline Cattle Association (ALCA). Lowline cattle are now bred in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, USA, and China. *

Lowline Angus can yield up to 55% of overall live weight for consumption. The flesh is tender and well marbled, vis a vis their ancestors, the Angus, favored by the Japanese perfectionists.**

Lowline cattle are very definitely a beef breed. They are always black, naturally polled and at all stages of their growth are 60% of the size of normal beef breeds. As they stand today, they are generally the smallest breed of beef cattle.  At birth, calves average 20-24kg (45-53 lbs). Their growth rate is very rapid at first, due to the fact that the dams make excellent mothers and provide ample milk, and most double their birth weight during the first six weeks. Mature cows can carry a calf at the teat up until the calf is about 8 months.**

At 8 months, the heifers average 110kg (240 lbs) and bulls 140kg (300 lbs). As yearlings, they have increased to about 190kg (420 lbs) for heifers and 230kg (510 lbs) for bulls. Cows at maturity, 3 years, weigh a consistent average of 320kg (710 lbs) in good condition and stand between 95 and 105cm at the shoulder. The equivalent aged bulls, well muscled, top out at over 400kg (880 lbs) and stand between 100 and 110cm at the hip. **

Belted Galloway

The Belted Galloway is a rare beef breed of cattle originating from Galloway in South West Scotland, adapting to living on the poor upland pastures and windswept moorlands of the region.  Galloways are primarily raised for their quality marbled beef, although they are sometimes milked and purchased to adorn pastures due to their striking appearance.*

Galloway cattle are naturally polled. The most visible characteristics of the Belted Galloway are its long hair coat and the broad white belt that completely encircles the body. Its coarse outer coat helps shed the rain, and its soft undercoat provides insulation and waterproofing, enabling the breed to happily overwinter outside. Black Belties are most prominent, but Dun and Red Belties are also recognized by breed societies, the latter being comparatively rare and sought after. A female Belted Galloway cannot be registered in the Herd Book if it has white above the dew claw other than the belt, but can be registered in the Appendix. A bull can only be registered in the Herd book if it has no other white than the belt.*

Bulls weigh from 1,700 pounds (770kg) to 2,300 pounds (1045kg) with the average being 1,800 pounds (820kg). Cows weigh from 1,000 pounds (454kg) to 1,500 pounds (680kg) with the average being 1,250 pounds (568kg). Calves generally weigh from 40 pounds to 60 pounds. Belties are generally of a quiet temperament, but still maintain a strong maternal instinct and will protect a calf against perceived threats.*

Belties are well-suited for rough grazing land and will utilize coarse grasses other breeds would shun. They are able to maintain good condition on less than ideal pasture, and produce a high quality beef product on grass alone. The USDA Cycle IV Germ Plasm Evaluation Program at the Meat Animal Research Center (MARC) showed that Galloway crosses placed at the top of the chart for flavor, juiciness and tenderness when compared to eleven other breeds.*

*From Wikipedia.com

**From the Australian Lowline Cattle Assoc. Inc. / Oklahoma State University Breed Profile